Your teacher determines the quality of education that you will receive. The pursuit of knowledge may take you to places and different online platforms but it is the authentic and relevant resources that you must choose. Especially because the internet may make a sea of information available to you, in just a click or two but may not provide you with the right information, further, not all may be relevant for your purpose. Access to the right authentic resources can ideally help you.
First-Hand Resources
You must have heard about human libraries, right? We aren’t referring to human libraries but certainly to knowledgeable beings who are a treasure for learners. One who has learned through experiences, and mistakes, spending quality time reading and implementing theories to practice, is one of the best sources to learn from followed by some more. Let us walk you through a few types of first-hand sources.
Industry Experts
One of the best ways to learn is from experiences – both good and bad. When you are working you get applauded for things you do right and even go through undesirable experiences when you don’t match up to expectations or fail to do things right. You learn what not to do and that improves your professional acumen. The mistakes that you make are actually lessons that help you to enhance your skills and get better at your role. People who have worked in the industry that you eyeing can help you with their knowledge, experience, industry insights, and guidance. Talk to them at length; they are one of the best first-hand sources for an aspiring or even an experienced professional.
Trainers
Who else to gain knowledge from other than a teacher? Referred to as trainers, coaches, or mentors they are learned beings and equipped with the best methodologies to transfer knowledge to interested learners. They have been training professionals at different levels – freshers who are preparing for their first opportunity, mid-level professionals to are enhancing their knowledge and building up skills, and experienced professionals who seek improvement. They can help you with the theories, support them with case studies, and thus build up your practical knowledge. What they additionally do is build up and boost your confidence which is all the more important to face your industry, survive, and thrive.
Critics
Only one with complete knowledge of the subject, rational judgment, and the ability to reason their statements can criticize any particular matter. That’s why ‘critics’ is a separate profile and people who are critiques by professionals have excellence at par regarding the industry in which they operate, the subject they deal with, and related subjects. What makes the critics' knowledge more enriched is, that to criticize, one must have more in-depth knowledge, insights, and multiple factors related to the subject. For the best help, you must consult critics from your industry, preferably narrow down to your niche.
Resources from Authentic Sources
Nothing beats the value of authentic sources because they undergo different layers of checking and cross-checking, evaluation, verification, and other processes to ensure the information is valid, relevant, and not manipulated or tampered with. Textbooks, journals, published research papers, and columns written by authorized experts are some of the great first-hand sources to add to your knowledge. However, if you are referring to online versions of the sources just mentioned you must verify the source. Ease of access and use has led to many instances of compromised data and information; also they can be manipulated anytime. So, it is best to seek offline resources but that may not happen every time. Moreover, why would you want to invest your energy into traveling and finding them physically when you can avail them from the comfort of your space and according to your convenient time? Ensure you are using only resources from authentic sources.
Online Courses
Learning was never as convenient as it is now. The internet and its penetration into the remote corners has paved the way to increase inclusivity in education; people from anywhere can learn from their desired institutions, professionals can enhance their knowledge and build skills without compromising their existing job roles and even elders can explore different subjects. Keeping these in mind educational institutions have special provisions for online courses; they offer an impressive range of disciplines in their online courses. You can sign up for any of the courses of your choice and learn according to your convenience. The entire process is secured, monitored, and regulated making it the safest option to expand your knowledge. Said this, also beware of fraudulent institutions and scammers who pose as renowned educational organizations. To prevent any undesirable situation you can be alert, rational with your checking, and look for authentication ways.