Many, but not all, countries encourage their work force to keep up with their field, refine their skills, enlarge their areas of expertise, or retrain for other work. When going back to studying, the right attitude, the right tools, the right resources are necessary. This article looks at the right state of mind for returning to education.
Life-long Education: the Mature Student
Returning to studying after a long absence can be very daunting. No one likes to take exams, few can read for long hours with great concentration, and as one gets older, the old memory cells work harder to keep up. But the good news is that studying increases brain efficiency. So whatever the motivation is in picking up the books, it will help keep those grey cells in shape.
Mature students usually begin studying again for a specific purpose. And since they are often competent and experienced workers, they might think they know what’s best for them to learn. This is the first pitfall in the mature student’s attitude. Few courses are designed with their interests in mind. The teaching is aimed at giving the student a comprehensive and useful introduction to the subject. Therefore,
Study Hint: The student should not pick and choose what s/he wants to learn from a course. The training is to attain competence in a field, not satisfy individual curiosity.
Time Management
Taking a course is more than just attending class. Most courses, or modules as they are sometimes known, are described by the number of contact hours per week. The usual course or module takes up two or three hours per week. A full course-load (four or five courses, depending on the country) may take up 10 to 15 hours contact hours per week.
A course might have a further study-hour requirement with it: for example, aside from three hours in class a week, the course may be designed to require another five hours of study. If a full course-load is considered as a full-time job, then 12 hours in class may be matched by, say, 28 hours of study per week.
Study Hint: Coursework can be thought of as a job: desk-time (private study time) and meeting time (class-time).
Study Hint: Time management demands time for the course(s) every week, including desk-time every day.
Further Education, Continuing Education, and Open Door Opportunities
The phrases “further education” and “continuing education” usually refer to study for educational returnees, but there is another implication of “further”. Mature students, who are usually studying for one reason only, often fail to take advantage of the enormous opportunities offered by student societies, departmental lecture series, study groups, and conferences. Particularly, advantage should be taken of opportunities to talk to faculty members after class or at meetings and receptions. Works written by teachers are always worth reading even if not assigned; they take on extra meaning if the author is known personally, and reading their works allows more intelligent discussion with the author.
Networking through these groups and events not only gives insights to aspects of the subject matter beyond coursework and provides introductions to like-minded people who may become mentors or future colleagues. It is surprising to the student, as he or she grows older, that former co-students are suddenly directors, heads of departments, executive officers – people who may be useful in advancing one’s career. Thus,
Study Hint: Extra-curricular opportunities can be pursued as career opportunities.
Back to School for the Mature Student
In sum, continuing education requires open-mindedness: no "a priori" limits to learning. Taking advantage of opportunities beyond class to enhance knowledge about and beyond the subject will assist in career development. Making personal connections with classmates, teachers and other academics enriches and facilitates progress. Enhancing crucial study skills is the basis of success. And most basically, budgeting enough time to get the most out of new studies is crucial to the endeavor.
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