Page 2 - Adult College Program | Granite State College

Update: One year later

Tuesday, July 12, 2011 by Deidre Romeo

I graduated from Granite State College with my B.S. in Business Management degree one year ago this month. Where am I now? What have I been up to? What has changed for me as a result of attaining my adult college degree?

I am presently pursuing my MBA degree at Plymouth State College. Did you know that GSC now offers a Graduate degree in Project Management? Unfortunately it was not offered at the time I began my graduate program but it is available now for any current and future graduates.

Since my graduation one year ago I have been blessed with the opportunity to travel. I actually took two trips in the past year. One to Ireland with my eldest daughter and one to Kauai, HI with friends.

Today, as a direct result of my academic accomplishments, my company president announced my promotion from Legal/Executive Assistant to Global Communications Manager. I am very excited about this wonderful new professional challenge. This opportunity would not have been offered to me without the accomplishment of my adult college degree. What professional opportunities are you missing out on?

Do not take my path and wait 20+ years to enroll in your first adult college program. Do it now! If you are apprehensive, contact me and I will walk you through the process. As in any life pursuit, the hardest part is starting.

The story of John; a true lifelong learner

Tuesday, July 12, 2011 by Deidre Romeo

The inspiring story below is that of John, another ALA Scholarship Recpient for 2011. John is just one more example of the unique and diverse student population you will find within the classrooms or on the blackboards of Granite State College.

   My educational journey has encompassed self-learning for most of my life after high-school. My father passed away when I was in seventh-grade and I was a C+ student in a Catholic High School in Lawrence, MA. I began college in Maine intending to study Marine Biology but being a mediocre student I needed student loans to cover all of my expected expenses. I dropped out several weeks after the start for fear of mounting student loan debt. At eighteen I entered the workforce as a high-school graduate, married my wife in 1981 and began a family in 1983. As expected my job choices were very limited but I held a desire to enter the technology field. After much research I chose Sylvania Technical School and entered the Telecommunications Electronics program using student loans once again, but these were limited and controllable. Our first daughter, Bethany, was born with a heart defect and passed away after heart surgery at 7-days old. Our second daughter, Noelle, was born just over a year later in 1984 but was diagnosed with Muscular Dystrophy at 1-year. Her care was a significant part of our existence and it took a huge effort on my part to attend Sylvania Tech three days per week at night after my job to attend classes in addition to sacrificing that time away from my family, but it was for their benefit that I was educating myself to better position me for employment that provided a living wage and benefits that we so dearly needed for Noelle’s care. Just before I graduated in 1988 with a diploma I interviewed for an Information Technology position at Raytheon and because of the reputation of Sylvania Tech and my grades I was hired as a Data Communications Field Tech.

   Wentworth Institute of Technology purchased Sylvania Technical School before I completed my program so my diploma bore the Wentworth name. Because of this relationship Wentworth Institute of Technology in Boston offered graduates of Sylvania/Wentworth Tech advance standing entry into an A.A.S. in Electronic Technology degree program. Raytheon’s tuition reimbursement benefits were significant enough to allow me to attend one course per semester at their Boston campus and continue my career college training. It took me five years from 1992 till 1997 to complete my associate degree. Five years of time and travel into Boston and precious time away from my family. Nights and weekends I worked at our kitchen table on study and research while my family patiently gave me the time I needed for my studies. My wife supported my endeavor by taking on additional care responsibilities for our daughter. I wanted to complete my associate degree so that I could advance my career, become a better provider, and show my growing daughter that education is important and is a lifelong endeavor. Noelle passed away on the second-to-last day of a wish trip to Disney on May 19, 1996. My life was shaken for months after that event. I did not attend the spring or summer semesters that year but eventually wanted to complete that degree for my daughter. Two more semesters and I was finally able to dedicate my degree to Noelle during graduation on May 18, 1997, one day short of the first anniversary of her death.

   Afterward I honestly didn’t have the drive to continue my education at Wentworth. Like many parents who have lost children I grieved by immersing myself in my work. I continued to attend annual technical training to hone my information technology skill-sets which made me a more valuable employee but every year that passed I still thought about completing my degree. After graduating Wentworth I worked with a recruiter from Boston in a job search. He informed me that he would not be able to even get me into some corporate doors for interviews without having at least a bachelor’s degree. Fortunately after interviewing at Lahey Clinic Medical Center they valued my technical skills more than my education and hired me as a Data Communications Engineer. Each year that followed I have given consideration to completing my adult college degree but talked myself out of it. Each year I thought, “if I had only begun last year I would almost be done”. Well after a close scrutiny and self-assessment a couple of years ago about my past, present, and future life and career I decided to take that first step to completing my B.S. I realized that as I grow older I am handicapped from further career growth without completing an adult college degree, B.S. After almost twenty-five years working in technical positions in the field of information technology I find myself desiring to move into a leadership/management position within my current field of healthcare IT.

   I began the next iteration of my education journey in the spring of 2009 with Granite State College. I discovered that the program for Applied Studies: Allied Health Services was tailor made to my career. I have almost twenty-five years of technical experience but I needed to round out my business skills that are so valued in industry. This B.S. will give me the necessary business skills with a slant toward the healthcare field that I currently work in, providing a targeted learning environment for me. I began this degree program intending to provide myself and my wife “career insurance” to update and round out my skills, make me a more valuable employee and insure my future ability to provide a home and life for the both of us. That goal has morphed over the course of the past two years, sparking my interest in pursuing an advanced degree after I complete my B.S. this spring at GSC. Plymouth State offers a M.B.A. in Healthcare Administration, an ideal advanced degree for my career plans to remain in healthcare.

   After spending over a decade caring for our daughter, Noelle, at home and in Boston Children’s Hospital I would never have imagined that I would be working in the healthcare field yet here I am. My education has been a struggle of work/life/family/financial balance yet we have accomplished much with the time we have had together. I dedicated my A.A.S. to my daughter, Noelle. I plan to dedicate my pending B.S. to my loving wife, Kathy, for her patient support during these past two years and God willing I will dedicate my future M.B.A. to everyone who has supported me and my family. We have a great deal of loving family and friends in our lives, some have been treated at Lahey Clinic, my employer, and at least one had his life saved at Lahey with a liver/kidney transplant. I am proud to dedicate my career to such an institution and hope that my continued education will allow me opportunities to serve in greater capacities. I plan to achieve my B.S. before I am fifty-years old. I still have between fifteen and twenty career years in front of me; I plan to contribute further to the success of Lahey Clinic’s service to our community, friends, and family. I may have started as a mediocre high-school student but I believe with time and continued commitment to the goals I set and achieve for my benefit and also for my wife I am gaining back the opportunities I missed in my youth. Two more semesters and I will have achieved this next goal while I plan yet further!

Please visit John's website to learn more about his personal accomplishments.

In search of missing items.....

Friday, June 24, 2011 by Gail Gifford

Have any of you moved and can't find some of your belongings at the other end? Well, that happens. It has happened to me almost every time I have moved. What is missing, is always the question and what just about drives you nuts looking for it.

That exact thing, happened this time with my move from SC to MI. An iron is lost and a couple boxes I had packed earlier are also missing in action. The movers were so great and nice, I have no clue where these items were put or delivered too. Well, the movers are coming out tomorrow to take a look in my attic to see if they can find the items. I hope they do, I hope they find everything I have lost. Hopefully it will not be too hot up in that attic in the morning.

Moving brings back my memory of my move to NH. Learning the area, finding some friends, learning a new job etc., all very exciting. I also had to find an adult college program to transfer too from Aquinas College in Nashville, TN. I found a college that took all my credits and continued my education at Granite State College. They had an adult education degree program, they had Accelerated weekend intensive classes that helped me move along to that piece of paper while raising a family and holding down a full time job. I mostly liked their evening college classes - they included other adult learners just like myself.

So, whether it is finding belongings after a move or finding a college to finish your adult college degree, stay positive and you can do it. We can do anything we want to do bad enough, I am a believer, I am proof it can happen.

One amazing woman and the journey to fulfill her dream

Saturday, June 11, 2011 by Deidre Romeo

Below is the story of one amazing Granite State College student that I came across when reviewing application essays for the GSC ALA Scholarship this past spring. With a student such as Lori in your classroom, you not only learn with her, but from her.

"You may have seen the ad for Dyson vacuum cleaners. James Dyson tells how he tried some 5,000 times to get the vacuum cleaner design and function he wanted, but he didn’t give up, and it culminated in the popular Dyson Ball. I am drawn to stories of people determined to reach a goal probably because I feel I can relate especially in my quest for education beyond high school.

I loved growing up on a farm in the Midwest, but the path of least resistance would have been to live and work for the rest of my life in the small town six miles down the road. I came from hard-working parents who believed higher education was good for those who knew exactly what they wanted to do and had the money to do it. At age 18, I knew this left me out on both counts, but somehow I was going to navigate my way in an unfamiliar world by myself.

I believe a curiosity about so many things and a love of learning has been wonderful, but for the last 30 years it’s also made finding my place in the working world a challenge. I have always enjoyed creating/designing, organizing spaces, history, and what makes people do what they do to name a few. If an entry level job, which has been what I’ve been qualified for, didn’t have any of the above attributes nor the potential for advancement, it didn’t hold my interest over the long term. I always felt that going back to school to tqake adult college courses could increase my options for a better job so I took courses here and there, but I allowed myself only a certificate program time commitment which proved to be too narrow in scope.

Over the years, my quest for an adult education diploma had become a common theme of hope for the future. I was accepted into an adult college program, but got married and we had to move too far away for me to attend. However, for the next eight years I pursued and finished an Associate’s Degree while working part-time and raising a family. Later, during my divorce when my kids were in middle school, survival and stability became the priorities. After a few years, I was accepted into another adult college program at a local university. As I was making plans to go to college fulltime, diagnosis of a serious illness turned my world upside down. Surgery, treatment and keeping life positive at home for my kids put education on the back burner once again.

Nearly two years ago with my kids out on their own, I made plans again to pursue a Bachelors degree. To make this work financially, I sold, donated and discarded most of my possessions. I started at Granite State College, but I needed some direction. Through introspection, good advising, and taking SDLR 550, I realized a self-design program in Gerontology was a good choice for me. At 54, accumulating educational debt when I ought to be planning for retirement seems counterintuitive, but I now have hope for my future. I want to flourish in life, not just survive it.

Gerontology, is the study of the process of aging, across the life span, whose multi-disciplinary aspects include physical, mental, social and spiritual changes in people as they age. Much of my interest comes from a deep affection and respect for the elderly which has developed over my lifetime. This has been supported by many influential experiences with elderly relatives. My dear grandmother wasn’t conventionally domestic, but we spent countless hours on a creek bank just talking and fishing. She was a young widow who didn’t drive and was dependent on people for transportation, but she was a lady with a very independent spirit.

Older persons inspire and fascinate me with their personal perspectives of historical events. I’ve enjoyed talking with people who lived through the Great Depression, served in wars, and some who survived the holocaust. The residents I’ve come to know while working at RiverWoods, a CCRC, have experienced the benefits and joys of family, higher education, and financial success. All gracefully persevere through the loss of family, friends, and health.

I can’t tell you exactly what I want for a position, but I feel that my determination toward this degree will afford me more employment options and opportunities hopefully helping the elderly flourish at whatever age they are. As independent as I tend to be, I realize the importance of interdependence and the reciprocal nature of giving and receiving. I appreciate the opportunity to apply for this scholarship as it will help me achieve my goal. I look forward to being in a position helping others achieve their goals and unlocking their own potential regardless of age."

The benefits of having a flexible school schedule???

Friday, May 27, 2011 by Deidre Romeo

Attending school as a non-traditional adult student is not always easy. Family and professional commitments can often be unexpected and take priority weekly adult college classes. Granite State College offers flexible class schedules such as adult college classes, online classes for adults and weekend college classes.

I had the incredible opportunity to vacation in Kauai, Hawaii this past May and was able to commit to the week last year with little concern of it interfering with my adult college program due to the availability of flexible class schedules. I earned an "A" in my spring marketing class as it was a weekend intensive course which allowed me the flexibility to accomplish the coursework on my own schedule while taking a week to enjoy the sun, scenery and hospitality offered on the island of Kauai.

If you want to learn more about the flexible class schedules available at GSC or about the amazing adventures and beauty awaiting on the island of Kauai, Hawaii, ask me. I am happy to share my experiences with you.

Children and Creativity

Friday, May 20, 2011 by Beth McKenna

Are you an early childhood professional? What do you know about children and creativity? Do you offer experiences that will enhance a child's basic creativity?

Children are basically creative by nature. Young children find a long thin object and bang it and it becomes a drum stick, they twirl it and it becomes a baton, they point it at someone and it is a sword. That is creativity in action. But what about an older child or an adult? They find a long think object and try to figure out what it really is. Older children say, "but what is it really for?" Somewhere they have lost that creative outlook on learning.

At Granite State College, faculty want to help put that creativity back into learning. Through online college courses, and face to face experiences, Granite State College encourages students to be creative learners. The college wants you to build upon your own life experiences to design a program that fits your goals and aspirations. There are so many courses to choose from. These courses will provide you with an opportunity not to say, "what is it," but instead to say, "how can I use this in my career."

A Very Special Place

Thursday, May 12, 2011 by Leslie Bowering

Sometimes we don't know how special a place is until we discover how un-special another place is.

Right after I graduated from Granite State College, with wonderfully positive outcomes, I was motivated and inspired to continue further with my education. Since I had already completed my Bachelor's Degree in Language Arts I decided to apply to a Masters Program at another Adult Program in a different University system.

Almost immediately I could feel the difference in the attitudes of the people I had to deal with. There was a time during my studies at Granite State College's Rochester college campus when the Administrative Assistants were always available to answer my endless barrage of questions. Or perhaps I was confused about cumulative GPA or certain credits required for my degree. Always, always my Advisor made herself available to me. Adjunct Professors were there for the sole purpose of educating me and my classmates.

During the very first class in my Masters Program I knew immediately that I was not in Kansas anymore. The director of the program was loud and abrasive. The instructor was also the Advisor for the entire group. She knew little about explaining the computer program that we had to learn in order to succeed in the course. I was utterly confused by the end of the class.

Granite State College has managed to combine their purpose of making money in the business of education with a finely-tuned group of people who really care about people. I will be forever grateful when I think back on those wonderful days.

Another empowering weekend away...

Thursday, April 28, 2011 by Deidre Romeo

Have you ever had the option of weekend college classes? There is no academic experience like it. I try to attend at least one intensive weekend college course every year. This year my weekend course included a white-knuckled drive up North due to the unexpected snow storm we experienced on April 1st! The drive was worth every tense moment for what I gained through the weekend. One of the unique advantages of attending school in an adult education program environment is the diverse and eclectic group of students sitting alongside you.

My fellow students ranged from seasoned professionals, some of whom had already earned a master's degree, to 22-year-old recent graduates yet to enter the workforce. The learning outcome in the weekend course environment is enhanced greatly by the personal, professional and academic experiences of those in attendance. This is something that is not attainable at a traditional weekday college course.

Of course the competence, enthusiasm, knowledge and experience of the faculty of any education and career advancement class is of equal importance. Most of the professors of adult college classes have spent many years working outside of the college environment in their fields of expertise. During my most recent weekend college class we had professors who are published authors, current and former business owners and valuable community leaders in attendance.

Our weekend experience ended with our professor belting out Sinatra's "I did it my way!"

Michigan

Thursday, April 21, 2011 by Gail Gifford

Michigan is where I find myself these days after twenty-three years of being moved around, from TN, NH, FL and SC, I am back home. Michigan is where I was raised and even though the town has changed, it still feels good to me. I miss my kids so much but they are scattered all over the US and there are flights to each town where they reside. I certainly have lots of places to visit. I will end up in the south, I think but for now, I am so happy to be in Michigan.

My cat is staying with my old friend until I find a home. I miss her so much, she is part of my life now the that the kids are all grown. So looking for a new home is the first thing on the agenda.

Work is going well. I am sure it was my adult college degree that got me the promotion to my new job. I am so glad I made that commitment to go to school at Granite State College, even though I was older when I started an adult college program. It is still the best thing I have ever done for myself. It was proven with this job promotion that all that studying has paid off!

One Step Closer

Friday, April 8, 2011 by Maria Bauer

Classes are over! This was one of the harder terms that I have encountered here at Granite State College. New experiences and new ways of taking classes (example: 5 week online intensive class) doesn't always mean that it will make your life easier. On the flip side, taking a chance on a new way of taking classes could change the way you complete your program. I have never considered taking an English class online, however the online college English classes that are offered here are many, and the way they are set up seem to be pretty well constructed. Not to mention, I'm on my computer ALL the time so this is another excuse to take my computer everywhere :)

I am relieved to be done with this term. That means I am that much closer to finishing my teacher training education! And...behavioral science. It's a day by day, step by step, class by class, week by week (etc, etc, etc...) in finishing my degrees. Some days it feels like it will never end, and at other times it feels like time is flying. Don't get me wrong: my adult education is a ride that I don't want to have pass by me, but I can be a little impatient...

For everyone who has finished their classes, congrats! 12 weeks is an accomplishment. You should feel very proud of yourself!

High School VS College

Saturday, April 2, 2011 by Maria Bauer

A few weeks ago, I ran into an old friend from high school. A few days after that encounter, I ran into another friend from high school. It's always amazing how you feel when you run into old friends. There are some people you get very excited to see, and others you get this feeling in the pit of your stomach and in all honesty, you may try to dodge them from seeing you. For most people that I have met (post high school) it's a time in their life they want to forget. And seeing someone from your past can bring up some uneasy feelings that you thought you had buried.

The reason I bring this up is because seeing two of these people (one from each 'category'), I began to run through in my head what high school was like for me. I tried to remember my teachers, how they taught, the environment, etc. A lot of my high school teachers were very strict about assignments and due dates and making sure they made NO exceptions, because they were trying to prepare us for the "real world" and for college.

Because of how we were being "prepared", I didn't want to go to college anymore. Of course I had ambitions and I DID want to go to college, but I was expecting that it would not be the experience I had always dreamed it would be. Not after those experiences...

I may not be where I thought I would be when I was 16, but I'm happy to see where I am today. I'm in college, and in a short number of years I will have obtained two adult education diplomas. The exact same outcome as if I had gone off to college right after graduation.

The differences between high school and Granite State College are numerous! In high school you can become invisible. Very few people know your name, interests, etc. At this Concord, NH college campus, you walk in the front door and you are greeted by your first name! (Side note: I mention Granite State College's Concord, NH college campus because it's my "home base." I go there a great deal, even though I take classes sometimes at the Manchester, NH college campus).

In high school, no exceptions were made; here at GSC, teachers will work with you and they understand that life happens. Many students who I have taken classes with have demanding jobs and/or children.

These adult accelerated degree programs are very different from high school. Of course there are always exceptions, but my guess is that these programs work because everyone there has the same goal: to make life better for us. That includes fellow students, and it also includes the faculty. Hazing and bullying don't go on at college (or at least this one). This is the one place you will always look back on as a positive experience. It's a second chance for people (or third, or fourth...).

In many years down the road you run into someone who you went to college with, there will be no uneasy feelings; you'll finally have an educational experience you are more than happy to revisit.

The moral of this story: don't let your past experiences hold you back from really living your life. It's always the time to create some new experiences, and you know you'll be better off for it.

An amazing honor...

Monday, March 28, 2011 by Deidre Romeo

Today I had the immense pleasure and honor to be involved in the ALA Committee tasked with granting $1,000 scholarships to 10 deserving Granite State College students. This was not an easy duty to carry out as there were many deserving adult college program students who we were unable to offer scholarships to.

After a consensus of the committee determined the scholarship recipients we were each tasked with calling to inform and congratulate the students of their award. This was, without a doubt, the best part of the entire process. I thoroughly enjoyed my conversations with both of the recipients I personally spoke with. One of the two students actually recognized me from this blog!

I hope to be able to share the stories of these scholarship recipients in future blogs as they are truly inspiring and empowering. There are so many paths, so many moments and so many dreams that bring adult learners to the point in their lives where they finally enroll in an adult college degree program. The stories of those awarded and those who we were unable to award scholarships to are all important and unique.

Please watch for their stories in my future blogs.

Staying Nimble

Tuesday, March 22, 2011 by Todd Leach

Applications at Granite State College are up nearly 40% over last year. This is wonderful news for the college, since it indicates that we are addressing higher education needs that are in demand. It also represents the college's ability to adapt and change in ways that impact prospective students. Granite State has taken a number of steps this year to make the college more attractive to working professionals and adult students of all ages, who are juggling job and family commitments.

Over this past year Granite State has streamlined its application process, significantly upgraded our Rochester NH college campus center and opened a new center at the Littleton NH college campus. Students are also gravitating to our online classes for adults and therefore we have significantly expanded are online offerings and currently offer every one of our degree programs fully online.

The world is moving very quickly and the needs of our students are changing just as quickly. While Granite State College continues to emphasize the quality of the student experience we are also paying increasing attention to the convenience factor that is integral to access.

Those who paved theway

Tuesday, March 22, 2011 by Marta Smith

I just realized the other day - I am not the first generation of non-traditional learners.

I know it seems like this midlife, adult education program is brand new, but actually it isn't. I vaguely remember my mother dusting off her books and heading back to school when my youngest sister was about 6. I always thought she did it to get away from my sister, but I may be projecting! Anyway, my mother got her teaching degree beforer she married my father and after they were married they moved around quite a bit. After awhile I was born, then sister number 1 and sister number 2, and my mother became a stay-at-home mom. She may have worked a few part-time jobs over the years, but mostly she stayed home. When my youngest sister went to school, my mother went back to school, taking college evening classes and others, to renew her teaching certificate.

As I was reading the obituary of an older friend who recently passed away, I realized that she had also taken time off to raise her kids and then gone back to school to finish her degree, and then she went on to teach at the local high school. She raised successful children who went on to prestigious colleges and then highly successful careers and then she went back to teach other children how to be successful in life.
So, my point is they are the ones who paved the way for us. It wasn't as easy for them to go back to school and to pursue adult education and training as it is for us. There was less help with tuition and very few places to go and less flexible class schedules. We are so much luckier than those who went before.

First Day of Spring

Tuesday, March 22, 2011 by Beth McKenna

Today is the first day of spring and, as I write this blog, I am watching the snowflakes swirl around outside my window. I ask myself how can this really be the first day of Spring? And then I think about all the important dates in our lives: Holidays, birthdays, vacations... fun days that we look forward to. But what about for college students? There are exam days and papers due days and beginning and ending of the semester days. These are special days too but not always those fun days, unless you consider them as milestones in getting you closer to where you want to be in life.

So have you considered where you want to be by next spring or next winter or next birthday? How about enrolling in classes at Granite State College. Did you know that there are online classes for almost every subject? There are also face to face classes in Portsmouth, and Rochester and Lebanon and Manchester and Littleton and Berlin. That pretty much covers the state. You can find yourself in a different place by that next special date in your life. You could be halfway through an Adult Accelerated Degree Program, or finishing an adult education certificate, or taking classes in Early Childhood Education, or any number of degree programs at Granite State College. So don't wait for Spring to arrive. Register now and be ready when that special date, the first day of spring classes arrives in April.

What month is this again!

Monday, March 21, 2011 by Marta Smith

Wasn't it just last week when it was 50 degrees and sunny? I looked out the window this morning and what do I see - more snow! I was planning on a craft program this week at the library, we were painting plant pots and then planting seeds in them. But, somehow, the project doesn't seem so timely after more snow. On the other hand it may be the only green growing things we get to see for awhile.

I guess if we were having a spell of good weather it would be harder to concentrate on school and right now I am finishing one class and getting ready to start another one.

Another exciting thing happening this spring is the first semester of OLLI (Osher Lifelong Learning Insitute) at Granite State College at the Claremont NH college campus. I will actually be helping with the computer class which still has several openings. The classes are available to students over 50 and the cost is very reasonable - appropriate offering from an adult education school!

If you know someone who might like to sign up let them know about it.

TOP 10 REASONS TO TAKE AN ONLINE CLASS

Monday, March 21, 2011 by Chuck Bagley

Learning online at Granite State College is practical and functional for many adult learners taking adult college courses. It lends itself well to how adult learners learn best, under the unique conditions they often find themselves. Online learning is appealing from a practical lifestyle perspective but also from a theoretical and neuro-scientific perspective. Here are the top ten reasons to take online classes for college:

Easy to get started - You can get started learning online with a computer and Internet access. Computers are becoming more powerful, less expensive and more user-friendly. Internet service is widely available in many places. If owning your own computer or accessing the Internet from home is a problem, many public libraries offer free computer and Internet access. Be sure to check your school’s technical requirements for your computer before taking an online class.

Economical - No travel costs, no commuting, and no dormitory fees - just tuition and occasionally materials fees.

Accessible – As long as you have an Internet connection, you can access your online course. This is particularly appealing to parents of young children or students who travel often for their work.

Flexible –Unable to make a 9:00 AM Economics lecture on a college campus? Online classes are available 24 hours a day. You can learn online from your own home at a time that is convenient for you.

Effective – When you take online classes for adults, you can expect to learn important career building skills and abilities equal to, or better than, a traditional classroom setting. According to a 2010 evaluation of online learning conducted by the U.S. Department of Education, “Students in online conditions performed modestly better, on average, than those learning the same material through traditional face-to-face instruction.”

It gets better - Thanks to advances in technology, learning online continues to improve at an unprecedented rate. New technologies facilitate active engagement that allow adult learners to apply, integrate, implement, differentiate, and formulate new learning into experience generating activities. Technological advances also enhance learner connectedness, interaction and mutual support. Immersive learning environments and serious games are no longer distant concepts but rapidly becoming more common in online learning.

Challenging – Though there are deadlines and due dates, there are no class meeting times (although some online classes may require mandatory synchronous session), you are constantly working on your own resourcefulness and initiative to complete the coursework.

Time for Reflection – Unlike a face-to-face class where immediate responses are often required in class discussions, online discussion boards allow time for thoughtful reflection and critical thinking when interacting and responding on an online discussion board. This reflection time can facilitate metacognition – thinking about one’s own thinking or “the ability to monitor one’s current level of understanding and decide when it is not adequate” (How People Learn, 2000).

Your experience counts – Online learning facilitates the connection to past experience (cognitive activation) critical to the adult learning process. Raymond Wlodkowski author of “Enhancing Adult Motivation to Learn” explains it this way; “adults have had more time and seen the benefits and outcomes of a greater variety of experiences. Neurologically, their brains are more developed and capable of judging, planning, and making decisions about their experiences in a manner that is more integrated, stable, reflective, and future oriented.” Online learning interactive activities such as discussion boards, blogs and journals provide the opportunities to employ an adult’s “rich mosaic of experience” at deeper levels of learning as part of the learning experience.

Meaningful - You determine the meaning of the learning. “Most experts who have studied or participated in online learning communities share an approach to adult learners described as ‘constructivism.’ It is based on the premise that knowledge is constructed by adult learners as they filter new information through the prism of their own experience. It is quite different from the more traditional ‘objectivist’ idea of knowledge as a preexisting reality that teachers simply transmit by means of effective communication, and reinforce through practice and repetition. Constructivists expect adult learners to be active, reflective, and creative: managing their own learning process and often collaborating with each other to test new ideas and information by applying them to real problems and circumstances. Therefore, constructivists often describe their approach as student-centered rather than teacher-centered. Instructors facilitate learners’ progress rather than operating primarily as podium-based sages.” – Dr. Burgess Smith, Granite State College.

Like any other endeavor, learning online is what you make of it. Organization, discipline and hard work are all successful components to a positive online learning experience. As Judy Willis, MD, M.Ed. puts it: “The person who does the work LEARNS.”

Citations

Means, B, Toyama, Y, Murphy, R, Bakia, M, & Jones, K. (2010). Evaluation of Evidence-based Practices in Online Learning: A Meta-analysis and Review of Online Learning Studies . U.S. Department of Education, Office of Planning, Evaluation, and Policy Development Policy and Program Studies Service.

How People Learn. (2000). Washington, D.C. National Research Council.

Wlodkowski , R. (2008). Enhancing Adult Motivation to Learn. San Francisco, CA: Jossey-Bass.

Smith, B. (2011, February). How We Learn Online [Web log message]. Retrieved from https://blackboard.granite.edu/

3 weeks left!

Tuesday, March 15, 2011 by Maria Bauer

The end of the term is approaching fast. I have taken my first 5 week intensive online class. This (of course) is held the last 5 weeks of the term: which is the same time I have major research papers due in my other classes. It's a different type of experience. What's great is that adult education classes have the correct forum to try new things. Everything you do, every class you take will help you in your future endeavors. And everyone is traveling down the same road you are.

I am currently in this place where even though there are only 3 more weeks of classes, I know that time is going to fly by, however it feels like the days are never ending. This is the time when papers are due, quizzes are there to finish, etc. Outside of school, things have seemed to pile up and everything has now been officially moved to "#1 priority" which need to be done yesterday.

Life does this to you. These moments help define who you are as a person. I cannot even begin to tell you how many strong people I have met that will repeatedly stand up to the challenge. It's at these home stretches where you either "break" or walk against the wind "fight or flight."

I am a person who reflects...a lot! I was thinking about my first weekend intensive class I had at the Concord NH college campus here at Granite State College; not so much about the class itself but the atmosphere of it all. It was a very comfortable place for me. Not only was the class itself filled with information, but what was happening around us. Our class was constantly laughing - so much we had to shut the doors. The best part about it: we weren't the only ones! There were Foster Parent Classes right down the hall. Whatever you were there for, everyone seemed to have a glowing aura.

Career College Training is a resource that has become more easily accessible. From 4 year colleges, to strictly online classes, to adult accelerated degree programs (or even adult education certificates) which can be completed during day and/or night classes: there is something for you out there!

How does this relate with this being the end of the term for me? It's because I have been put in a position where I need to pick myself up off the ground, dust myself off, and get ready to fight for the next 3 weeks. These 3 weeks will be a test and I can guarantee you I will learn more about who I am as a person. Every experience, new or repeated, will help push us to where we would like to see ourselves. Hard work pays off: although I wouldn't mind having a personal genie at times :)

Substantive Change

Monday, March 14, 2011 by Todd Leach

"Change" is a word that is often overused, but in the world of higher education "substantive change" has very specific meaning. An institution that goes through substantive change is one that embarks on new directions that require review by its regional accreditor. Granite State College has undertaken such a change by moving from an institution offering only undergraduate credit to one that will now offers its first masters degree.

The Master of Science in Project Management is intended to provide students with a highly transferable set of skills and competencies that are in high demand across a number of industries. GSC's first masters degree is designed to provide students with both pragmatic content and high level learning opportunities that can prepare students to advance in management and leadership level positions. A cursory search of job postings lists many positions in which project management skills are specifically identified. In addition, managers in general can gain a competitive advantage in the job market by gaining project management competencies.

Granite State College worked closely with industry experts to develop its first masters program in order to ensure our graduates will be well prepared to compete and advance in their chosen careers. At this point, the Granite State College masters degree is the only MS in Project Management offered by a New Hampshire institution.

We are confident that our new masters degree will meet the advanced education needs of working adults and professionals across the state and beyond. The new program will be offered entirely online as well as at select Granite State College locations.

No Age Limit on Learning

Thursday, March 10, 2011 by Marta Smith

I lost a friend today; she passed away this morning from cancer. I have been thinking about her a lot this afternoon. She had many wonderful qualities. She was smart and funny and stubborn and very independent and very strong as well.

She took the news about her cancer pretty well, but she wasn't one to complain about things. She grew up in a time when complaining was not allowed. She was a member of the "Greatest Generation" and had the strength of character to show it.

I thought of her as a mentor in many ways, not the least being her addiction to using her brain and keeping it young. She was 85 years old and still as sharp as ever. She read incessantly and took classes whenever possible. She was still driving to Dartmouth and Colby Sawyer to take enrichment courses and she had recently become involved in the OLLI program that is starting up in Claremont this spring. In fact, her illness is why she had to give up working on the committee.

One of the most amazing things about her is how much she cared about education and the impact it could have on the community. She was so proud when Granite State College opened up on Pleasant Street in Claremont. She was a former English teacher and she taught back when a teacher's salary was even more pitiful than it is today, but she never complained about it. She taught me many things, but the most important was that no matter how old you were you could still learn something new. I think the older you are the more you appreciate the importance of education.

Every time I sign up for adult college classes or take advantage of an educational opportunity I will think of my friend and her philosophy about education.