It is that time once again for you to send your kids back to school. Well, in these trying times this may be a great opportunity for you to go back to school as well.

Let's face it, whether you are gainfully employed, entrepreneurially inclined or a job seeker, having a wide array of skills and knowledge can surely give you a leg up on your competition. Thanks to the internets there is a metric-sh!+-ton of resources to help you reach your goals.

I'll break it down for now with a handful of my favorites. Trust that this is just a small sampling of the possibilities and I will feature more as I get them. If you have something to add to the list please feel free to leave a comment. These are not in any particular order of ranking but here are some that I use every day.

Podcast:

Before the iPod and other portable media players became popular not so long ago, on-demand learning was possible through audiotapes and compact discs primarily featuring audio versions of books. Now that more advanced technology has made it possible for more people to make podcasts at a smaller cost, more and more of these audio lectures are turning up, thus more information in this format has become available to just about anyone.

Aside from being able to choose the time and venue for your learning experience, as a podcast user, you are also able to dictate the pace, as well as be able to better retain the information by replaying, or learning by repetition. In iTunes you will find podcasts on science, language, philosophy, management, history, and arts, to name a few subject groups that may be included in the student’s curriculum at school. There are also podcasts on the topics of spirituality, self-development, and professional advice. Podcast Directory in iTunes: 

Revision3: My Personal Favorite for Technology related content. Kevin Rose pretty much created this revolution and has some of the best shows out there. Give them a look even if you are not a nerd or geek like myself. They have some great shows for fun, education and entertainment.

On Networks: Passionate shows from people passionate about the topics you are looking for. Food, Family, Health, Travel or Style can all be found here. I like the fact that all their video, shot-from episodes are all shot in HD and look great if you have a "Theater PC" like my Mac Mini HTPC or an AppleTV.

Howcast Network: useful how-to videos and guides wherever.Great site for instructions and learning.Large collection of How-to videos on a variety of subjects Learn how to do something by watching online videos.

ehow.com: It's the world's most popular place to find clear instructions on how to do just about everything and so are there videos.Small but growing list of informative how-to videos embedded onto the site. It has an impressive and diverse array of content

5min.com: 5min is a place to find short video solutions for practical questions and a place for people to share their knowledge.any solution can be visually explained in no more than 5 minutes.Great video production and credible experts. Fun to watch and easy to follow instructions.

monkeysee.com: Another great resource for how-to-do projects.how the videos are broken down by steps. Easy to use .The videos are very informative and clear.Video quality is good.Great site for instructions and learning. I'm currently watching this little ditty on Handwriting since mine sux. http://www.monkeysee.com/play/9112-how-to-improve-handwriting

Lynda.com: Lynda.com also has a whole host of online video tutorials too that are well worth purchasing. There are nearly 200 topics of almost any and all top software packages. The best way to be good at any software you use in your business.

KelbyTraining.com: Mostly Photoshop and Photography slanted this is a great site for the graphic design lovers out there.

I hope this will inspire you to get up and do some of this e-learning. I swear you'll be addicted in no time.