Respond to each of the following points:
· the challenges of being a learner at your age
· the joys of being a learner at your age
· your hopes for the next decade as a learner
· your advice for people who are entering your decade as a learner.
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224 comments:
«Oldest ‹Older 201 – 224 of 224Some points that I really enjoy regarding being a learner at this point in my life is that my writing level is much easier than in the years past, my ability to research has become more fine tuned, and though I am still weak when it comes to APA style citing, the resources available now compared to in the past, have significantly helped me improve that area of weakness.
Within the next decade I hope as a learner that I can become knowledgeable in training others to teach children in the public school systems, in a calm but effective way through strategic classroom management.
My advice to people entering the 30-39 age group of learning is that your effort and time management will define your success as well as determine how easy your actual learning will be. No great conquest comes without great effort. I believe taking ownership of your own education is the key to not only how well you will learn in a higher institute but how much you will be able to use those skills you have learned to make this world a better place for our children and their children to come.
N. Ramsey
Age 37
In my earlier thirties I have found learning to be exciting, challenging and an overall joy. I looked forward to every class and assignment. Now that I am more comfortable with my abilities as an adult student I find that learning new information is easier for me because I am able to see a connection between the new iformation and the role this information plays in my life and also how I can apply it to events within my life.
The necessity of higher education is essential for career advancement. This was my belief prior to the financial explosion our country has experienced for the past year. Due to colleges having to cut staff and my having been a viction of the states reduction in force I find that I now question the need for a terminal degree. I question wether i am wasting my time by pursuing higher education.
HC Valentine:
I ready your post and had a good laugh. One common thread throughout the adult phases has been time (or lack thereof). It does not matter what age we are we will always have to make choices regarding our time. My biggest advice to anyone that has children is to enjoy them as they can be gone the next day. Include your children in your learning experiences and show them that learning can be an enjoyable experience.
Luann
Bonnie,
I would like to respond to Bonnie's post because I too am concerned with whether or not my career choices will be adequate enough to support paying back the student loans aquired during my Masters and Doctoral programs. This is probably the single most important challenge to be concerned with. Even with that in mind the fact that I love learning and love helping others I still think the challenge is worth the finances.
Wendell,
I think learning starts to be fullfiling at your age group because you have had the opportunity to experience life a little and now you are more serious about your career path and what direction you are headed.
You gave some great advice to those entering college at your age and seizing the opportunity to see learning as a way to affect change in the society in which we live.
mlstroh,
Iadmire your passion for agriculture. We need more people like you who are committed to advanced degrees in this field (no pun intended).
I consider your greatest challenge the balancing act that is involved in your learning and not the academic learning itself. How do you think the online experience will make balancing more possible?
Karin P.
I feel that at age 37, when I decided to pursue my Doctoral degree I was concerned with juggling everything. I have a husband, 4 children, 2 dogs, 2 cats, and a full time teaching position. Balance in my life is something that I worry about constantly. I try my best to schedule, make lists, plan ahead, and maintain organization to make things easier. Each of my children does sporting activities after school and those of us that are teachers know that it is a lot more than a 40 hour a week job. Once my husband and I set up a schedule for me to do homework and study, it worked out much better.
As a post-graduate learner in my 30s, I feel that I am interested and invested more in what I am learning and have a yearning to apply whatever I can into the classroom. I enjoy learning new strategies and techniques to enhance my teaching and or philosophy. I feel like I am feeding an intrinsic need to learn, make connections, and apply the information. As opposed to when I was younger, I focused on categorizing and retaining the information. Each year, I become more reflective and strive try to make connections to better my profession and my life.
In the future, I hope I can continue to improve my juggling routine with this life I love. As busy as it is, I enjoy my down-time as well. I try not to keep up with the Joneses. We walk to the beat of our own drum and I want to always remember that as we move forward through this journey. I will always try to follow the advice of my grandmother who is 92. She always says that family is the most important and to maintain a sense of security and closeness, simplify your life and never lose your way. As a learner, a mother, a wife, a professional, and other roles I take on, I want to work hard and play hard to enjoy the journey. Keep it simple and focus on what is important.
The advice I would give would be to enjoy the process of school as best you can. Try to focus on the short term goals and enjoy yourself along the way. Don’t look too far ahead because you will get discouraged. Work hard, play hard and laugh a lot!
I really think the government funds a great deal of scholarships for Bachelor's Level careers but the higher degrees are not so fortunate. There really needs to be adequate scholarship and grant opportunities for education beyond the Bachelor's Degree. I have applied for many scholarships and haven't had any luck. It makes me wonder if the old rule, "It's not what you know, it's who you know" applies.
Challenges
One challenge of being a learner in my age group is that some family, friends and coworkers expect me to be finished with my education by now. I get questions from people about why I am pursuing a doctorate degree or if I am tired of school yet. Some people accuse me of being a nerd. In some instances, being an adult learner at my age carries a stigma.
Another challenge is that I am not as motivated as I was in my 20s. At times, I feel like I should have completed my education when I was younger because during that period of my life I had more focus, and more free time. Also, I used to be able to sit for longer periods of time to study. Now I have to take breaks or study with multiple sessions.
Joys
I am fulfilling a lifelong dream of completing my doctorate! I am happy that I know what I want to do in terms of my career and education. There were many things I was uncertain about or did not know in my 20s. I feel that now that I am older, I have more confidence and more experience. I feel special because I am able to pursue my education because many other people who are my age or older are unwilling or unable to go back to school, particularly at this level. I now know how I want to incorporate what I am learning into my personal and work life. I get a chance to keep up with new educational theories and learn from a diverse group of peers.
Hopes
I hope to become proficient in technical writing for academic journals. I hope to be able to publish my work in refereed education journals. I want to gain an in depth understanding of higher education and adult learning. I want to be a leader in my field. I also want to be able to integrate technology so that I am able to use the web to disseminate information and share resources through webinars, blogs and other technological media platforms.
Advice
My advice for others would be to make sure you choose an area of study that you are truly interested in. Do not start a program unless you are committed to completing it. You need to find intrinsic motivation that will keep you going. Also, time management is very important. Make a schedule that allows enough time for reading, writing and reflection.
Challenges of being an adult learner at the age of 30.
The challenges of being an adult learner at the age of thirty has seemed to be a battle within myself. This battle is filled with unconscious fears and self doubt. It's also filled with procrastination and finding balence. This is a battle that I'm determined not to loose.
The joys of being an adult learner
The joy of being an adult learner is the fact that I feel as though I have more control over my life than when I was achieving my degrees in my twenties. Because I've been 'out in the world' I feel as though I have a better handle on what role I want to play in it.
My hope for the next decade.
My hopes for the next decade are to become an established author within the field of adult education with regards to self improvement. I will travel and give lectures. I will continually help others by constantly learning new ways to work on myself.
My advice for those entering my decade as a learner
My advice for those entering my decade as a learner is two fold: First I would advise... To define your world with your own words and not by someone else's.
To me this advice has meant taking the things that I love about my life and talents to constantly create my own reality. Regardless of what anyone thinks.
Secondly, I would advise anyone entering my age group to seek out alternative answers. Don't accept something just because you heard it from a reputable source, family or official. When I check information against multiple sources is when I find the truth.
The challenges that I have faced as an adult learner is time management. In the beginning, I found it hard to juggle time between my family and school. I soon learned that each deserved equal time and attention. I begin to work on my school work when my family was asleep at night. I would stay up late to come assignments. I also take time when I can during the day time. I don't want to miss anything in my children's or husband's life.
The joys of being an adult learner are that you get to take what learn and apply it to your profession. I found that some of the skills that I have learned in graduate school were very effective. I began sharing them with other teachers. I also see that there are other career opportunities that I can pursue with my doctorate degree.
My hopes for the next decade of learners is learn time management early on. Your education becomes a committment by both you and your family. You both have to be in agreement see it through to the end. There will be many long hours that have to be put in.
My advice for the people who are entering your decade as a learner. I strongly suggest that obtaining your doctorate is something that you really want to do and that you decade sufficient time to your goals. Make sure you never lose sight that your family comes first.
to ghenderson...
You are so correct about "going global" and how we need to be technologically savvy in order to keep up. Congratulations on your engagement. You are correct that pursuing an advanced degree is time consuming. It is wonderful that you and your fiance understand the process and have made mature decisions to prioritize your life. I am in the next stage (40-49) and I have raised a family. My husband is not in school with me, but he is very supportive. This stage is very important to me as I feel the pull to fulfill my purpose on this earth. I want to be fully prepared and to share much of what I learn with others. It is a fulfilling stage, though time consuming. I am glad that my children are now adults and I do not have half of the obligations that I had in the past. Best wishes to you and your fiance.
Response to Sandy
Hi Sandy,
Thank you very much for the encouraging response.
One thing, among many others, I love most about this online Ed.D. Program is the fact that I benefit a lot from colleagues of diverse cultures and backgrounds. Each one of you has had so much to teach me and I am always eager to learn more.
Yes, the workload in this part of the world can be tremendously hectic. I teach at the American University of Technology, Halat, Lebanon. This is my tenth year. In the Lebanese University system, a Doctorate or Ph.D. is worthless without publications. The administrations expect holders of these degrees to publish a minimum of three to five works. I am sort of intimidated by how much more commitment to the education field the future entails/holds for me.
With heartening colleagues like you, I will find my way.
Rawya
Response to Elizabeth
Hi Elizabeth,
Your posting put a great smile on my face. Entertaining can be quite demanding. And in this 21st century, I myself cannot believe it is still a priority, but yet it is worth it. You feel you have so many people around you and caring for you if something ever goes wrong. By the way, so much entertainment takes place on Sunday after church. It is traditional.
So far, I have not had such a major issue with technology because I started the Ed.D Program in March. It was the beginning of spring and we are now still in summer. The approaching winter scares me a bit. However, the flexibility of the online classes (a week’s time for a discussion question or an assignment) helps me find many ways in case such an inconvenience occurs.
All the best my dear,
Rawya
Response to Holly
Hi Holly,
It is so good to hear from you and see your name on the blog. The residency we had in LA was a great, memorable experience in every way possible.
I just want to thank you very much for your encouraging response. I hope I always find the will to continue. People like you inspire me (especially someone so proficient in technology use…I your response in which you highlighted it is part of your doctoral project.)
And again thank you for the jacket you lent me in California.
All the best,
Rawya
Response to Tom
Hi Tom,
I am so glad to read there is someone from a different culture who finds my commitments only normal for my age group. Here, it is so acceptable that nobody seems to think you are enduring a great deal. But I am thankful I am going through so much because I feel this pressuring experience at my age is what will make things seem a lot easier in the future (I always try to look at the bright side).
Your last sentence was remarkable. No matter how much we contribute as individuals, in the end it is credentials and publications that are looked at; this is why—aside from the personal, professional, and academic fulfillment we seek—we try to live up to that.
I truly enjoy working with you and learning from your experiences.
All the best,
Rawya
Response to Frances
Hi Frances,
I want to thank you a lot for your very encouraging posting.
Apparently, you have already experienced the chaotic developmental phase (with all the personal, professional, and academic commitments) I am undergoing since you could obviously relate to the pressures it involves. It is inspiring to see that you can look back and know all turned out to be ok.
It is actually the support from dedicated educators like you that keep people like me going.
All the best,
Rawya
The challenges of being a learner at the age of 34 is experiencing a quarter-life crisis. At this age Im not sure exactly what I want to do for the rest of my life. I know it includes adult education, but then you take in the factors of being a single parent and the affects that your career has on your future. For instance, I would love to teach internationally, but how will that affect my child's stability and education.
I think that at this age, we are just setting a foundation for our future and not really definitive on what we want to do permanently. The joy of learning at this age is the ability to be motivated and learn from both generations younger and older. So, we stay active and intervative, yet have the sense to know that the wisdom and experience comes with age most of the time.
My hopes for the next generation, is that they will embellish in the effective usages of time. I hope that they create programs that allow them to figure out what interest them most, and how their interest can be used in various working fields. But for those who are just entering my decade, I would say your future...The foundation of your future is vital. The now directs the later. What you do today needs to directly impact what is going to happen to you and your family later. So, do what you love. Leave a legacy of knowledge.
As a new 31 year old, my biggest challenge as an adult learner is finding the time to learn. As a mother of three young children (5, 4, and 2, a wife, and a full time worker my time management is always being challenged.
As an adult I enjoy learning more than I did when I was younger. At this point in my life, I am no longer in the classroom because it is what is expected of me. I am in school because I decided to come back for myself and on my own terms. As an educator, I see the direct value an Ed.D can have on my career goals and I am here because I have the desire and want to challenge my brain again and learn.
I am an instructor at a local community college and I hope that this degree will give me more credibility and help my voice be heard when promoting ideas that will help the next generation of CC students.
My advice is easy...stay determined to complete the task after you begin and invest in a really good planner!
Ericka:
You are right in that our lives go through processes of building and breaking. But we gain from both building and breaking. Many times we learn from breaking more than we learn from building. We may have to make up for the time loss but we gain experience!
Discussion 5.1
There is an expression that thirty is the new twenty. Famous Hip-Hop artist Jay-Z even wrote a song by the same title. Many people want their age to correlate with the way they feel. And even though I would like to believe that thirty is the new twenty, I must accept that my age increases every year now matter how I may feel on the inside.
As a female adult learner in my early thirties, I am faced with many challenges that might not effect males in my age bracket. I am a wife and a mother and I work full time. The reason that these other roles in my life may effect me differently is because mothers tend to find it more difficult to let go of other responsibilities to focus on children or to let go of some of the responsibilities that having children brings (such as ballet, soccer, PTA, ect...) to focus on other things. The text In Over Our Heads (1994) cites a chart on page 179 that notes these challenges.
The joys of being a learner at my age is that I really appreciate everything that I am learning. I do not take the knowledge I am gaining for granted as I did when I was in my twenties.
My hopes for the next decade is that I continue to want to learn and that I not become complacent as a learner.
My advice for people who are entering my decade as a learner is for them to write a list of priorities and goals. Entering your thirties could be a shock to some people because it is seen to be the beginning age of "true" adulthood. When a thirty something enters adult education, he or she must be confident in their goals and not be swayed by other people's opinion.
The challenges of being a learner at your age
At the ripe old age of 33, I have many challenges as a learner. Being a full time mom to 8 children and part time mom to 3 children is one of the challenges I face as a learner, because so much of my time is devoted to the well being of my children. My education is always the last thing I work on at the end of my day. I have an extremely hard time juggling between my children and my education. Another challenge is working. I work part time as an Academic Instructor so by the time I get off from there and then deal with my children, I am exhausted. There is very little time in there devoted to my poor husband who is currently working nights. We see each other on Fridays and Saturdays. The next challenge I face is extracurricular activities my children are involved in. We play sports with our church so we don’t do a lot of traveling, but beings their ages are so scattered, we have practice 2-3 days per week. I know that most learners at my age do not face the same challenges I do, but most do have some of these challenges. Finding the time for work, family, and academics can be pretty stressful at this age.
The joys of being a learner at your age
One of the joys of being a learner at this age is the experience that has been acquired. When you are fresh out of high school you do not have the life experience to go along with what you are learning in your college courses. Being in the age bracket, most have worked in their educational fields and have a better understanding of what it is they are learning. They are taking experiences they have already dealt with in their lives and are able to pull it out and use it while learning.
Your hopes for the next decade as a learner
My number one hope for the next decade as a learner is to be well versed in adult education. I would eventually like to be a program director over an adult education facility so I want to learn as much as I possibly can over the next decade to fulfill this dream.
Your advice for people who are entering your decade as a learner
The only advice I can share with people entering my decade as a learner is to find a balance between family, work, and your education. You only get as much as you put into your education. It may be hard at times and you may feel like giving up, but in the end it will be well worth the hard work.
Bonnie,
You are so right "no great conquest comes without great effort". In order to accomplish something great, we must work hard for it. We cannot simply sit back and think education is going to come to us. In order to learn we must make every effort to learn the skills we need in order to be successful.
Tasha,
I feel the same way, now that I am older I find it easier to learn things because I am implementing my life experiences. When I was younger, I had no way of pulling things out and using it as examples, now that I am older I am able to do so.
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