I can't believe it's been a Year already! Thank You for reading what I have to say as an Adult Learner and taking this wonderful journey through the World of Academia with me. Your words of encouragement, with your public and private comments, only reinforces my decision.Looking back on this first post, I see I have strayed from my original plan of drawing correlations between Knowles' principles of the Adult Learner and my real world application through experience. I believe I still have the spirit of this theme though.
CSN (my first college) is almost as old as I am.
Have you, or someone you know considered a return to college? If yes and you don't know where to start, hop on over to the wiki. (just click the blue wiki button at the top right) It's not too late and no one is ever too old. Heck I'm (darn, those number keys aren't working) but let's suffice it to say my first concert (age 4) was Paul Revere and the Raiders. How's that for a flashback?
Thank You again for reading. I am having great fun! I just love adding all this Scholarly information to my life experience. It feels right; that it should be this way. If you have any questions about college as an Adult Learner, drop me a line at Kathleen@perpetualandragogy.com
I'm claiming bragging rights for coolest college commute!
This is on the way home from UNLV
Why Go Back to College Now?
I wanted to be a Librarian, but when I looked at the qualifications, it required a Bachelor's Degree. (actually a Master's, but more on that later.) OK, but where to start and would it be worth it?
After much research and positive self-talk, I mustered the courage and enrolled. I started slowly, with only a couple of classes, just to get my feet wet. At orientation I learned of a course called College Success. It was recommended for Freshman and Nontraditional Students.
Returning to college after 25 years well qualified me for Nontraditional student status. Out with the math class, in with the College Success class. I added The History of Rock and Roll. "You can actually get credit for that?" I marveled,
"Sign me up!"
That was in the Fall of 2008. It is now Spring Semester of 2010 and forty class hours later. Along the way, I have learned something about myself. I don't learn the same way my younger traditional classmates do. With experience comes different ways to think about problems or theory set forth in standard curriculum. I ask more questions, hoping I am not dominating the discussion, and look for more interactions and applications of what is being presented.
"Sign me up!"
That was in the Fall of 2008. It is now Spring Semester of 2010 and forty class hours later. Along the way, I have learned something about myself. I don't learn the same way my younger traditional classmates do. With experience comes different ways to think about problems or theory set forth in standard curriculum. I ask more questions, hoping I am not dominating the discussion, and look for more interactions and applications of what is being presented. I knew there had to be others like me, or somebody must have addressed this aspect of education. A bit of research later brought me to Malcolm S. Knowles and his theory of Andragogy. In his chart, Andragogy in Practice, I found the Six Core Adult Learning Principles.
Professor Knowles and his contemporaries wrote this from the outside looking in. I have the great benefit of writing from the perspective of an Adult Learner in Action. In future Blogs I will share a learning experience, draw correlations between the experience and one or more of Professor Knowles' principles, then relate it to you in what I hope will be an informative and entertaining style.
Professor Knowles and his contemporaries wrote this from the outside looking in. I have the great benefit of writing from the perspective of an Adult Learner in Action. In future Blogs I will share a learning experience, draw correlations between the experience and one or more of Professor Knowles' principles, then relate it to you in what I hope will be an informative and entertaining style. Until then, I leave you with this.
Hernry Latham Doherty from the Lamont-Doherty Earth Observatory
Get over the idea that only children should spend their time in study.
Be a student so long as you still have something to learn, and this will mean all your life.
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9 comments:
At one point in my life I tried to teach teeny-boppers but had to retreat (into computers for many years). But once the adults starting going back to school I gave teaching a second chance and found my niche working with them. Today's community college (by whatever name) is a great place to find students with a mature outlook who are ready to learn and make use of what this opportunity has to offer. This is not to say that anyone under 25 cannot be a serious student, it is just a bit less likely.
Being an adult learner and facing the same anxieties as you, I look forward to reading your discoveries. Your research into the subject and determination prove your dedication to success!
I think you are so brave going back to school after all these years, I look forward to hearing all about your progress.
May we be learners and and soak up all pertainable knowledge until the day we die!!
I went straight through college at the start age of 22. I was able to complete an A.A.S B.S. and M.S. in about five years time. I also had to work a lot during school. Looking back I'm not sure how I did all of that. I find it a lot harder now to focus on school. All my majors were computer science related, yet technology changed so much most of the things I've learned are obsolete. So, I think I will be forced to be a life time learner as well.
I too am looking forward to learning more about your experiences of returning to school. I returned after 30 years and I agree, we don't learn the same way as we used to. I only wish I had stuck to it more in my younger years and learned Algebra lol.
Not sure how you pulled that out of the archive and reposted up here - but you did it - and you will continue to DO IT. My biggest success story - a one year old blog!! Happy birthday!!
Thank You so much Professor Fightmaster. I told everybody in my Stumbleupon share how you were the one to Thank for my even being able to start Perpetual Andragogy and the accompanying Wiki!
Thank You from the Very Bottom of my Heart!
Happy bloggy birthday.
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