What Motivates Adults to Learn

This week, we read about and discussed what motivates adults to learn. What motivates me to learn and be enrolled in this program is my career focus. I had worked in the student services arena of online education for a little more than six years, before I transitioned in to an instructional design position within higher education. I hope to be able to enhance my skills as an instructional designer by obtaining my degree through this program. My fellow group mates also had similar goal-oriented motivations for enrolling in this masters program: career growth, better pay, etc.

After class, I thought about this topic some more in relation to how it tied in with last week's class discussion on different age stages. Looking back on my undergraduate degree experience, I would say I was a goal-oriented learner at that time as well; going to school with the aspiration of a good paying job after graduation. However, looking back, I know I certainly wasn't as motivated as I am now, or at least had different motivations for learning and that's because I was in a different age stage in my life. Now, as an adult, I have had more life experiences and am motivated to do well in school because I truly want to learn and better myself and this in turn will better my career. This motivation helps combat the obstacles I sometimes encounter in trying to balance life and school. My next obstacle to combat is better time management. Time to get off this blog and back to reading!