9 Tips for adult learners
As we are getting ready to kick off our fall course, we thought it’d be useful to share some useful tips for your upcoming learning experience. Please find the link to the original article here: https://www.readandspell.com/tips-for-adult-learners
Manage your learning. You probably have some awareness of your own strengths and weaknesses in the classroom and that means you can take more responsibility for how you learn. If you know you don’t do well with class lectures, prepare by doing the reading in advance. If the exercises the teacher assigns don’t seem helpful to you, create your own practice routine.
Go above and beyond. Perhaps in your earlier studies you were content to sit back and let the teacher lead the way, but things are different now. Pursue topics that interest you outside of class, ask questions and read beyond the syllabus. Your teacher will appreciate your enthusiasm.
Challenge yourself. Don’t shy away from something if it is difficult. Remember that you can always get help when you need it. Ask your teacher, department head or anyone else at the college and if you require a personal tutor—get one!
Stay organized. Managing family life and a job on top of school can be a challenge for the average adult student. The key to success is staying organized so you ensure you prioritize different tasks effectively and switch between them more efficiently.
Make time to study. There’s a lot more independent action expected of you as a college student, particularly when it comes to reading and reviewing material at home. College classes meet less frequently so it’s up to you to maintain a regular study routine.
Be more strategic. Study smart and save time by being more strategic in your approach to learning. This means discovering how to take better notes, engage with the material in a productive way, quickly assess the gist of a text and scan for more detailed information.
Increase your skill set. In addition to study strategies, developing the skills you need to be an effective researcher are also important. Computer skills such as knowing how to touch-type are crucial given the amount of writing that will be expected of you. Learn more about improving writing skills.
Get online. For busy adult learners, trips to the library may not always be practical. There are a wide variety of library resources available online today so make sure you know how to log-in to your school or college’s network and access them from home.
Meet other students. Just because you’re a few years older than other learners it doesn’t mean you can’t socialize with your classmates. Getting together to discuss the lessons or share notes helps reinforce learning in memory and commiserating about assignments and exam results can reduce anxiety.