How eLearning Helps Adults To Return To School
With the rise of new technology and ever-expanding options for fulfilling careers, many adults are thinking about revisiting their education. Some people simply want to pick up a new skill, while others want to become more competitive in their fields or change careers altogether! Additionally, many older workers who never went to college are now finding that not having a degree is holding them back.
Although the majority of students in college today are 18-25 years old, the number of older students is on the rise: today, 38% of undergraduates are over 25 years old. If you’re thinking about going back to school, you’re in good company.
Going back to school can be a great option for adults who are feeling stuck in a rut or just love learning. However, getting back into the rhythms and routines of an academic lifestyle can be a challenge. The good news? The rise of eLearning (online courses or pieces of training) means that you can prepare to go back to school and set yourself up for success. Here are 3 ways eLearning can help you prepare to thrive in the classroom.
1. Test Before You Commit
Going back to school is a big commitment. Aside from the cost of classes at a college, university or continuing education center, there’s the time commitment as well. Many people who go back to school are also working full-time and/or parenting, leaving them with little opportunity for rest and socializing.
For this reason, feeling confident in what you want to study is key to success—that’s where eLearning can come in. There’s an online class for just about every subject you can think of—and many of these lessons are free or low-cost. These courses will not only give you background on the subject you’re considering, but they will also allow you to find out if it’s something you want to invest more time and money into learning about it. You’ll be able to choose a subject you’re truly interested in—and you’ll be able to do so at your own pace. The stakes are much lower than trying out different classes at your local community college or applying to a program you’re not sure about.
2. Better Understand What Kind Of Learner You Are
Education is not a one-size-fits-all experience, and thanks to the internet, it’s easier than ever to figure out what kind of learner you are. There are all kinds of learning experiences online, from courses with video content, written guides, audio content—thanks to eLearning, you can test out multiple models and find out which styles work best for you. Using this information, you can then apply what you’ve learned about yourself to make the most of your university experience. Exploring eLearning could help you decide whether in-person, online, or hybrid classes are the best option for your learning style.
Even in the university setting, more learning is taking place online every year. In fact, 93% of colleges and universities now offer online and/or blended courses. It is estimated that by 2019, half of all classes will take place online. Although some students have trouble with absorbing the material and staying disciplined during online classes, a blended course can be a nice compromise for busy professionals. These courses offer much of the flexibility and self-paced nature of online classes with the face-to-face interaction many students rely on.
3. Prepare For Research And Quizzes
Jumping back into the world of research, study, homework, and test-taking can be extremely stressful, especially for workers who are used to leaving their professional lives at work. Doing the research and work you need in order to fully engage with eLearning courses can help you prepare for the self-discipline and skills needed to properly engage with your classwork. This is especially true if you plan to take online courses at a university, or you have a lot of anxiety surrounding test-taking. Take practice tests, write sample papers, do whatever you need to do to boost your confidence—you’ll need it when you go back to school.
Go At Your Own Pace
The beauty of eLearning is that it’s totally self-paced, in most cases. You’ll be able to fit your preparation around your life and get an idea of how much you’ll be able to take on when you embark on a new degree. Take your time, and set yourself up for success by leveraging eLearning as much as you can.
