Adult learning advice?

princessdon

have you analysed your current learning style?

You change over time, you are referring to written as your preferred style where as now you may be auditory/tactile etc.

Adults via OU are also often distracted (the classroom has it's benefits).

You need to anyalyse your distractions too and adapt

This may mean going to a library in a quiet study room as opposed to home.

alyth

Hermia wrote: »

I don't think you do remember more of what you learn as a child. When I got my old school books out of my parent's loft I could not even remember learning some of that stuff. I read one of my GCSE essays and was astonished I had written it as it all sounded like gobbledegook to me! I think the stuff you do remember from school is the stuff you use all the time (e.g. basic maths and English) and that is why you remember it.

I have done a few modules with the OU and my big problem with them is that you are not encouraged (and don't really have the time) to read around the subject. I actually asked my tutor whether I should seek out journal articles or other books and was told not to! I was actually told it would not be good for me to quote non-course books or articles in my essays. I think the reason I remember so much from my first (non-OU) degree is that we were encouraged to read widely. I read about the topics from the perspective of different academics. I read numerous studies and books. I still remember most of what I learned. I do admire the OU, but I do think their method of study can just turn into a comprehension exercise where you read a chapter, write about it and then move on.

I couldn't agree more with this comment. I did 3 OU modules before I decided to go to uni - I'm now in 3rd year of a history degree. One one of my OU assignments on AA100, I decided to read outwith the information provided and was marked down for it - I queried it and was told that the OU would provide all the information required to pass the module.

I have 4.5 hours of teaching each week - I am given readings for the weeks, but I would never be able to pass my assignments - and I do - if I didn't spend hours reading primary and secondary sources, I go to bed with history books, I read history magazines, I total absolve myself in my modules for my 15 week semester.

I agree that the OU courses are brilliant, I loved the ones I did, but I do find the coursework to be limited.

princessdon

Don't forget that retention is also "time of day" related.

There is a reason main subjects are done in the am in schools and drama, art etc pm

Research shows that am is a better learning environment, if you are working am and studying later in the evening when tired this all impacts.

Depending on hours at work, you may find getting up an hour earlier and doing an hour before work is better.

Hermia

princessdon wrote: »

Depending on hours at work, you may find getting up an hour earlier and doing an hour before work is better.

One of my colleagues is doing OU at the moment and she gets into work at 6.30am and does her OU homework before starting work at 9am. She found it hard at the beginning, but says she found studying in the evenings didn't work for her.