Establish clear goals before going back to school - Atlanta Business Chronicle:

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Adult learners have more opportunities for continuingg education thanever before. Optionse include degree programs offered through collegexand universities, certificate programs, credir and non-credit courses, professional continuing education public workshops, courses packaged as CD-ROMs and online courses. That’se why it’s good to have help evaluatintthe alternatives. The ’s serves as a bridge linking industry, higher education and adultt learners.
“We look for ways to promote greater accesws for lifelong learners in an institution or other lifelon glearning organization,” said Mary Beth Lakin, the associat director for special projects at the Center for Lifelonyg Learning. Because every learning opportunity is an investmenr of timeand money, individuals should carefully consider theirr purpose for wanting to continue their education. “Whethed it’s to keep up with practicess intheir field, advance in thei field or make a career change, they have to have a cleafr purpose,” Lakin said.
The purpose guideds program selection and determines whether the learner needs academic a non-credit course, a certificatio n or continuing education units to satisfy state licensure Lakin said individuals can narros their purpose by looking at their industry’s standards. “Professional organizationzs recognize and set standards forprofessionalp competencies,” she said. A competency is the requisite knowledgr and skills people need in order to perform theirtjobs effectively. When considering an educationakl opportunity, Lakin recommends evaluating how closely it meetws industry standards and what outcomes can be expected from thelearningy experience.
Check to see if the program has any highetreducation affiliations, such as a community college or university or if a professionalo organization recognizes that particular course or training Lakin said employers and individuals can turn to resourcezs like the and Training (IACET) to help them evaluatwe programs that offer CEUs. IACE T is a nonprofit organization that evaluates and authorizes continuing education providers thatmeet research-based criteria for continuing education and trainint (www.iacet.org). Word-of-mouth can also be a valuablr tool when looking for a professionapdevelopment opportunity.
Lakin suggests asking colleagues or otherds in the field about theirf continuingeducation experiences, whether the experience met their if they were comfortable in the learning environmenty and if the instructord was qualified to teach the course. “If you’re tryingt to figure this out onyour own, watcy for training that is less than it claims to Lakin warned. “Fraudulent organizations take advantage of the Internert and make claims about being anaccreditee program.
” She said to do the research and find out details about the organization to make sure it’e a true accreditation In addition to these considerations, Lakin said one of the biggest challenges for adult learners is finding the training that fits most convenientlhy with their work schedule and family “They need to look at the learningy environment and know the best way for them to learn, whether it’s in a on-site at work, Web-based or a combination of Lakin said that some people think onlinr classes are the most convenient, but online mighrt not match their learning style. For online individuals need tobe self-motivated and enjogy working independently.