Essay On Stacking Credentials

I am a first generation American born child of an immigrant. I am not Mexican, Latino, Cuban or Filipino; I am the daughter of a Nederlander. My father was raised in Maastricht, a Nazi occupied town in Holland. When he was 19 years old, he won a one way ticket to LaGuardia Airport. Upon arrival he made the decision to assimilate into the American culture. He embraced the language, the traditions and the way of life here in the United States. When I look back and think of my father standing in New York, with no friends, an enormous language barrier, and with little money, I can’t help but admire his passion to be an adult learner. A lifelong learner; for the remainder of his life, he learned what it meant to be an American Citizen. His
drive to overcome obstacles and succeed in his new home has been an example for me my whole life. I share his passion for learning, and as an adult, entered into the realm of higher education. I returned to advance my career, a minority you might say, at an institution of higher learning. I came to college with different values about education than my counterparts. I struggled through the onslaught of freshman on campus, feeling out of place and frustrated with their lack of seriousness and their contempt for education. On college campuses across the nation adults are striving to obtain college degrees to solidify advancement in their careers. Just here in my rural community sixty six percent of the students who began as freshman at the high school actually walked at the graduation ceremony. I am extremely concerned with the thirty percent who were not able to partake in the graduation ceremony. Typically, those students who are not college bound enter the work force. They generally work five to seven years before they realize they are not taken into consideration for promotions because they lack a higher degree. It takes this epiphany for adults to make the decision to begin or return to higher education to obtain a degree.
I found myself in that position as a single parent. Having worked in Early Childhood Education for ten years with an Associate’s Degree, I returned to college for my Bachelors of Science Degree in Education. Once obtained, I progressed to public education teaching Kindergarten through fifth grade. I experienced education at all stages of growth and development. As an adult learner, a parent educator and a teacher, I witnessed firsthand the special needs of mature, adult students. My interest has evolved to reside primarily in Adult Education. Moving from professional to student is a difficult transition. Adult learners encounter barriers that are more challenging on the way toward graduation. They do not just give up their responsibilities and return to school. They continue to work, be parents, grandparents, or even caretakers of their own parents. I believe the needs of adult learners are overlooked at higher educational institutions. Generally the support services offered are tailored to traditional freshman and neglect the needs of adult learners. My goal is to enrich adult learners’ support services at Universities, colleges and within a community by facilitating an effective program that offers provisions which include: academic advising, career coaching, counseling, and financial management. Adult learners need to overcome hurdles that are unique to their population: tuition, child care, housing, and transportation. Providing a robust support system that focus on the whole student will remove obstacles so that this population can obtain a degree. In order to reach this goal I must learn advance instruction techniques, course design and be able to conduct, analyze and interpret research.
During my tenure as an Elementary Education teacher I developed many appropriate skills relevant to the age groups I was assigned. Understanding the development and learning styles of my students aided me in providing an appropriate classroom setting where all participants could take risks and thrive! Being a parent educator and an adult learner myself, I recognize that teaching mature adult learners requires a different skill set. I expect to acquire and master these skills through successful completion of this advanced degree. Examples of the skills I hope to gain through this program include developing an advanced program to accommodate the needs of adult learners who desire to return to higher education. Improve my understanding of movements in education as it correlates to adult education. Be abreast of research driven advancements in teaching strategies and assessment methods and learn to be effective in merging technological developments in education.
In addition, I hope to become part of a research opportunity advancing education for the adult learner, specifically research regarding the “Stacking Credentials” program.
I am interested to determine its effectiveness with adult learners and the programs economic impact and efficiency on higher educational institutions. I would also like to obtain research data from employers on how the benefits of stacking credentials differ from those employees who earn one degree. Finally, I’m drawn to research the need for stackable credentials in a rural job market. I am curious to learn if this model can be modified to meet the needs of rural communities with a high percentage of small businesses.
This Masters in Education, Adult Education Degree will enable me to develop and facilitate programs and services that support, encourage, and counsel adult learners from admissions through graduation at colleges and universities. Based on my recent interaction with non-traditional students, I believe the needs of the adult leaner continue to go unsatisfied. Students convey aggravation with the admissions process, financial aid process and have difficulty understanding effective study strategies and how to manage college life, a career, and home
life.
I am also interested in establishing adult continuing education classes in my rural community. I am determined to identify the need for continuing educational credits for professionals to maintain their certifications and license. My community, in the North Georgia Mountains, is void of advanced educational opportunities for professionals. With the opening of the University of North Georgia, Blue Ridge campus, I have the opportunity to initiate a program that supports the adult learner population. I am eager to develop a program for adults wanting to return to school, adults seeking higher education for the first time, and to accommodate professionals looking toward our institution to offer continuing education opportunities