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Education

Discussion in 'General Discussions' started by genuinemommy, Sep 23, 2018.

  1. genuinemommy

    genuinemommy Moderator Staff Member

    How much do you value education?
    Do you have a high school-level education, or higher?
    Does your current work require continuing education hours to be completed?
    Do you find yourself going back to learn more in a formal setting, or do you prefer informal education?
    At what point in your life did you find it easiest to learn something new?

    --------------------------------------------------
    I care a lot about education. And my level of education is... well... high.
    I am not required to complete continuing education hours, but I do pursue informal education to broaden my skill set. Sometimes I take courses through museums or the local park service. I do enjoy learning hands-on more than in a typical classroom.

    This last question is hard for me. I found it very easy to learn things when I was very young. But I didn't understand things well. It was hard for me to wrap my mind around certain things. I honestly feel that at this point in my life I am learning more than I ever did when I was in school. I have the freedom to learn what I want and to cover material that interests me in my free reading. I hope that this drive for learning only picks up momentum.

    Thanks for reading and commenting!
     
  2. PonyPotato

    PonyPotato Very Tilted

    Location:
    Columbus, OH
    I value education a lot, but I don't believe education necessarily needs to be "formal," though it is easier to assess/relate to that way.

    I have a doctoral-level education. I am required to do continuing education by my licensed profession - 15 hours per year (minimum) in Nevada, 20 hours every 2 years in Ohio. This year I am already at 54+ hours of formal education, and I will likely have the same or more next year. I invest in continuing education myself as well as petitioning my employers to help me develop my skillset and understanding further. I really value formal education, especially in physical therapy, because "learning on the job" is not easy when you are working with patients. I can certainly "try new things" that are supported by my previous educational background and understanding, but getting to a new level of understanding through formal teaching/learning/hands on direction is just far beyond what is possible with me playing trial and error on my own. There are human beings and their recovery, comfort, and futures at stake based on my level of education, skill, and understanding and my appropriate application of those things to their specific case and personality.

    I find that through my middle and high school years, I skimmed through because things were easy - I never developed a deeper understanding of the concepts I was presented with, though I could fake it and regurgitate information and think of myself as "deep." Undergraduate degree was a lot of the same, but in physical therapy school I had to develop a true *understanding* of the human body, joint mechanics, cause/effect, and how to evaluate research to apply it to clinical practice. It really took my brain somewhere further and since then I feel the same, though my curiosity and creativity are somewhat hamstrung by the number of hours and amount of brainpower required by my job. By the time I get home, I don't have the energy to engage with a book or create a drawing, so my art supplies sit largely unused. I will eventually find a balance - I'm hoping for part time work within 5 years - but for now I'm just trying to battle burnout and hope that I don't get beyond help.
     
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  3. rogue49

    rogue49 Tech Kung Fu Artist Staff Member

    Location:
    Baltimore/DC
    While I do a lot with knowledge...I've never been a good student.
    I procrastinate, I have paper anxieties. (but not tests...strange)
    I think much of the education is arbitrary by many teachers that are just in it for their own egos or to get you through the system.

    I've taught myself most everything in my career.
    The stuff I'm fascinated with in science I've mostly looked into myself.

    I'm REALLY good at labs, application...but I suck at lecture...because of the formalism.
    And because I've taught myself always...often I resent the paper chase.

    There's many that get through the system that don't really know what they're doing or are poor at application.
    I guess I'm just cynical about it.
    The piece of paper is just a feather in the cap that proves that you got through the system and that managers can feel comfortable hiring you...and justifying your wage on it.

    I do value people who are educated and knowledgeable and talented.
    But I judge them at the time, when I see it.
    And I don't care at all how they got it.

    My attitude is show it, know it and apply it. I want to see it, I want to hear it.
    But where you got it...who cares?

    So many piece of paper are bullshit.
    And the people lord it over others often.
    And they don't REALLY know their voodoo.