by Patrick Tay

Created on: August 12, 2008

Going back to school at an older age is becoming more prevalent in recent years. There are many reasons for this. This includes budget constraints during one's younger years, family commitments after marriage, taking care of one's children and taking care of one's elderly parent(s). I strongly believe that most of us want to learn but sometimes, circumstances do not permit it. However, every cloud has a silver lining: our circumstances change all the time, often for the better. One becomes bored at home. Our kids grow up. Our elderly parents encourage us to further our studies while becoming more independent over time.

Suddenly, we are free.

Actually, there's another activity that we can engage in in our later years: joining the workforce again. As long as ageism does not exist in the country and that employers are receptive to older workers, I believe that we are always welcome to rejoin the workforce. However, is this a good choice? In our later years, do we really want to contribute to society or do we want to further our studies? While working has the benefit of a monthly income, there's also the stress/fatigue factor. As for studying, we are given the joy of being students again (which means making new friends with similar academic interests) but it takes a toll on our income. Ultimately, it's our call. For me, I will choose to be a student and relive my childhood again.

Not to digress too much, let's shift our attention back to studying at an older age. For those of us who are eager to pick up a book again, there's always distance learning. Those of us who are using broadband at home should enjoy the ease of being connected to most educational institutions offering distance learning courses. And there are a substantial number of institutions to choose from. There are also a large variety of courses as well. Most distance learning courses offer academic materials with an online forum for interactive discussions between lecturers and students. Learning has become a breeze. With the benefit of studying from home, we are able to reduce our expenditures on accommodations overseas etc.

So what are some tips on going back to school at an older age?

Firstly, be IT-savvy. This is a very important consideration because technology and education is now almost inseparable. The use of Information Communication Technology (ICT) in the classroom is prevalent in recent years. In some educational institutions, each student works with a single laptop which they lug around in

• 1
• 2
• Next Page >>