If you can read this, you should thank a teacher.

Sadly, many of the teachers I knew as a kid, with some notable exceptions, were not particularly inspiring or enthusiastic about their jobs.

This often made learning a chore.

I would be the first to insist nothing beats a good teacher.

My head teacher, Frank Price, and my teachers Dave Ridehalgh, Nick Cash, Jean Scott and Bill Griffiths managed to instil a desire for learning that is with me still.

But although there are many excellent teachers in Sussex, increasingly we need to turn to technology to find consistency.

Education is being spoon-fed to us through the internet and computer software applications.

Computerised learning programmes are definitely getting better and the presentation invariably remains fresh and bright because computers do not lose morale when wages do not match the cost of living.

There are very few academic subjects that cannot be taught to a high level by computers.

This is not to say that computer teachers can perform all the functions expected of their human counterparts.

Marking a handwritten essay, for instance, is beyond the scope of most current computers but this will change as optical character recognition (OCR)

technology improves.

One reason for the success of computer learning packages is price.

We have useful maths packages, amazing history CD-ROMs and exciting science programmes, all costing less than a good meal for two at your local takeaway.

Technology is now forcing down the price of learning and making high-quality education available for everyone.

Convenience is also an important factor. Computers are available to teach you 24 hours a day, so odd working patterns and shift working no longer inhibit education.

Learning technology is not just for kids.

There are literally hundreds of computer packages designed to help you learn anything from car mechanics to fishing and macrame to mountaineering.

Job-related learning is possible with a multitude of courses to help people gain qualifications to advance their career prospects.

Learning languages by computerised education has become commonplace.

Speech and language technology allows you to speak to your computer and receive a response in the language of your choosing.

And language learning is an essential part of living and working in a multi-cultural and multi-lingual society.

Some midwives, particularly those working in ethnic communities, are using computers to learn languages and dialects in their course work.

Fluency in a European language is almost obligatory for anyone hoping to do well in sales and marketing.

Online learning, using the internet to deliver courses, can make all the difference for a young person trying to get a foothold on the employment ladder.

A recent survey for Arundel-based e-learning specialists Futuremedia revealed 1.7 million people aged between 17 and 34 felt inadequately trained for their jobs.

Futuremedia offers a wide range of e-learning possibilities focused on employment training.

Employers planning to offer online staff training should look at the easycando web site.

For a more leisure-based look at e-learning including history trails and travel, try the BBC education site.

If you have a desire to learn and access to a computer, there is almost certainly a digital course that would appeal to you and fill those long winter evenings.

Just search the internet or the shelves of your local computer shop.

www.futuremedia.co.uk
www.easycando.com
www.bbc.co.uk/education/home