Thorndike believed that “Instruction should pursue specified, socially useful goals.” Thorndike studied “Adult Learning”, and believed that the ability to learn did not decline until age 35, and only then at a rate of 1 percent per year, going against the thoughts of the time that “you can’t teach old dogs new trick.” It was later shown that the speed of learning, not the power of learning declined with age. Thorndike also stated the law of effect, which says behaviors that are followed by good consequences are likely to be repeated in the future.

Thorndike was one of the first pioneers of active learning, a theory that proposes letting children learn themselves, rather than receiving instruction from teachers.

When I went back to school I was already a mature adult.  I choose to take out time to homeschool and learn various trades and skills; all of which I was extremely passionate about.

Taking time out to find what your passion in life is a plus to determining what area of concentration you will benefit from in obtaining a BA or BS college degree, Masters or PHD in general, but especially if you are over 30 years of age.  If you are considering returning to school as an older student, keep the following in mind:

1.  Can You Afford To Go to School?

If you are a dislocated worker, divorced, woman, able challenged, in a special field or have special interest to help the under-served to name a few conditions, you have a great chance of getting various scholarships and financial aid to help. The more expensive the school, the better.  Keep in mind that you will have to have a great aptitude for writing skills.  Brush up on your reading and writing.  Online writing sites where freelance writers post inspiring words and educate on various topics is a good start if you have not read a book from cover to cover for a long time.  You can afford to go back to school if you have passion, drive and a basic skill that a degree can confirm.  For instance.  If a person has produced any type of show for community access TV in their neighborhood, consider how many talents and trades they must obtain to do so.  Journalism, TV Production, Communication and Business Management are just a few examples of skills that warrant the ability to get a degree.  You can not afford to not go back to college if you have major life skills. Make time if you can not even full-time to go back to school. With the average life skills of a person over thirty or forty years of age who has most of the day off, there is no excuse not to. There is too much support. Do the research with the help of a school you find offers courses you find appealing.

2.  Older students are mentors to younger students in a class room.

If you are having anxiety that you will not fit in, think again.  You already will have the respect of your professor for taking on the task of returning to school.  The students will listen to you when they speak for both guidance and to gain insight to your experience as an older person learning the same subject matter they are at the same time. Your confidence will grow after a few weeks or semester in classes. You will begin to see how much you do know as opposed to how much you think you do not.  If you are basically a well-rounded person, there is nothing that you will not have experienced emotionally that you can bring into class subjects and paper writing.  By the way, don’t even fret with if you think your writing skills. All colleges have writing centers should you feel the need to take advantage of the free service.

3.  Professors can become a great source for networking.

Today’s colleges are filled with well informed and highly educated professors. The average professor today has a PHD and in a small school you will find many are advisors, Associate Chair and or Chair. This can be a great advantage to a returning older student. Taboo lies on having too close of a relationship with any professor while in school. Nothing wrong with becoming closely associated with a professor once you are out of school however, if they allow it. The key to insuring a good relationship with a professor is obviously to obtain first their respect as a student.  Your integrity as a student follows a long way.  There a internships, professors and friends of professors who need assistance in various projects, employees and or will write not only wonderful recommendations, but may refer you to a company or person that will help you further independent goals or find employment.  Always do your best once you start classes again and be timely on turning in your assignments. Being friendly with the librarian at the school can be another asset to obtaining your goals of a college degree and pursuing avenues or fields that coincide with your passions.

4. Choice a college that will take as many credits that you have accumulated if you have any at all. Aside from a requirement of taking maybe one math class for most fields once you re-enter, there is not the same requirement to get in school as someone twenty-five years are younger. There is no SAT or special test scores that need to be passed.  Interviewing, essay writing and your application and money are the major requirements. Schools want and need money to operate.  If you are sincere and they will be able to tell by how your project your desire and enthusiasm if you are a person who will be a student to invest in.  This is where they will work diligently to get you scholarships, grants and aid to help you maintain your bill payment.  If it is an exclusive school, you may need to take out a loan but,

5. Loans are made to be broken, legally, and repayment can be made so many years later as for you not even to notice it. For one, you will be in a higher income bracket so the extra $100.00-$150.00 extra a month you may need to put out to repay a school loan is miniscule.  There are programs and states for instance that if you are considering teaching as a profession will write off a school loan for a contract of working in various zones of educational needs for a specified amount of time.  You have to work any way so this is a favorable option for many who want to become teachers; experience, community work and repayment of loan in one. How rewarding is that? Even more, the longer a student is in school, the longer before a loan needs to be repaid.  This could be incentive to get a college degree, get a job or build a business and continue on to even higher education.  It can be addictive going back to school and you will find yourself both teaching as well as acquiring more knowledge.

6. Take away the fear of if you will finish once you start. You will, but only if you passionately go for it.  You first consideration is to feel excited about the prospect.  See yourself walking down the aisle. Hear and feel the energy as you your name is being called to accept your diploma.  Do not think of school as learning, but the fun in doing so.  Make your choice to return to school one filled with lack of need, but desire to improve your life and communication with others, which includes relationships with all types of people from all walks of life.

You are not less of a person not having obtained a degree if you are an older adult.  But if you have one inkling of wanting to go to school and get one or more, not only do you owe it to yourself to do so, you will feel more confident and probably satisfied about fulfilling your aspirations.  Everyone around you will feed off of your new found interest and drive.  It certainly makes for a great conversation piece if nothing else and can be quite inspiring to both younger and older people you encounter.  As you may see more clearly now, besides being wiser through having life skills and or probably having gained trades or passion in or for a field, returning students have less challenges when making a decision to go back to school and many more advantages then, 1. younger students and 2. not getting a degree.

the class room can only take us so far,  What everyone needs to do  is read and learn by doing. Some people are self taught.  Also what make one school better then another, If you ask me a school or any program is only as good as the people who are running it.

I have learned more in one month of with adult education then I would four years of High School. I still have long ways to go.  Then there are people who do a little homework on their own. No I not talking about homework that teacher assign them  Then there are those that are homeschooled.  There are many ways to get education.  There are somethings that people need to learn on their own.

Among the many direct needs which are not a part of the stimulus package, are adult and community education programs. In the case of certificate education programs, many adults could be working and spending in a matter of months and would continue to do so for a lifetime. Two and four year adult and community education programs, resulting in a degree, would also stimulate the economy, increasing demand for goods and thus manufacturing.

People who cannot afford adult and community education fees should be subsidized. As for qualifying, unlike the big corporate bailouts, recipients of such grants could be tied to maintaining a B average GPA in order to continue receiving funding. College and community education providers could thus expand their classes, creating immediate jobs for instructors. In the long run, the entire society would benefit.

Haggling in the House and Senate over the current stimulus package has been principally concerned with keeping the bill to the taxpayers at a palatable level, deemed to be about $800 billion dollars, give or take a few billion. The fact remains that the majority of this money is going to be given to the big business interests. Having given out $350 billion already, no strings attached, our elected officials are now saying that future handouts will require accountability. This doesn’t mean much to the average citizen. By the time any effects of this trickle-down policy reach us, the stimulus may not mean anything.

One could argue that adult and community education programs lie at the heart of a prosperous society. If a 19-year old person with only a high school diploma can hope for nothing better than a minimum wage job for the rest of his working life and cannot afford a single college class to better his position, there is no possibility, much less incentive, to participate in even a low cost community education program.

Current estimates indicate that over 50 million people in the U.S. live at, or below, the poverty line. Without an aggressive, subsidized, adult and community education mandate, this number will only grow. On the other hand, subsidizing adult continuing education programs, adult certificate programs and adult degree programs will assuredly stimulate the economy for decades to come. A less direct, although equally important outcome would be empowering people with dignity and a decent living.

While the economic stimulus plan makes reference to new jobs in ‘green’ industries, where do they suppose that talent will be found? These new industries will require college educated people, as well as non-degreed workers to make this all happen.

Adult and community education programs are indispensable if we are to realize a renewed, robust economy in the future. The sooner, the better, I’d say.

Adult learning: adult learning is the practice of education and adult education. This often happens in the workplace through extension and continuing education in secondary schools, universities, etc. This practice is often known as “Education and Development” is also known as “adult education”.

• Listen to the words
• view photos
• Watch a table
• Watching movies
• Seeing that he is on a site
• Watch a demo
• Join the Discussion
• Giving a lecture
• Make a dramatic
• Simulation of real experience
• Making things real

Characteristics of an adult learner:

1) Adult education differs from educating children in several ways.One of the most important differences is that adults have accumulated knowledge and experiences that can be added or learning experience. Another difference is that adult education is the most volunteers for the participants are highly motivated.

2) Adults often apply their knowledge in a practical way to learn effectively. They should have a reasonable expectation that the knowledge gained will help the bank of the future goals.
Example: The proliferation of computer training courses that was presented in 90 where the adults who work in companies had to register themselves to be updated and the course teaches the basic operation of the computer.

3) Adults have accumulated life experiences. They tend to encourage the practice of learning activities that enable them to leverage their skills and prior knowledge. Are realistic and have ideas about what is likely to work and it is not.
4) Adults have established opinions, values ​​and beliefs that have been built over time and assumes the following experiments, family, relationships, etc. working in the community and their views can not be rejected, but respected.

5) Adults are motivated students are intrinsically motivated by the relevance of the subject to try and learn best when linked to their own needs and interests. For students to be fully engaged in learning their attention must be carefully focused on the material presented.

6) Individual differences: Adults learn at different paces and in different ways according to their intellectual capacity, education, personality, cognitive learning, learning styles.

7) Adults learn, but in a democratic, participatory and collaborative.They need to actively participate in what you learn and learn.

r mature adults and should be treated as such

Definition of learning:learning is a relatively permanent change in behavior is the result of experience. 

Adult education:

Adult education is the practice of education and adult education. This often happens in the workplace through the extension and training in schools, universities, etc. This practice is known as “Education and Development” is also called “adult education” means. 

Different types of learning:

• Read 

• Listen to the words 

• View images 

• Watch a table 

• A film 

• Check made in a 

• Watch a demo 

• Participation in discussions 

• a conference 

• Make a dramatic 

• simulate the real experience 

• Making things real 

Characteristics of adult learners: 

1) Adult education differs from educating children in several ways. A key difference is that adults have the knowledge and experience can add to or gathered by the learning experience. Another difference is that learning for most adults is voluntary, so that participants are highly motivated. 

2) Adults often their knowledge in a practical way to learn effectively. You must have a reasonable expectation that the knowledge gained to help reduce for future goals. 

Example: The proliferation of computer training to 90 adults who had engaged in business that will be updated during the operation of basic computer skills which was presented in the form of teaching. 

3) Adults have accumulated life experiences. They tend to be hands-on learning activities, they rely on their skills and to allow prior knowledge. Are realistic and have ideas about what works and what does not. 

4) A notice of adult values ??and beliefs that have been established over time and took the following experiments of family relationships, work, etc. in the community for their views can not be dismissed, but based on respected . 

5) adult learners are intrinsically motivated by the relevance of the material to be treated and more motivated to learn when connected to your own needs and interests. For students to be fully in the learning process, attention is focused on the material presented will be careful. 

6) Individual differences: adults with different speeds and in different ways to learn about their intellectual ability, educational level, personality, cognitive learning, learning styles. 

7 to adult education), but in a democratic, participatory and collaborative. You must actively to know what and how involved learning. 

r mature adults and should be treated as such. 

9) Adults are goal-oriented focus and relevance. What you need to know why some adults to learn the practical and immediate. You can apply theory to practical problems. 

10) Adults are task-oriented rather than task-oriented. 

11) independent and self-directed: Adults are self taught and prefer to work at their own pace. People learn best when they identify their own needs.

 Characteristics of a adult learner :

1) Educating adults differs from educating children’s in several ways. One of the most important difference is that adults have accumulated knowledge and experience that can add or under the learning experience. Another difference is that the most adult education is voluntary therefore the participants are highly motivated.

2) Adults frequently apply their knowledge in practical fashion to learn effectively. They must have a reasonable expectation that the knowledge gained will help hem for future goals.
Example: The proliferation of computer training course which was introduced in 90’s in which adults who were working in companies had to enroll the themselves as to be updated thus the course would teach the basic computer operation.

3) Adults have accumulated life experiences. They tend to favor practical learning activities that enable them to draw on their prior skills and knowledge. They are realistic and have insights about what is likely to work and what is not.
4) Adults have established opinions, values and beliefs which have been built up over time and assumed at following experiences of families, relationships, work community etc thus their views cannot be dismissed but respected.

5) Adults are intrinsically motivated learners They are motivated by the relevance of the material to be addressed and learn better when it is related to their own needs and interests. For learner to be fully engaged in learning their attention must be carefully focused on material presented.

6) Individual differences: Adults learn at various rates and in different ways according to their intellectual capacities, educational level, personality, cognitive learning, learning styles.

7) Adults learn but in a democratic, participatory and collaborative environment. They need to actively involved in what to learn and how to learn.

Adults r mature and should be treated as such.

9) Adults are goal oriented and relevance oriented. They need to know why they learning something Adults have need that are concrete and immediate . They like theory applied to practical problems.

10) Adults are task oriented rather than task oriented.

11) Autonomous and self directed: Adults are self reliant learners and prefer to work at their own pace. Individual learn best when they identify their own needs .

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Most of us will grow old. It is part of our life cycle. So why do we continue to frown on the elderly?

It is a fact that the number of elderly people across the world is increasing. For many they see this as a problem and that problem comes at a cost to us all.

So why do we frown on the elderly and make such statements? Are we becoming ignorant to the fact that old people actually have given much to society and indeed continue to reward our world with the knowledge and dedication they have in educating younger generations?

Surely that education comes with a price? Or as a society do we ignore it and assume that comes free of charge?

Being over 60 has always been deemed a handicap. But talk to many people over that age and far beyond and a majority will actually smile and dismiss such a statement as nonsense. To many that age and over being “old” has its plus points.

Okay, to all of us under that age we shudder at the thought of growing old. Indeed after 40 we change our attitudes towards growing old. Hopefully by the time we are 50 and over we would like to think we are in a better financial position than we ever were. Our mortgages (if you have one) are usually paid off or coming to the end of the repayments – our children (if we decided to have any) are older and gone off to lead their own lives and we look forwards to a more relaxed and peaceful life.

Therefore we look at growing old with grace.

So why is our youth looking at old age as a burden or a frightening thought?

Well that boils down to our looks fading, wrinkles becoming ever more apparent, the onset of health problems and possible memory fatigue are to name but a few. To many it frightens us that one day we will wake up and look in the mirror and see nothing of how we once were. That’s enough to send shivers up many a young person’s spine. 

So how do we approach that fact?

Peer at the wrinkled face that stares back at you. But do not be ashamed. Every line and every wrinkle has a story to tell of your life. Look deeper into those eyes that peer back at you. Behind them is a lifetime of mixed emotions, knowledge and endless stories to tell to our grandchildren.

But to an ever increasing demanding world the economic burden of looking after the elderly is still heavily debated.

The cost of care for the elderly certainly isn’t cheap – whether at home, through an institution or various hospital treatments. To many people younger they see the elderly as simply a pain in their wallets.

That sentiment is a little unfair.

Perhaps it is the younger generation with the “problem” and how we are educated and see old age.

Being Old means being happy

According to studies many old people, despite their complaints of aches and pains and wrinkles, are actually happy. Such studies conducted worldwide show many people over the age of 60 feel they have done their bit for King and Country and smile at the the thought that they can finally unwind and start to enjoy life. This goes hand in hand with retirement and reduced stress of employment, paying mortgages and raising a family. All that has pretty much gone for many.

Now quite a few old people look forwards to a relaxed home life, more day trips and holidays, playing golf or bowling and believe it or not many elderly people have a far better social life than ever before.

In the UK, Newcastle University conducted a large study on the elderly. They found that a typical 85 year old was positive about their health and were able to function relatively well when it came to day to day self-care. Of course quite a few had varying levels of disease – some life threatening – and some form of impairment, but most soldiered on – with a smile.

Tale of life

Those elderly people with grandchildren are always happy to sit the kids down and tell tales of their youth – whether enduring the hardships of war, how they lived and what they for entertainment in a world with no computers and mobile phones. They can sit for hours and tell stories of their lives that usually brighten any child’s face with wonderment and astonishment. The irony is that kids tend to turn around and wonder how the elderly enjoyed themselves without the convenience of a laptop and mobile phone!

But it is such tales that keep the elderly happy and content. 

With such age comes a mountain of knowledge and education about life’s ups and downs. We have all heard the statement that “you cannot put old heads on young shoulders” – but hats off to the elderly they continue to try. 

Knowledge is priceless

It is an education built on years of hard work and ups and downs. Knowledge is power and that is passed onto the younger generation for free.

Now go and demand your university pays for your course for free and your teacher or professor gives up their pay-packet to pay for your education. The chances are you will be told right where to go.

Okay, so the majority of the elderly do not academically educate our youth. But what they do help educate them on is the facts of life and what life entails. That knowledge is priceless.

Then we come to the voluntary groups around the world. The majority are made up of people approaching retirement or already retired. The cost of their time surely outweighs the cost of society taking care of our elderly.

Active aging is increasing. More and more older people – regardless of health – are offering much more back to society. By being active in society is beneficial in many ways, both mentally and physically. 

No one wants to live fast and die young. Therefore there is no shame in looking at someone with old age and watching them enjoy the remaining months or years of their lives – especially when they more than likely gave their lives in the call of duty, helped raise children and work hard and paying into the society they now look to for some help.

Pointing the finger and stating they should not be allowed to enjoy the remaining years of their lives, despite bemoaning of aches and pains, is shameful as much as it is in denial. The older people have paid their way and continue to do so.

So growing old isn’t such a bad thing. Try not to worry overly over that fact as you approach retirement and beyond. Just ask an older person. Despite those aches and pains they probably wouldn’t trade their knowledge and tales of life for the younger generations to hear for all the tea in China – even if it meant reducing their age by ten years .

As a younger person it costs nothing to give up your seat for an older person on the bus or help carry their bags across the road. To say a polite hello or hold a door open as they walk slowly from the shop. If anything you may smile to yourself when doing this and actually appreciate what the elderly have done for society and continue to do.

Knowledge is priceless. Therefore that must mean the elderly are too. Think about that one next time we bemoan the cost of the aged to society.

If anything, growing old actually benefits the human challenge for a better self. 

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The majority of people are inclined to think that it is only the young who attend universities and colleges to finally graduate and take up position in their chosen fields. Yet there is another large group of people that for some reason or another enter academic education later in life. I am one of these older graduates who, thanks to one of the greatest university in Melbourne Australia I was able to graduate and finally enter my chosen profession, secondary teaching

After having left school at the age of sixteen due to financial difficulties encountered by my parents, I always yarned to return to my studies. The profession did not matter; all I wanted was to be able to fulfil my insatiable hunger for knowledge.  My chance finally came after my youngest child completed primary school and he and his two older sisters could be left on their own for one hour before their father came home from work to take care of them (after all my eldest was already sixteen)

The excitement and trepidation was only second to the moment I held each of my newborns in my arms and with tears in my eyes, wishing them all the best that life could offer. But now, at last my time had come, to pursue my dreams; the completion of my education.

After having passed my entrance exams into tertiary studies, I chose and was accepted into Swinburne University as this was the one of the few academic institutions which offered evening courses to fit in with mature age students: making this choice was one of the best decisions I have made in my life. The Bachelor of Arts degree that I chose was intensive but right through the four gruelling years, from 5 to 9, four days a week, I devoured everything that was thrown at me, to finally graduate with honours and progress to further studies in the area of education

What did Swinburne University do for me and all the other adult students? Right through the course we were guided in gaining study skills in research and analysis. Their counselling people were always there when we needed them. Even the medical staff was always ready to support in case of need. All this may sound strange but at this university the main objective is to see as many serious students graduate successfully. In my case I know I would have caved in because of the disastrous circumstances that afflicted my family. In my third year my husband become seriously ill, requiring my attention around the clock, Instead of ignoring me the university helped me along with my studies by allowing me to sit my exams at different times which were more suitable to my situations. To do this the lecturers’ wrote different exam questions. I was given extension to all my assignments and the university doctor kept a vigilant eye on my blood pressure and general health. I could go and see my lecturers at any time convenient to me and I was even given private tutorials to keep up with the courses.

I completed my final year with honours and to my great satisfaction and the prize of my lecturers I never claimed “ special consideration”

The following year I was selected to enter Monash University to study for my Diploma of Education. I chose this career as it offers the best working condition to people with family commitments. I suppose, initially I was a little disappointed that I could not enter Law but that was soon forgotten the moment I stood in front of my class: all the knowledge that I had gained could now be given to the oncoming generation.

The teacher will have the support of her own educational experiences, a wide knowledge of resources and techniques and, usually, the college that employs her. The student, if he is lucky, will have the support of friends, family, colleagues and fellow students. Such a support network will undoubtedly assist the educational process and, most probably, make it a more enriching and enjoyable experience for both the student and teacher. However, on the educational stage, the student and the teacher are the lead players; it is around these individuals that the scene revolves.

The key to success in adult education is, therefore, the relationship between the teacher and the student, and it is the teacher whose role it is to encourage and nurture this relationship. A good relationship between student and teacher will ensure communication and trust between the two – the teacher communicates knowledge and trusts the student to apply his own thoughts and ideas to that knowledge. The student communicates his questions and misunderstandings and trusts the teacher to provide sound and relevant advice in a non-judgemental way. The teacher communicates ideas and paths of research, trusting the student to feedback any problems or successes, while the student communicates his interests and goals, trusting the teacher to provide the materials and skills to enable him to reach those goals.  Within this balanced, professional relationship, a student will be engaged and inspired in his lessons and the teacher will be encouraged to ‘go the extra mile’ for her students.

But, how can a teacher foster such a relationship with every individual student in a class of maybe ten or twenty students, each with a different background, varying skills and a diversity of expectations and goals?

A first step, and perhaps the most important, is for the teacher to make herself approachable so that communication can be nurtured. Little things like welcoming individual students by name as they arrive at the class each week can make a huge difference to how comfortable students feel in approaching the teacher. Of course, not everyone feels comfortable speaking out in front of a class full of other adults, many of whom will be relative strangers. Therefore, a teacher must provide alternative means of communication. For example, the teacher could say that if students have questions they could:

·         ask a question in class

·         speak to her in private after the class

·         email her

·         write feedback or notes on the classwork they hand in to the teacher

·         leave an anonymous comment via a college website

·         or

·         telephone the college to leave a spoken message.

These alternatives are particularly important to offer if the class includes students with disabilities and are a valuable aid to those who may be shy or unconfident.

A second way to engage the students in a two-way supportive relationship is by organising whole-class activities. A class trip or outing (perhaps to a local museum) provides an excellent opportunity for a teacher to speak to individual students one-to-one without singling them out in class, and to gain a deeper insight into what motivates that particular student to learn. However, these activities need not always be related to the course that is being studied. For example, bringing in special biscuits when it is someone’s birthday or taking ten minutes time out of class time to discuss an interesting news item will involve the whole class in an enjoyable and bonding experience and will encourage everyone to feel an integral part of the class.

End of term celebrations are similarly useful in creating a supportive and friendly atmosphere in the classroom.

Of course, not all students will arrive at the first lesson in a receptive frame of mind. Perhaps they have to study the course because their boss says so, or as a means to getting onto another course. In such cases it is not the role of the teacher to force a student to be forthcoming or communicative. Instead, she must let the student find his own way and settle into a position in the class where he feels comfortable but also gently reminding all the students that lines of communication are open and that any comments, positive or negative, are always welcome. It is important also, of course, that the teacher makes it clear that all communication between student and teacher is kept entirely confidential unless they agree otherwise. In this way, the trust will develop and, it is hoped, the student will see the benefit of taking a more active role in his own education.

Therefore, the scene for success in adult education is based upon the need to act like adults, in a two-way, balance relationship. The student must take responsibility for his learning and the teacher must take responsibility for her teaching. Both must recognise that they are both seeking the same outcome: the successful education of the student and that effective communication based upon trust is key to achieving this.