Mesmer Distance Learning Course List FAQ's Register or Login What is Distance Learning? The Plan Behind Mesmer Online Learning How Mesmer Online Learning Works What it Costs How to Enroll Will eLearning Change the World? There is a lot of hype and excitement surrounding eLearning, also called Distance Learning, or Web based training. But not all eLearning is created equally. Some schools, universities and community colleges think that ordering the book from Amazon.com and giving you an instructor's email address are all it takes to put on an eLearning class. That's not Distance Learning. Other companies want you to tune in at a given time to view a teensy postage stamp sized streaming feed of somebody giving a lecture somewhere else in the world, and call that Distance Learning. At Mesmer we think eLearning is much more than that. Justin Stills, Distance Learning Student, USA Mesmer eLearning Has Advantages Distance learning has the promise of freeing you from the constraints of time and space: You don't have to be in the same physical location as the rest of the class, and you don't have to work at the same time as the rest of the class. We've worked long and hard to develop a fully featured system that takes advantage of time and space, works through the internet, and puts the power of technology to work helping you learn. The Mesmer system has the highest quality content available anywhere in the world. Why? because we write it all from scratch, practice teaching it ourselves on real students, refine the material and then make it available in the Distance Learning system. The Mesmer distance learning is self paced: you get new material as fast as you can absorb it and demonstrate that you have learned from it. The Mesmer system creates a learning community, even through different times and places, with an email chat list, and drag n' drop posting boards to share images, movies, textures and other tools. How Does it Work? All you need is a web browser and an email account to participate. You can sign up completely online, or you can contact a human registrar to help get you started. To communicate with a human, send an email or call toll free 1.800.237.7311. After the online registration is complete and payment is confirmed, the Mesmer registrar will add a link to the new class in your account, and add you in to the virtual class community of instructors and students. When you click on the name of the class you just signed up for, Francis, the virtual registrar, shows you the first lesson and the first exercise. When you have successfully learned the material presented, do the exercise. Francis automatically checks your score on the exercise, and if you've passed, gives you another link for the next lesson. You study material at your own pace, going back as much as you like, moving forward only when you are comfortable. Francis keeps giving you more information until you have worked through the entire online class. During the class you can talk to other students and instructors at any time, day or night, through the community email list. You can share samples of the work you create and you can look at the material shared by other people. You are still a member of the community for the duration of the online class - usually 60 days from when you enroll. At the end of the class, Francis takes you off the email list and removes your link to the class material. What Does it Cost? Some parts of the Distance Learning system are totally free. Anyone can sign up and create a free account that has access to selected tutorials, including material on Softimage 3D, Alias|Wavefront Maya and Softimage XSI. Other eLearning classes cost $495.00 for a two month class with access to an instructor and a community of users. Check out each class in the Course List to find out exactly what each class covers. How Does One Enroll? To enroll online, first make a new account for yourself here. Then when you go to your free account in the Distance Learning section, you can immediately click to sign up and enroll in any of the new online classes we've created, as well as browse other free content and tutorials. Then, in your free account in the Distance Learning section you click to choose the Online Learning classes you want from the right hand "Stuff You Want" column. There you can pay with a credit card in a secure transaction server. After you provide your card, the eLearning system will give you the link you need in your inventory and send you there to begin learning. If you would prefer, you may also call the Mesmer registration desk at 1.800.237.7311 or send an email to info@mesmer.com, and a human registrar will assist you.