We dream of our perfect career that we will land once we finish your degree and maybe we should be thinking about the type of degree we get, employable degrees. Employable, what a concept to think about what will get us a job instead of following our passions for fields we have dreamed about for years. But the truth is, you go to school to get a good job, make a good salary, so you can get by and be independent; a well adjusted citizen in the community.
My daughter has a degree that is really in one of the most unemployable fields. She recognizes that and is going to go back to school. School/knowledge are the key to getting employed and also experience. When you are young, you really don't have the experiences to go back too, you just have your degree. But, when you are an older learner, a more mature learner, you have so much experience and so much knowledge of life. You go to classes eager to learn and to express yourself.
If you are close in proximity to Granite State College, well go there. If you are in another state, it is all possible too. Granite State College has on-line classes for adults. I have done both. I lived in Merrimack for a short time and that is when I was introduced to the college. Then, I was relocated and got very familiar with on-line learning. I actually got my Associates Degree in General Studies on-line and received my BS in Mgmt on-line.
Now is the time...just do it!!
I have never been to school in my country and neither have my parents or any other family members. I remember going to grade one in Ethiopia before we were driven out by the regime change in 1991. It had been long treking and painful for me and colleagues during those times.
In August 2001, I landed here with the idea of becoming the first ever person in the family who should reach the goal of achieving the break through in education. However, I was affected by the homesickness that overwhelmed me because of the long time that I had spent with no parents. So I decided to go back home in 2006 and get married to a girl that I knew back in Kenya.
In 2007, I came back and started to take some online adult education classes while doing a follow up on my wife's process to come here. It had not been easier and I personally learned a lot from that. Finally, my wife came here in 2008 and gave me a sense of relieve mentally. I am now a Granite State College student pursuing my BS in Business Management. It is my true pleasure to be a GSC student and I look forward to graduating next year if possible. To my fellow students, there is no hesitation to better living and there is no struggle with no reward. Remember that whatever you do has an outcome/end result.
Name: James Alier
Class of: 2012
Location: Manchester/Online
Degree: BS in Business Management
It is a beautiful morning in Michigan. I peered out my little kitchen window and was delightfully surprised to see a blanket of white snow. Yes, I am not used to the snow as I had lived in the south for about twenty-three years, but the sight of it was refreshing and brought back great memories. Playing in the snow as a youngster, was great. Snowballs, snowmen, castles made out of snow and lets not forget the snow angels; lots of fun. I will have to wake up a little earlier from now on just to clean off the drive or the car before I head to work. I am sure I will get in the grove and adjust to my new morning chores, just like I adjusted to the many hours of homework, going to Granite State College after work and study sessions with my adult learning friends. Adjusting a lifestyle can be a challenge but the benefits that come from being an open minded, well adjusted person are priceless. The benefits of Granite State College and their flexible school schedule, are points to mention. From after work schedules, on-line learning classes, weekend intensive classed, it is all possible for just about anyone. The college makes it possible to fulfill that dream of having a degree. Enjoy your day and remember, YOU CAN ADJUST!!
Today's trip takes me to southern NH, to spread the word about Granite State College's Post Baccalureate Teacher Certification Programs and Advanced Endorsements for already certified teachers. Making sure that school administrators are familiar with Granite State College Teacher Preparation Programs www.granite.edu/academics/teachers/educators.php
helps teachers to continue learning and make a difference in their schools.
Travelling New Hampshire's highways and backroads in search of each district's schools provides for an interesting and fun day. I always loved fall and "back to school" time. The happy sounds of teachers' and children's voices in the schools and on the playgrounds reminds me of the excitement of learning, socializing and playing together.
While this is my first year out of the classroom and not teaching, my visits to the different SAUs throughout the state are a lot of fun and very interesting. I especially enjoy talking with prospective teachers about the programs that Granite State College offers. The excitement of going back to college, taking adult online classes and becoming a teacher is contagious. It is a little bit like visiting those schools and playgrounds...it makes you feel so excited about learning and going back to school!
I just encouraged them to be happy, keep learning, keep going to school and dream. I may sound funny to say, Dream, but some dreams are small and some are big. My dream was to get a college education and I got that from Granite State College. My next dream is to get my Masters Degree and I will be heading right back to Granite State College for that. Why? Because it works for me. Online adult education classes give me the ability to get my education and still work my full time job.
I never EVER liked school. EVER. Period.
I hated that these grownups would stand in front of me and tell me to memorize this information, and if I spelled a word wrong I had to write it out ten times. How is this learning? It wasn’t. It was memorization at its finest, just using enough of my brain power to remember the information to get me through the exams and then I was free to forget everything I “learned”. Why should I have learned it anyway? It did not apply to me. How is it that any time in my adult life would I need to know what year Spain traveled to the new world and enslaved the natives? It had nothing to do with anything. It related to me in no way and it didn’t apply to anything else I was learning at the time, so why did I need to know this useless information?
I started really thinking about this recently because of the way I am actually learning now, in my online classes for college.
All of my adult college classes, no matter what the information, actually pertain to me! Can you believe that? In human bio right now, I am learning about my body. More than just how I breathe and my organs and such, but how everything comes together to help me survive day-to-day, mostly without me ever needing to think about it. When was the last time you actually had to think and make a conscious effort to make your heart beat or to breathe in and out? You don’t have to do those because some of your body’s muscles and organs are involuntary. Without that, we wouldn’t be able to sleep or carry on a conversation without thinking about doing everything our body already does for us.
There is also some other information I found fascinating. For example, sweating. Did you know that you can get injections in your face and body to eliminate sweating? Did you also know that sweating is not only your body’s way of cooling you down, but also a way to get toxins out of your body? Could you imagine the nasty gross things that could build up in your body if there were no ways to release it? It’s absolutely fascinating all that I am learning in this class. It makes me want to take better care of myself, and to know how to do that.
I am truly lucky to be a part of Granite State College, a college where you don’t go to memorize things, but a place where you actually go to gain knowledge and become a better person!
Years ago teachers taught reading, writing and math. Now teachers teach all those things but add on social development, nutrition, stranger safety, anti-bullying and on and on it goes. Try to get all that in to 6 hours a day and teachers are exhausted after 180 days.
So is there a way to help teachers? How about taking courses to energize your career? Have you thought about a online courses for adults that you could take while hanging out in your yard? Check out the offerings at Granite State College for online classes. You might just find a course to help you with all those extras you need to teach. Try the behavioral science classes, or maybe just a good science or history course for the fun of it.
If you are saying, "I am so tired of teaching." Don't give up. Check out Granite State College and plan on treating yourself to an online boost to your career.
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.
I was sitting at the coffee shop this morning, listening to the news on TV and heard that college educations are not worth getting. It aggravated me so much as I disagree. Yes, maybe our economy is rough, there are lots of people who get degrees and can't get jobs. But, if you don't have a degree, do you have the knowledge or credentials to get a job if one were to come up? No. Getting an adult education degree is so valuable, I don't care what the economy is like. It grows your mind, your soul, your personality and knowledge is power. It always has been and always will be.
Accelerated degrees are so available at Granite State College. With weekend intensive classes as well as online classes for adults, college is possible for anyone. I hope the young adults don't stop dreaming and stop learning. I hope that people who are ready for a change in life job choice, grasp the concept of going back to school. Going back to school for me was the best decision I ever made and I will always be in the learning mode.
I just moved into a new neighborhood recently where it seems everyone on my block goes to some local community college. Funny enough, that school is where both my fiancé and I had originally started out. We started to talk about how it's not a good school for someone who has to work and pay bills, because there were times when he had to choose whether to go to class or work and pay bills so he would not be evicted. "Try working, being a mom, paying bills, and going to school!" I had to laugh a little in relief that I don't have to deal with that! I don't have to decide if school is more important than working and paying bills, because with Granite State College I can take all of my courses online so that I can conveniently have a life and get a degree at the same time!
My son got a virus last weekend, and directly after that I got a severe sinus infection followed up with Bronchitis, (when I go for something, I go all or nothing! LOL!). I was horrifyingly ill, not able to speak for days on end. It was nothing I had to worry about, though, because with online classes for adults, there is no need to attend a class outside of my home. I can sit in my pajamas, hair a mess, a red nose from all my sneezing, and still attend class! When I had my appointment on Friday, and then had to wait what seamed like FOREVER for my prescription, I did not have to worry about not being able to attend class, and how it would affect my grade. When you attend online classes for college through Granite State College, if you can't find the time to do class work on Friday, you can do it on Thursday or even Saturday! It's really a life saver! And I don't even have to worry about attending class with a runny nose!
"I too had a hard time in high school. I wanted some sort of identity. Somehow I got the idea that I wanted to rebel against the establishment. I wore a black leather jacket and smoked cigarettes. I hung around the "cool people" who were also rebels. I graduated high school with a C average. My self esteem was low and my self concept was of a rebel. I did what I wanted when I wanted. This led me to getting in trouble with my mother and I finally moved out when I was 21. I wasted away years of my life until I decided to go to college. My self concept is of a level-headed person with a goal to graduate and become full time employed in the field of behavioral science. I really changed my life around."
This is the kind of story I hear so often from my students at Granite State College. You don't have to have had a hard time in high school, of course, but if you have, you may appreciate the benefits of working on an adult college degree because of your earlier experiences. I love hearing their stories, and, as I may have already admitted in my blogs, I always cry at graduation. It's a moving sight to see all these elated graduates. Each one has a story too.
The purpose of higher education is more than just filling students with information. It should not only develop the intellect but also the heart, character, integrity and judgment and how to use all of this wisely. We want students to become productive and useful citizens contributing to society in a meaningful way. Intellect needs to be balanced with innovation and creativity.
Look at any job search website and you will find lists of qualities that employees are looking for. Apart from skills in the profession, employers want people who have reasoning skills and the ability to problem solve. Communication skills, both written and oral, are crucial. Understanding of human behavior is important to be able to work well with others. Having an historical consciousness to have that understanding of how we got where we are today.
As I listened to John talk I realized this makes a good argument to the complaint "Do I have to take these gen eds?" Yes, you do! Those classes help to develop skills apart from those specific to your field of study. They help you to learn about yourself, others and the world around you.
Granite State College offers a great variety of general education electives that I encourage students to take advantage of. Whether students are looking for online classes for adults or evening college classes there are plenty of classes to choose from that will help develop their creativity, intellect, and compassion.
So what can you do about this? Fortunately, everyone in the Granite State College system are very understanding, and will help you in any way they can. Whether that means going to the college and using their computers, or working with your teacher(s) explaining the situation. My experience has shown me time and time again that the teachers don't want to see you fail: they genuinely want you to do your best and pass the class. And for those who participate and put in the effort, they will help you in any way they can.
In some respect, high school was harder than college.
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/
I went through my school papers and books from Granite State College while in the attic the other day. I got rid of some of the papers I had written but, some I saved. I saved them because I remember the hard work I put into my adult college classes. The research the study groups I was part of and the endless hours I spent figuring out my math problems for business statistics. So, I kept them so some day I will show them to my grand-kids what their Grammy did in life and how they can do it too. Distance learning universities are out there, Granite State College was my salvation since I moved so much. I just kept on going doing on-line classes either from home, the book store or sitting at Panara Bread having a bagel on Sunday Afternoon.
I am rambling and I really need to run the vacuum. I will let you know how it all pans out..Guess I will have to buy a shovel this next winter. YUK!!
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 :)
Working with prospective adult students at Granite State College, three concerns about returning to college frequently surface and these personal barriers all involve ‘fit’.
Admittedly or not, adults who are in the discernment process about college are worried if they are fit (capable) of taking on the academic challenge that comes with higher ed. “It’s been years since I’ve picked up a text book; am I really up to it?” is a concern that I often hear.
Prospective adult learners looking at colleges that tout adult college programs spend a fair amount of time considering the environment, learning formats and programs when narrowing down their choices of schools. Most adults are uncomfortable thinking about sitting in a classroom with traditional-aged students or trying to figure out how they will be able to make it to classes only offered during the day. They want to pick a college that is a good fit for their life situation and needs.
Like entertainers on stage juggling multiple balls most adult learners have many life priorities. Work, family, home maintenance and leisure activities carve chunks of time out of people’s lives. Going to college is admittedly a big commitment and prospective students have legitimate concerns about their ability to fit it all in.
The good news in Granite State College in built around addressing these three concerns. Small classes populated mostly by adults with significant life experience, evening weekend and online course formats offering the ability to progress at our students’ own pace have made GSC the natural choice for those adults who quite naturally ask themselves the ‘fit’ questions.
If you're considering taking the leap feel free to give me a call. (603-513-1379)
Talk to your Advisor; you are not re-inventing the wheel here. You are an adult going back to school, pursuing adult higher education. It's been done before so there are things you need to know. That's why Granite State College makes your first appointment with an Advisor.
Listen to what your Advisor tells you. Then do what they tell you.
Balance the ugly with the pretty -- this is something you don't realize at first blush. Part of my thinking went like this, "I'm 40+ years old and I haven't got time for basket weaving, so I am piling up my courses, because I'm older and wiser." The reality is that I needed time for the learning to sink in. Maybe you have to power through to get your degree, but at least remember that learning is not just a task to cross off a list. It is an experience in and of itself.
Breathe--'nough said.
Bite the bullet -- how ever you need to do it, role your sleeves up and get the job done. Have I told you to call your advisor yet? I will not lie to you, because that will waste my time and yours. Sometimes they are going to tell you to "put your big girl pants on and get it done", though not as succinctly as that. You're in college now you'll recognize it when you hear it.
Get ready early -- Get your books. Make sure your computer is in good shape. Sharpen the pencils and buy new pens. Try not to leave registering for classes until the last day of the Add/Drop deadline. Know your professor's contact information. Plan your snacks, (seriously, if your blood sugar is low after a long day at work and the professor turns the lights out to start a video at 8PM, you will miss the video because you are fighting to stay awake.)
Make connections - get together with other students before class or over the weekend. This helps me keep my "Negative Nancy-speak" at bay. When I can share with other students in adult education courses, the learning is more enduring. Check out the GSC Online Library Make sure you connect with your professor too, let them know where you might need help. Check in with your center's Academic Resource Center to help you brush up your skills.
Know what the end result should look like. I like pictures, so I picture myself crossing off assignments on my syllabus as they are completed, or handing in my final assignments. But the most important picture I keep is the one with me in my cap and gown on graduation day.
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