You’ve probably heard the term “lifelong learners” but have you ever wondered what that truly means? For many people, their learning doesn’t end when they graduate high school, college, or a higher education institute. Some may take online learning courses, study at home, or listen to online lectures regarding topics they’re interested in, want to learn more about, or that can bring them an extra skill set, or help hone an existing skill set. With the digital age, there’s a number of ways to conduct home learning — it’s not just homeschooling for kids anymore! By far, the most popular way to do a specific course of study is to take online courses or webinars. Many colleges and universities offer online courses for home learning and if you have the money to do so, other places offer online lectures that focus on a specific topic or skill set.
What is Home Learning and Why Should I Do It?
Home learning is akin to personal and professional learning — essentially, you pursue learning about specific activities or topics on your own, instead of enrolling in a more formal educational setting, in order to advance your knowledge about something that interests you on a personal or professional level.
Almost three-quarters of adults are personal learners, having participated in reading, taking courses, or going to meetings or events, in order to advance their knowledge about something that interests them on a personal level. Almost 65% of adults who are in the workforce are professional learners — they’ve attended a course or gotten extra training in the last year in order to enhance their job skills or expertise so they can advance in their jobs.
Home learning can be a fulfilling way to spend one’s time. Indeed, 80% of personal learners who pursued a topic or skill set of personal interest to them did so because they wanted to learn something that would make their lives more interesting and full. Almost 65% said they wanted to use their skills to help others more effectively and almost 40% cited wanting to turn a hobby into something more lucrative.
You feel positive when continuing to learn — almost 90% of personal learners said that they felt more capable and well rounded when doing so and almost 70% said that their learning helped them see new perspectives about their lives and 64% said they made new friends while doing so.
Personal learning can also have a positive impact on the community. Almost 60% of personal learners said that they felt more connected to their local community after pursuing a course of study and over 40% said it encouraged them to become more involved with volunteering.
What Are My Options When It Comes to Home Learning?
If you want to get some formal training or education on a specific topic or skill set, online courses are especially popular. Many experts even offer online courses or lectures from their websites, so you can learn straight from them. Colleges and universities also offer online courses, and you can find a lecture or course on just about anything these days, so long as you have a computer and Internet access.
There’s also reading — whether in magazines or books — about your interest or attending meetings in person where they discuss a topic of interest. Whether you want to learn and study in the privacy of your own home or with others, you have the choice.
Why Is It So Important In Today’s World?
The world around us is changing quickly, as technology evolves every year or every couple of years. Even just twenty years ago, computers, smartphones, and tablets were not common, if even available, and in two decades, they’ve become central to our business and personal affairs. Continuing to learn and grow can help you adapt to the times and stay current and savvy. You may feel like you have more control over your affairs, because you understand what’s going on around you.
Take the opportunity to learn more about topics you wished you had time to take in college or that you’ve always been interested in! Enrich your life today by opening up your mind to what’s around you.