Well, when I decided to do the online school I had to think about this very same question.

I made notes about what I thought would make a great school and then worked through them one by one.

Without a doubt the most important aspect was the talent and dedication of the instructors. It took me over a year to find the original group. Lucky for me, a great many of them are still teaching at EA and still have the same dedication and desire to pass on the knowledge they have that I saw in them in the beginning.

For online courses to be a great resource there must be a way for instructors and students to communicate and share information. To accomplish this every single classroom should have its own message board. The board should be available throughout the semester so no matter the time, if a student has a question they can post it. Eclectic Academy's boards are simple, easy to use and you can set your preference for the way the messages appear.

A variety of course subjects is very important. We have set up five different categories with over 100 courses total. You can chose from Traditional or Digital Art courses, Business classes, Website Development courses, and graphic classes as well as, for fun, eclectic courses.

Courses should be available for beginner as well as advanced students. Most of the graphics, art and Office courses have at least 2 levels - beginner and intermediate - with several having advanced courses as well.

Online courses should be offered several times a year so students can choose the best time to take them. They should be of reasonable duration so students have time to practice what they learn and ask for help or clarification on any portion of the lessons.

Above all, the courses must be affordable. Let's face it if you had $150.00 - $190.00 and the time available you would probably take a course at a college to be able to use the credits towards a degree. I wanted to be able to offer these classes to the widest range of people possible. That meant keeping the cost to the absolute minimum. I do believe the instructors are worth way more than they get so you are the winner.

I am contemplating offering a different type of course in the future which will probably cost more. I will set up another lens when all of the details are worked out.

You are all invited to check out Eclectic Academy and see if I accomplished my goal of creating a great resource for online classes.