Women raised in the 50‘s and 60‘s have a strong work ethic and value education. In fact, many of us, were the first to go to college in our family – and until recently higher education remained a privilege of the wealthy elite. Now with online education, all that is changing.

Today, anyone with a computer and Internet connection can get the kind of education that only a few decades ago would have been inaccessible. So, if staying competitive in the job market, learning more about computers, or just improving your mind is important to you, I have good news.

The world of education has changed! Being confident and having strong computer skills is where you have to start.

The good news is that you can now take free computer classes on a number of different topics and skill levels. Below is a basic guide on where to find free computer classes from home.

Turn Your Computer Into Your Best Friend with Menanga

Menanga is an excellent resource for beginners wanting to learn the basics of the most widely used software programs. They instruct pupils via online video on essential programs like Microsoft Office Word, PowerPoint and How to use Excel.

Menanga.com is for beginners of any age who are looking for free computer courses that are comprehensive, easy to understand and can be done at the student’s own pace. Courses on new programs and program update tutorials are added regularly in order to allow users to keep up to date.

Get an Ivy League Education for Free with MIT and Harvard’s edX

The Massachusetts Institute of Technology and Harvard University are world renowned Ivy League universities dedicated to advancing education at the highest standards. These two colleges teamed up to create edX (www.ocw.mit.edu), which offers free open courseware, or downloadable text books and course materials in computer science and electrical engineering through MIT, all taught by world class teachers. If going back to college is something you’d like to do, these courses are a great way to start.

Learn Almost Anything at About.com

About.com has been in operation since the early days of the internet. They pay experts to write accurate and informative ‘How To’ articles pertaining to just about any topic you can think of. Perhaps you have even run across one of their tutorials on crafting, recipes, DIY projects and more. In order to maintain their integrity, only the most helpful and easy to understand pieces are published.

Also, About.com created a free university that is accessible to anyone worldwide who wants to learn basic computer skills, tutorials and get access to free course materials and videos. They also provide links to free educational resources in English and Spanish.

Get More from Your Computer with Home and Learn

Home and Learn (homeandlearn.co.uk) is a British site dedicated to educating the public about computers, software applications and programing. Beginners can take advantage of free online courses in Microsoft Office programs like Word, PowerPoint and Excel.

Once you have the basics down, you can go more in depth with tutorials on programming tools and web design. There is even information on the site about how you can take tests and become certified in these topics.

Get Free Technical Training from the Swinburne University of Technology

Swinburne University of Technology based in Australia gives free online courses in higher level mathematics, web page graphics, HTML, and more. This university is known for its math and sciences program and is the premier institute for technology in Australia but its free online courses are accessible to learners all around the world in topics like computer science, arts and humanities, business, IT and science and engineering.

Experience the University of California at Irvine

University of California Irvine provides free education through their Open Course Work program. Anyone wanting to learn can visit their site and take advantage of free courses and materials in arts, business management, education, engineering, health sciences, humanities, information and computer sciences, law, physical sciences, social ecology and social sciences.

This is one of the broadest free programs on the web and contains the same standard of educational materials and course work that students receive at the Ivy League university. Visit their site today to check out their free offerings.

Watch Courses from Dozens of Universities with iTunesU

iTunes is normally associated with finding music downloads for mobile devices. However with ITunes University there are many audio and video courses that you can download to your phone or computer. iTunesU downloads are for all ages and can teach you everything from how to turn on your computer to how to write programming code.

While attending a university in person is the most conventional route to receiving an education, it’s not for everyone. If learning from home with no monetary investment is for you, visit the sites above, find the perfect courses for your needs and start learning today!

Have you used any of the free services mentioned in this article? What was your experience? Do you know of other great free resources for computer training? Please share your ideas in the comments section below…