Learning in a Different Way! Is That Too Much To Ask?

I agree, sitting in a classroom listening to some “expert” is not what I envisioned when I think of progressive education. I mean, come on, we live in a world where all the information is out there. Do I really need someone to tell me what to learn and how to learn?

I promise there is an easier way to study and be successful. The Internet and the connectivity that the global world shares make it easier to study now more than ever!

We all need some guidance, but not someone who tells us exactly what to study and what to learn. To be a “unique college” or a “non-traditional university” is to be a college or university that thinks outside the box and “guides” their students. Here are some ideas:

Develop Your Own Curriculum

You have been working for at least 3 years at the same company. Wouldn’t it be great to develop your own curriculum based on YOUR interests and experience? You can totally design your own curriculum by using your work experience and applying it to the classroom. You know what area of study you need to focus on. You need a college or university for working adults, not the typical universities created for seniors out of high school. You are someone who has experience in the field and knows what kind of information is needed to become successful, but you just need a little guidance and motivation to study, that’s it. By doing this you have your own curriculum based on your interests. In traditional universities, they really have no idea what you do on the day to day. How do they know if I need to focus on X or Y? They don’t even know what I do or where I need to improve…

Learn About Your History

This is a key step in order to really understand what you need to study. A university that really cares about the things that you have done in your past! Yeah, that’s an idea! A university that is non-traditional will actually give you the step by step approach to discover the things that you have done in your life. All of that is called EXPERIENCE and if you have been working, you definitely have it. You do not need to be the CEO of a company to know what is working and not working, you already know which processes are outdated and need to be modernized. Come on, you are a human being and you know how to think, you are not a robot!

Why does this matter? Well, it brings me to the next point à

Think for Yourself

Wouldn’t it be great if we learn how to think for ourselves and find out how to carry out the necessary pieces to be successful? All we need is guidance and where to go. We do not need someone telling us what to do, but someone guiding us how to do it. In today’s world the ones who know everything don’t really reach anything. The ones who know how to grasp something and how to carry out a research, they will get far. Therefore, who cares what you know if you do not know how to understand what you do not know? Hope you followed me on that one, if not, then you too can research it! LOL!

Network

In today’s world it is also very important who you know. Making connections in life gives you the opportunity to connect to people and have relationships in the social, business or academic field. You can never have too many friends, even if you have a few best friends. Having a community of people who are behind you and know you can be an invaluable resource. An alumni association is a good example, but what about a student association that is related to my field? Is there a way to do that? I hope so, since this world is so inter-connected, knowing people in different parts of the world is an invaluable asset.

Transferring Credits

You started to study in a traditional university, but you had to postpone your studies. What about those credits? OMG! Don’t let me get started on that. “Based on the requirements of X university, the ‘governing board’ does not deem to accept credits because Y university does not think that you learned enough, therefore, you cannot transfer the credits”. Does that sound familiar? First of all, MR. BOARD or whoever makes these decisions, who are you to tell me that I did not learn or that I learned? WHO ARE YOU to know what I did in those classes? Just because you think that the name and syllabus of that class is not “compatible” to your university “standards”, that does NOT mean that you can throw away my education, just like that. A good university is a university that takes into account your past education and past experiences. Sure, you need to have some policies in place, but give me a break! Education is about learning not about policies. That should be very clear!

What’s the REAL story?

Well, I want education to prevail. It is very important, but education based on today. Not based on previous century’s ways and models! Based on this century, a century where technology allows us to study, where thinking critically is a great skill. As a society, we are passed the assembly line of the Industrial Revolution. Let’s move on.  Every industry has already done that, why on earth does education not evolve?

Is there a potential place that I can call home – my study place? Can my education evolve?

Yes! It actually exists. A global university that cares about their students. They give you the tools for you to carry out. They guide you step by step and allow you to learn about yourself and develop your own curriculum. Remember how I promised you that there is a way? Non-traditional does not mean that it is a bad university, just that you learn and expect to learn in a different way.

Well, there is a university that allows me to think freely, after all, isn’t what we all want?

Click below to be part of the non-traditional education movement that is ready to break paradigms around the world. A place where you can call home and a place that cares about your education, at your pace, on your terms, Atlantic International University.