Author: MJT
Adult Learning:
Getting A Bachelor Degree Online
Going back to school as an adult is hard and part of the
problem is that you have an adult life and adult responsibilities. Most adults are busy with work, family and
community activities we have financial responsibilities, which makes it harder
to afford to go back to school. Not only
that, but we also learn differently than young people do, and traditional
college education is based on a pedagogical (child centered) learning
model.
Getting a bachelor degree online is more realistic for many
adults than going to a traditional “brick and mortar” school. Online schools usually offer “asynchronous”
learning, which means you don’t have to show up at a specific place at a
specific time. You go to class when your
schedule allows for it. Most programs
that offer a bachelor degree online have accelerated programs, which can
usually be completed in two years. This
drastically decreases the cost of education, and minimizes the time school will
disrupt the rest of you life.
Students Are Getting
Older Thanks to the Internet
Perhaps the most important advantage of getting a bachelor
degree online is that most online programs are designed around adult learning
principles. They recognize that adults
who go back to school are motivated and disciplined. Adults are there because they want to be,
they have specific goals they want to meet, and they don’t want to waste their
time or money.
Adult students bring life experience and areas of expertise
with them. They regard instructors as
peers who have expertise in a particular area and are not likely to be
intimidated by instructors and are very likely to want a collaborative learning
environment.
Adults know how to learn independently. They are skilled in finding and assimilating
what they want and need to know and are not, however, very patient with
learning for learning’s sake. They
prefer practical, applicable learning experiences.
Adults learn well in groups or teams. This is the biggest challenge for online
education, but most programs are designed to include group learning
opportunities. The programs are creative
with technology, and use forums, chats and teleconferences to simulate
face-to-face groups. Some programs will
have groups of students get together face-to-face occasionally to reinforce
group learning.
For many adults, getting a bachelor degree online is a
better option than getting the same degree at a brick and mortar school. By applying principles of adult learning,
online educational programs have created a user-friendly way for many adults to
complete a college education.
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