What Types of Adult Education are Available?
Make the Right Decision when Going Back to School
Jan 7, 2009
Over the past two decades there has been a shift in the type of adult education that has become available to the public. In the past if an individual wanted to further her education after finishing school and joining the workforce the main recourse was to physically attend classes that were offered usually after working hours by various traditional universities and colleges to working adults.
Now, with the phenomenal growth of the Internet, there has been a tremendous increase in the number of institutions (both traditional and specialized) that offer both graduate and post-graduate degrees online. This explosion has coincided with the coupling of advancement within an occupational field with the possession of a higher degree.
With the downsizing of many companies, an employee may find that she must either cross-train or retrain herself to keep her employment. How can a person determine which schools are suited for her particular needs? Here is a general guide to the various types of adult education schools available.
Traditional Educational Institutions
To meet the growing demand (and offset the competition for students from online schools) many well known traditional institutions now offer an online course of study that is geared for the adult learner. Schools such as Harvard and Columbia now offer various courses online, though these institutions still require attendance to various on-campus classes. Other well known schools such as Walden and Regis University offer a degree that can be earned wholly online.
Technical Schools
Once known as "trade" schools, these institutions used to specialize solely in the development of knowledge concerning the various blue-collar trades such as plumbing, electrical engineering, and auto mechanics. This is no longer the case. Now many of these learning facilities have branched out into various support occupations, including computer training.
ITT Technical Institute is typical of this type of learning facility for adult education that specializes in technological instruction. They offer a wide range of courses of study that cover everything from:
- Computer programming
- Computer maintenance
- Automobile/truck mechanics
- Criminal justice
Schools of this type typically offer both a standard campus and an online course of study. Course taken at such specialized schools are seldom, if ever, transferable to a standard college or university.
Institutions Dedicated to Adult Education
These institutions are specifically designed with the working adult in mind. The classes at these various colleges and universities are extremely flexible, and are offered both online and at various sites on campus. The University of Phoenix is the flagship of this type of institution for adult education.
Such universities have begun to build educational reputations that are beginning to rival those of the more traditional colleges. The "no frills" approach to learning is ideal for the adult learner who has a limited time frame in which to operate.
Community Colleges
Almost every state has one or more educational institutions known as a community college (also known as junior college). These are schools generally offer a two-year Associates Degree in a variety of majors. Many of these colleges have added an online component to the course of studies, although most require student attendance to a campus site as well. These "junior colleges" also offer remedial educational courses that allows a student additional help in any subject that she is weak in.
There are a multitude of choices for adults that intend on continuing education. The type of institution the adult learner selects entirely depends on the ultimate goals of the individual. Thanks to the Internet and the broadening of well known colleges and universities, adult education is easy to achieve for just about every situation known to the adult learner.
 |
