Distance Learning in Mathematics

Back in 2003, I somehow had the desire of taking some distance learning in Mathematics. The idea came about 2 years ago when I was helping my second daughter in her study of 4-unit Mathematics as preparation of the HSC examination (HSC is the joint examination for secondary school students in Australia and is the credential awarded for successful completion of high school study and as basis for entrance to universities). To facilitate the assistance to my daughter, I had to review and refresh my knowledge of my high school mathematics. And in so doing, I came to have rekindled my interest in this subject which was my favourite during my early school days.
I searched the internet for distance learning in university level Mathematics. To my surprise, despite there were lots and lots of distance learning courses everywhere, there were hardly anything in Mathematics. Mathematics is quite a wonderful thing. Everybody learns Mathematics, but few study it. Mathematics is compulsory for everyone in School, but only a handful take it in College. There seemed to be no market for higher level Mathematics. So I searched the universities one by one. Finally I saw in the website of Stanford University, California that they had a program called EPGY (Education Program for Gifted Youths) in which they offered university level Mathematics courses to talented high school students in the form of distance learning. I then wrote to Stanford for possibility of enrollment. I said frankly that I was not sure whether I was gifted, but definitely I was not a youth given my age. Stanford declined insisting their program was aimed for talented high school students only. I expressed that I had gone through the whole world (electronically) and was only able to find this suitable program in Stanford, and that I was very keen to pursue knowledge at this level. After several exchanges of emails, Stanford advised that they could offer the program to teachers of Mathematics. So I suddenly became a teacher and was accepted.
Thence I undertook the program part-time from 2003 to 2006 while I was still working with Qantas. I completed subjects including:

. Multivariable Differential Calculus
. Multivariable Integral Calculus
. Ordinary Differential Equations
. Partial Differential Equations
. Real Analysis
. Complex Analysis
. Logic
. Number Theory
. Linear Algebra
. Modern Algebra

Despite the hard work (it was particularly hard for me being away from school so long), the experience was indeed very enjoyable and satisfying. Although the materials covered were quite involved, some of them are still regarded as 'Introduction' and 'Elementary'. Really there are still so much more lying ahead!