Managing Time as an Adult Learner, Research Paper Example

Introduction

This paper highlights the issue of time management among adult students. The work touches on elements of time usage that pertain to learning among adult students. The paper also embraces the importance of time management in adult education

The element of time management is very important in the life of an adult student. Unlike the ordinary student, the adult student is a special kind of student by nature of the commitments that are attached to his or her life. The adult student has transformed the perception of the public on the actual age of the student. In the contemporary world, trends in education have become so dynamic and most adult people across the world are eager to pursue education. in the last decades, once a person missed an opportunity to pursue education at childhood stage, the individual was declared an illiterate member of the society. However, today significant changes have transpired in the education sector as more and more edged people are going back to school. More over the education sector are increasing field of studies and faculties that have seen people develop interest to pursue new areas of learning (Reynolds, 1998)

In most developed countries such America and some parts of Europe the increase in the number of adult students can be attached to the changes in the work place. Most organizations in America believe that employees can enhance their skills and competencies through further training and education. the other reason that explains the increase in the number of adult students across the word is the issue of self driven initiative to further one’s education or go adjust to the changes in a given profession. The currents trends in education have contravened the older views which posited that education was a childhood affair to ensure transition towards adulthood. Most intuitions of higher learning record a bigger population of the adult student than the younger students and this has increased involvement of the adults in higher levels of learning than the younger students (Loranie, et al 1994).

Despite the insurmountable interest exhibited by the adult students to pursue education, the most important element that needs to be looked at is issue of time management. These students as noted in the earlier are a special breed of students that have more responsibilities and duties that need their involvement and more attention. The issue of time management has made it difficult for some of the students to pursue their education. Studies on students drop out assert that most adult students drop out of school due to improper time management, issues such as fees and resources are not rated as the major cause of their drop outs. Most adult students who lack proper time management skills do not plan and allocate enough time to the various activities that need their attention. In most cases family and job related issues take more time than education issues.

Lifelong education needs proper organization of the adult student to ensure that all activities in the daily schedule are properly planned and pursued without ignoring others. Most adult students believe that full time learners are kind of favored by the institutions since a majority of them record good results than them. However, they do fail to recognize that some of them perform better than some to the full time learners and therefore the most important issue is proper time management. Some students may be in the school the whole day but commit their time to other things that are not of academic importance and hence get poor results. On the other hand adult students who organize and prioritize their activities properly so that they can allocate adequate time to school work produce good results than their fellows who are disorganized.

On the subject of gender, a majority of male adult students tend to perform better than their female counterparts. In most societies women are more involved in more social issues than men, most female students have to ensure that children are raised properly and also partake other issues in the house that ensure sustenance of the family. However, a majority of men are never concerned with families especially those that touch on children affairs (Loranie, et al 1994).

An initiative to pursue education by an adult calls for cutting back on some of the activities to ensure adequate time for learning and doing assignment. The adult student should reschedule the day to day activities to ensure conformity with the school timetable. These calls for proper time allocation to activities that are deemed important for the development of the individual, for instance the student can reduce time allocation to leisure and time activities and add it to learning activities. Proper time allocation ensures that the enough time is allocated to important issues such as family issues, job and business issues. Most adult students despite their unrelenting urge to pursue education do not have timetables to ensure that all activities are equally undertaken (Reynolds, 1998)

Most of these students have lost their jobs, families and businesses due to improper time management. Research shows that a majority of women students have problems in their families due to their education. Women students do not have time to attend to their children and other members of the family such cases have gone to the extent of causing divorce in families. Other students also believe that they can only perform better if they resign from their jobs and hence making them to lose good jobs that support their livelihoods. Some business people have closed very lucrative businesses just because they cannot manage the business and at the same time pursue their education (Valentina, & Sgro, 2005).

Conclusion

Most students believe that combining their education with other roles in the society for instance work, marriage and study needs proper organization and embracing the fact that all the issues are equally important. However, they tend to believe when one section has issues of urgency at a given time then attention should be diverted to the urgency to ensure proper solution, for instance exam times needed more attention of the students and should therefore apply for work leave and the family should be made to understand the situation. Combination of the roles calls for discipline in time usage and proper allocation of time to all the sectors. The student should ensure that no role is assumed or neglected as this might have ripple effect to other roles.

References

Reynolds, M. (1998).Time management as an adult.Reflection and critical reflection in management learning. Vol. 29, Issue 2. P183-200.

Loranie, B. and Malcolm, T.Blaxter, L. & Tight, M. (1994)Time management as an adult. Juggling with time;:Hhow adults manage their time for life long education. Studies in the Education of Adults.Vol. 26.Issue 2. P162-179

Valentina, S.Sgro, V. (2005)Organize your family’s schedule in no time. Indianapolis, IN: Que

Demand Media (2011)Time management techniques for adult students. Retrieved on April 27, 2013 from http://www.essortment.com/time -management-techniques-adult-students-34223.htm

Blaxter, Loraine, Tight, Malcolm, (2000).Juggling with time: How adults manage their time for lifelong education. Studies in the Education of Adults, 02660830, Oct94, Vol. 26, Issue 2. Database: Academic Search Premier.