There are many different reasons why adults decide to return to education. It could be that you are experiencing some type of life transition – children might be going to school or retirement age might be approaching quickly. Or perhaps you feel that you have missed out on educational opportunities in the past and know that you are capable of much more than you are achieving at present.

When you consider returning to education you need to think about the reasons why you want to return to learning as these will have an influence on what, when and how to study. Today there is a wide selection of courses, qualifications and subject areas open to adults and offered by a variety of learning providers. Different courses and institutions will suit different circumstances and personalities. By understanding your initial reasons for returning to learning, you will be able to consider courses and institutions that are the most appropriate for you.

This chapter will help you to consider your reasons for returning in more depth. Chapters 2 and 3 provide an up-to-date description of the different courses, subject areas, institutions, qualifications and mode of study to help you with your learning choices.

WHY DO I WANT TO RETURN TO LEARNING?

When you are thinking about returning to education, it is useful to ask yourself why you want to return to learning. Adults return to education for a multitude of reasons and these different reasons will have an influence on what is studied, as the following examples illustrate:

Example 1 – Tina

Tina is expecting a change in her life which will free up her time during the day. Although she hopes to have between six and seven hours a day free, she knows that she may have to look after her son if he has to come home from school early.

There are a variety of options open to Tina and, in addition to thinking about why she wants to return to education, she will need to think carefully about what interests her and also consider her particular personality traits. For example, she might want to consider an access course aimed specifically at women. Some of these are taught during the day while children are at school. The courses are flexible and tutors understand if time has to be taken off to look after children. As they are attended by other women in similar positions, there is plenty of peer support available.

Some access courses offer a variety of subjects within the course. These are best described as ‘tasters’ which are especially useful for people who are unsure about which subjects interest them. Other options available to Tina include correspondence courses or internet learning, both of which can be done at home at her own pace (see Chapter 2). However, she will need to decide whether she has the motivation to work on her own or whether she would prefer to work with others.

Example 2 – Roy

Roy is concerned about personal mobility problems and the fact that staff and students at colleges may not want older students with disabilities on the course. Although older buildings in some institutions are difficult to access, modern buildings tend to be built with mobility difficulties in mind. Some have wheelchair access and are on the ground floor in light, airy premises. Roy would need to check that his class was accessible in terms of physical access before enrolling. Otherwise, he too could consider learning opportunities available in the home.

Like many adults returning to education, Roy is concerned also about his age. However, the type of course he is talking about would tend to be run by an adult education department of a university or by a further education college. It would be part-time, probably run during the evening. Most, if not all of the students on this course would be mature students, with many over retirement age, so Roy would certainly not be out of place.

There are, however, some courses and institutions which tend to market themselves at younger students. These are easily spotted – they will specify a minimum amount of A Levels or GCSEs required for entry; they will emphasise the ‘fun’ aspects of study that appeals to 18-years old – the nightlife, the number of bars, rag week pranks, etc. However, mature students do go to this type of institution and do fit in well. You need to think about the learning environment in which you would feel most comfortable. If you think you would feel out of place in this type of environment, choose something else.

Today there are many institutions aimed specifically at adults. Even within some of the more traditional universities there are adult education departments, some of which, you might be surprised to hear, have an average age of student which is well over retirement age. Other institutions, such as the newer universities and many colleges, now have more mature students than 18-year-old students, so ‘fitting in’ really should not be a problem. If you want to concentrate on your studies rather than worry about fitting in, find somewhere to study that is aimed at people like yourself. These will be described in depth in Chapter 2.

Example 3 – Andrew

In the final example, Andrew has his heart set on obtaining a degree. He has a young family and needs to study close to home. In his home town there are two universities – one used to be a polytechnic, but became a university in 1994. This institution now has more mature student entrants than 18-year-old entrants. However, the traditional, red brick university in his town makes entry hard for people without high A Level grades.

Another option open to Andrew would be to study for a degree with the Open University which would allow him to study at home at his own pace (see Chapter 2). However, he thinks that he would not have the discipline or enough quiet time to study at home and feels, therefore, that he would like to study at the more welcoming university.

PERSONAL CIRCUMSTANCES

When you are thinking about why you want to return to education you need to think about your personal circumstances as these will have an influence on what and where to study. In the above examples, people are able to express some of these clearly, but others might be hidden and only become apparent with careful thought and analysis. The following questions may help you to consider some of these issues.

• Are you single or do you have a partner to consider? Will they be supportive or oppose your plans? Will they be threatened by your decision to return to learning?
• Do you have children? Is there someone else available to look after them should they become ill?
• Do you have any other caring responsibilities that have to be taken into account?
• Do you have any friends who will be supportive of your plans or might they put obstacles in your way? Have any of your friends returned to education and could they offer advice and help, should it be required?
• Will your work colleagues and your boss be supportive? Will they allow time off for study if required?
• What are your financial circumstances? Can you afford to give up paid employment, or do you need to continue earning? Do you have a reliable source of finance if you’re not working?
• How much of your present lifestyle do you want to change, or are you prepared to change, for your learning?
• Is something likely to happen in your life which might affect your ability to continue studying?
• Are you able to attend a course for regular hours and on regular days of a week or will you require something more flexible?
• Can you commit to the required level of time needed for your course?
• Will you be able to find some quiet time at home to complete your coursework? Is there a comfortable, quiet place available in which to work?

PERSONAL CHARACTERISTICS AND INTERESTS

When making your learning choices it is also important to think about your personal characteristics and interests. It is much easier to remain motivated if you have a deep interest in what you are learning and if the teaching methods suit the way you perfer to learn. The following questions will help you to think about these issues.

• Do you prefer to study on your own initiative or is the support of others important to you?
• Do you prefer to study on your own or is face-to-face contact important to you? Do you like to work in groups?
• How do you cope if faced with strict deadlines set by others? Would you prefer to work at your own pace and set your own deadlines?
• How do you feel about exams? Do they fill you with dread or do you take them in your stride? Would you prefer a different type of assessment?
• Do you like listening to lectures or are experimentation and discussion important to you?
• Are qualifications important to you or are you interested in learning without obtaining qualifications?
• Do you prefer individual competition or working together towards a common goal?
• Do you get on with people of all ages or would you prefer to mix with people of similar ages?
• Do you prefer to mix with people from similar backgrounds or from different backgrounds?
• Do you have any negative perceptions which are putting you off returning to learning? (These will be discussed in more depth in Chapter 7.)

As a final note, some adults have bad memories of school and education. However, most adults who return to education stress how surprised they are that it is not like school. They find that tutors respect them, valuing their knowledge and experience; adults learn from each other; classes are informal; tutors and students become friends; teaching methods are very different, aimed at, and suited to, adult learners and nothing like they were at school. All these factors lead to an enjoyable and rewarding experience. By taking your time to choose an appropriate course and learning provider, you too should find that returning to education can be an exciting, rewarding and important decision in your life.

SUMMARY

There are many different reasons why adults decide to return to education, for example:

• You are experiencing a life transition:
  • children approaching school age
  • retirement approaching
  • significant age approaching.
• You have missed out on educational opportunities in the past.
• You know that you are capable of more.
• You want to show what you are worth.
• You are stuck in a rut:
  • unhappy in work
  • unhappy at home
  • career going nowhere.
• You want to increase your earning potential.
• You want to increase the job choices open to you.
• You want to make new friends and acquaintances.
• You want to develop your interests.
• You want to develop your intellect.
• You want to keep your brain active.

You need to think very carefully about why you want to return to education as this will influence what, when and where to study. You also need to think about your personal characteristics, likes, dislikes and interests when you choose what to study as this will help keep your motivation levels high.