Plan your future learning

MANY people want to increase their learning but hope that it will happen spontaneously. Those who want to be successful must plan for their success. Many people might not have completed their schooling and may feel disappointed. When people have academic credentials, they have the opportunity to make an impact.

Those people who did not complete their formal or informal schooling and wish to continue must know that there are more opportunities for them to continue their learning. However, they must plan to further their education. There is always a sacrifice to be made, and those people who are willing to make those sacrifices will have many successes to talk about.

Learning must not be ignored. Instead, it must be embraced! Education will be challenging, even for educated people, but education must become a lifestyle for many. Education is never restricted to children since there is no age limit for learning. Many adults ought to continue their education so that they can help their children, seek better employment opportunities, make a significant impact on society, etc.

There are many benefits associated with learning. Some people may view education as an opportunity for them to show off knowledge to those who may be less educated. However, increasing knowledge must never be done to impress the competition. Those people who have learned must also encourage and help others to learn so that there are more knowledgeable people around the world.

Successful people often set goals. They usually identify what they need. Thereafter, time is allocated to those goals. Therefore, if you want to become successful in your learning, you must be willing to set timelines for your studies. When a timeline is set, you will challenge yourself to finish your education within a specific timeframe. Too many times, people do not set a timeline, and as time elapses, they lose focus and may quit.

Formal learning
Learning is not confined to a classroom. This may be a surprising statement to people who think that they must attend school in order to learn. However, this section of the book looks at learning from a formal approach.

Yes, attending school is very important. Not everyone can learn quickly by themselves. There are a few people who can read, learn, and apply themselves to many situations without much assistance. However, others need the aid of a teacher, facilitator, or lecturer to help them understand certain concepts, theories, etc.

There are many learning institutions within the country. People may be able to choose where they wish to continue their formal learning, or they may have to work with the limited choices available to them. Whatever options are available, the individual must make it their responsibility to learn. Not everyone will be able to attend a recognised learning institution, so they must make the best use of the options available to them.

Many people’s formal learning starts at play school (daycare) and continues to the university level. A person must determine how far they want to continue their education. Some people choose not to attend university, but they are very successful today.

People attending formal learning institutions will incur some costs, but they must look beyond those costs since the rewards will be more significant than the sacrifices. Some governments offer free education to people from nursery to university. Those who benefit from free education must make greater use of the opportunities provided to them.

Many people may not have the time to attend classes for formal learning. Therefore, online learning is still an option for many. People who are working or have a busy life may be able to make great use of online learning. However, they must be disciplined enough to learn through online options. The cost of online education may be lower than if they had to attend classes, but it is their responsibility to start and finish their studies.

Most learning institutions will assess people before and during their time of learning. Assessments will be done via quizzes, monthly tests, end-of-term tests, individual or group presentations, etc. Assessments allow facilitators to have a better understanding of students’ knowledge of the information taught and their ability to apply it.

Informal learning
Even teachers and other educators depend on informal learning to help them prepare for a formal session with students. No one can avoid informal learning since it is all around them. Within the home, people have access to some form of news—whether they purchase daily newspapers, watch the news on television, etc. Many people have discussions at the workplace after following the news. People must be careful with the news sources they choose since some sources can affect their decision-making.

Workplaces may have mentors who help employees become better equipped for the tasks set before them. Smart employees will take every opportunity to glean wisdom from their mentors so that they may operate similarly. It is important to be respectful to your mentor, observe their actions, and ask interesting questions. Not every mentor will be the same, but employees need to adjust and learn from them.

Educational games and sports are also there to help people learn. For example, people may be involved in Scrabble, which helps them identify words from letters. Many sports can make people disciplined and help them focus on future learning opportunities. Parents sometimes enrol their children in sports, as their children may receive a scholarship to further their studies once their performance reaches the established requirements.

There are many places and activities within people’s communities and countries that will help them to learn. Visiting historic sites is a rich source of learning. Simply birdwatching may provide good knowledge to people. Learning opportunities often surround many people, but they have to be willing to learn.

Several organisations and government agencies offer learning opportunities for people and communities. For example, there may be health fairs where important information is shared with attendees. Sometimes, pamphlets, brochures, and other informative documents are provided. With panel discussions, many facilitators connect with people and address critical concerns they may have. Attendees are sometimes allowed to ask questions or share comments during discussions.

For more information about Geary Reid and his books, please use these contact details:
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