Basics of Investing

Besides switching focus to the developing world, online universities are working to make virtual classes more engaging. While early efforts simply posted recorded lectures and lecture notes, courses now offer chat rooms hosted by professors, instant-messenger office hours, flashy PowerPoint-style coursework and lectures formatted for iPods. It’s even becoming fun socially, says Derek Conlon, 42, an IT manager at one of the top investment-banking firms in London, who recently got his diploma from Oxford online: “It’s not like what I’ve seen on TV with fraternities, but I made friends with people from all around the world. You’re only an e-mail away.”