Recently there has been a surge in the number of adults signing up for ADL short courses to gain new skills and develop their interests. This has been the case in the last six months, perhaps due to the economic situation, and early retirement where people have more leisure time to follow hobbies. Dr. Daryl Tempest-Mogg, Director of ADL – Academy of Distance Learning located in Canterbury (UK) said that this is the “beginning of a learning revolution: lifelong learning for all ages”. ADL is attracting students from around the world and “drawn to ADL because it is student-focused to meet individual needs and requirements”.
In developed nations people are living longer, have more free time, and retire with pensions that enable them to take on hobbies or re-training courses so they can work part-time in order to keep active. Dr. Ray Morland from Newcastle (Australia), an expert on Distant Learning argues that it is better to ‘re-fire rather than retire’. He contends that “keeping the mind active and the body healthy is a certainty for longevity”. Of course, people in developing nations are being drawn to ADL short courses mostly because it helps them in their daily work whether it is a farmer interested in Earth Science or Plant Ecology or an aspiring entrepreneur needing Bookkeeping or Sales Skills.
To meet a wide range of needs around the world, ADL offers over 450 short courses for vocational, leisure or hobby - and all study is by distance learning. ADL teachers are chosen carefully for their academic and industry experience, and mentor students on a one-to-one basis. Students are able to begin a course of study today, and unlike traditional classroom study an ADL student works in his/her own time-frame. There are no pressures of exams or timetables – it is self-paced learning to meet individual lifestyles.
Dr. Daryl Tempest-Mogg stresses “It is never too late to broaden your mind or develop new skills and interests”. Gone are the days when one skill would see you through a working lifetime. Now, everybody needs to learn regularly how to do new things. For older people the chance to become computer literate or up-skilled opens new opportunities for them, not only for informal learning, or training for a qualification but for a difference it can make to their lives. ADL follows in the Warnborough tradition of Crossing Boundaries and Widening Horizons for all ages, and ADL will certainly help you transform your lifestyle.