It's Exam Time!

As learners in a higher education setting know, springtime is exam time! For my coursework, exams are less usual, and papers and projects tend to be the norm. I am completing my masters in adult education through Buffalo State College and the University at Albany. For my course requirements for this semester which commenced in January and will end in mid-May, I wrote 13 papers and participated in 7 team projects. I am completing four courses: Leadership in Organizations, Training Employees, Foundations of Adult Education, and Telecommunication Design and Production. All of these were terrific, well designed and lots of fun to take.

So what about the papers that are assigned? I find that my professors appreciate creativity and will be lenient with my writing style as long as I have successfully integrated content from my studies. I do however have to use correct APA (American Psychology Association) style for my references and citations. As I have progressed through my studies, I pride myself on becoming a better writer. This will certainly assist me in my professional work. Sometimes, becoming a better writer is just a matter of getting organized! A first step is collecting resources. An indispensable resource for writing, research and styles is the Purdue Online Writing Lab (OWL) http://owl.english.purdue.edu/

If you are planning a return to school in the autumn, here are some great ideas to help you get organized from Resource Room for older learners: http://www.resourceroom.net/older/ida_studyskills.asp

Enjoy exploring my blog for more ideas to help you succeed! Please share your own 'best practices' by responding with a comment or e-mail.

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The Joy of Lifelong Learning

One definition for lifelong learning is: You're never too old to learn!

Welcome to my blog that invites you to join me in my journey as a midlife learner, and to discover how age is no barrier to learning ... ever! In fact, age is IN!

As a returning older adult student, I will share some of the highs and challenges of getting started (again!) as a student in higher education. Life is full of challenges, and learning is a great way to get connected to find and share new resources for achieving life goals.

This blog will take a look at what's out there for prospective older adult learners. I will post new ideas, experiences and information. I hope you will visit here often!

To help you get started, check out this helpful article which examines myths about returning adult students:

http://www.distance-education.org/Articles/Seniors-Returning-to-School--Six-Myths-About-Older-Adult-Education-44.html

Here is an article about Baby Boomers returning to school:

http://www.aarpmagazine.org/lifestyle/back_to_college.html

Am I Too Old to Learn?

Never!

Experts say that the brain stays in nearly tip top condition for learning well into our seventies. In may ways, we learn and retain information just like younger adults. As we age, we may find ourselves slowing down just a bit, but not enough to discourage active learning!

We're endowed with intelligence that is crystallized and fluid. Crystallized means we're good at recalling specific information we have been taught, for example, performing well on tests, or absorbing information from lectures and texts. Fluid intelligence has to do with more abstract learning and problem solving, for example, seeing the pattern in things or creating order out of chaos. Our fluid and crystallized intelligence change as we age, but in no defined pattern. You should never let anyone tell you that your intelligence has waned. You simply experience change.

So the answer is, we are never too old to learn.

To help keep your brain in good trim, check out this website with brain teasers: http://www.brainconnection.com/teasers/