Effective adult learning: 7 tips

Education today is in trend, it is not only about school and university. Life-long learning is a life-long education, the term is not new and is already quite well established in the Russian space. We have never seen such a variety of training options, as presented now. But will it still be.

With the advent of the online format, getting an education has become easier and more accessible. No need to go anywhere, go, adjust the vacation to the session. Everything is at your fingertips, available on your smartphone. Learn when, how and what you want.

Post-professional education is now familiar to many. It allows you to get ahead of competitors in your field and gives you the opportunity to “try on” other areas of activity. With it, you can get practical skills, for example, in blogging, lettering, smm, or delve into self-knowledge.

You can learn from theorists and practitioners, use educational platforms and master classes, enlist the support of a mentor and get feedback from fellow students. How not to get confused in the variety and choose what is valuable?

Consider the general rules for choosing educational content, which are better not to be neglected at first. When you learn to navigate the topic well, many points will disappear by themselves.

1. Set a specific goal

Why do you need to enrich yourself with new knowledge? Do you want to learn how to knit warm sweaters to give to your grandchildren for the New Year, or create automatic sales funnels?

2. Consider how much time and money you are willing to spend

Knowledge can be obtained both in one day, limited to reviewing information and drawing up an action plan, or in several months, learning the basics step by step under the supervision of curators. The same story with money: do you want to “buy” yourself motivation in the form of constant feedback and support for money, or are you ready to inspire yourself and correct mistakes, but at the same time want to cut costs?

3. Decide if you need a certificate/diploma upon graduation

For example, you dream of becoming a coach. But few of the clients in the future will want to have a coaching session with a specialist without an ISF diploma. By the way, the need to get a «crust» makes education longer and more expensive, but the end, as they say, justifies the means.

4. Choose a training method and a specialist

This is where all the fun begins. There was a saying in the USSR: «If you know how — do it, if you don’t know how — teach.» Unfortunately, there are still enough such unfortunate specialists who do not know how to do anything themselves today. Therefore, it is important not to be guided by the first impression, but to study well the foundation on the basis of which the training will take place.

Will it be a personal experience of building a sales department or the author’s method of breathing practice, which has proven itself well. Or the specialist will be based on their own lived history that resonates with your values ​​and goals.

5. We study the promised result

It can be something tangible, like a painting done in a certain technique, a set of knowledge that allows you to do more complex projects, a new level of awareness.

Before diving into the program, think about what you can do with the received data. Will they be an indicator that you have achieved the goal you set? Ask if your knowledge will be practiced in the learning process using specific examples.

6. Learn about actions after graduation

Are you breaking up with a specialist, or can he offer further support to achieve your goals (if the process of achieving goals is longer than the course of study)? Will it provide support during your first independent launch of the project?

A competent mentor is interested in your undertakings being completed successfully. This is both an indicator of its effectiveness and a good case for future students.

7. We approach the beginning of training with responsibility

Study, apply, see the result. If you’ve already come this far, do everything in your power to get the most out of it. If it is clear that this is impossible, the author of the course does not live up to expectations, there are not as many tasks on the platform as we would like, the program does not provide the knowledge that was declared, leave.

Money is that renewable resource that can be sacrificed to save the irreplaceable resource — time. Most professionals and schools offer refunds to dissatisfied listeners.

So, the topic, course and specialist have been chosen, and you have already attended the first classes (in person or online). If all the stages are completed correctly, new knowledge will be a fresh breath of air that will inspire you to grandiose achievements.

Knowledge is not the only thing you gain in the process. You also meet new people who are passionate about the same topic. You have someone to share successes and discuss difficulties with. This side of learning is very valuable, so make the most of it. Quote for inspiration. “Live as if you are going to die tomorrow. Learn as if you are going to live forever.” – Gandhi