Education

3D animation courses, whether you take them online or from a specialized school, should not start you off on advanced software. An introduction to the software is required, yes, but you should start with the basics of animation. If you already have some animation experience, consider it a review and dust off your skills.

Starting off with basic drawing skills and the fundamental principles of animation assures that you see the connection between 2D animation and 3D animation. They are not separate disciplines. 3D is simply an extension of the realm of 2D and is based in the same principles and utilizes many of the same techniques but with some alterations.

Once you see those connections, your 3D animation courses can really help you exploit that knowledge with the aid of the software. Programs like Maya or Softimage are not easy to simply jump into and understand. Their advanced texturing and modeling applications are most useful to build on your previously gained knowledge of basic animation techniques.

Where to Take 3D Animation Courses
3D animation courses are available at a number of universities and through specialized media arts schools. If you know animation will be your lifes work, go for the specialized training. At the smaller schools you will likely receive more intensive training and will likely have a more favorable student-to-faculty ratio.