Free Education

[Curvaceous Kate]

It would need to be "completely free and financially worry free"
In this country (and many others) where many people are not paid for their qualifications and could make more money in a job that has less pressures and doesn't need any qualifications, there is no incentive to achieve additional qualifications.

The incentive is a thirst for knowledge. I went cold turkey when I finished my degree. I really felt like I was missing something in my life. I'm back in education now and I love it. It's hard juggling everything, but it's worth it, just for the fact that I feel more fulfilled for doing it.

[samlad]

You dont need to go to university to educated yourself. If you want to be a photographer, you buy a camera and go out and start taking photos, that is how you learn. You dont need the degree to say you are a professional.

You dont go to football school to become a footballer like pirlo or messi. You go out on the streets and play and thats how you learn.

Philosophy, writing, film directing, designing, these are all trades that you must learn yourself and no degree will make you better

Whilst I agree with this to an extent, I would rather sooner hire a CORGI registered plumber to install a gas boiler for me rather than Dave down the road who has been tinkering in the trade for the last 10 years

[Curvaceous Kate]

You dont need to go to university to educated yourself. If you want to be a photographer, you buy a camera and go out and start taking photos, that is how you learn. You dont need the degree to say you are a professional.

You dont go to football school to become a footballer like pirlo or messi. You go out on the streets and play and thats how you learn.

Philosophy, writing, film directing, designing, these are all trades that you must learn yourself and no degree will make you better

I have a camera and I take myself out with it and take photo's, but I don't really know how to use the camera properly and I haven't managed to download the manual off my computer. I need to study the manual and really, I'd like a different camera with different lenses. I want to know about lighting and shade and stuff that I am not really sure of.

I'm self taught with a lot of things, but sometimes it is so much nicer to be shown a skill or a technique, get to practice it in their company and then go out on your own to polish up on the skills.

I disagree on many of your points. You can do all of those things on your own for sure, but by learning from other people you make a good thing better. Of course you can learn skills along the way and improve on the ones you were taught, but not everything in life is obvious, sometimes it helps to be directed in the right direction.

[Catriona]

Law and would be vaguely interested in being a barrister, but studying something different now. I dated two different guys who wanted to become barristers and my only problem with them was that they didn't know how to shut up.

[Stephanie]

Not I would want to go back but the one thing I miss about college is the lectures, well lectures in more intreseting subjects. So I wouldnt want to study it per say but I would love the opportunity to sit in on any lectures relating to technology or physiology as I find them the interesting subjects, I just dont want to be tested on them

At my Uni I always used to sit first row in the lecture hall , and carry on an on-going conversation with the lecturer.

Not interrupting , but whenever the opportunity was provided for questions , I'd be right in there : wasn't shy about asking qs ,

: I was paying for my schooling and intended to get all I could get out of it.

Also , figured that the questions I have , most others do as well , they just be more reticent to ask them .. x

Used to run study courses for my own classmates : no better way of learning a subject in its minutiae , than to be teaching it

Loved school xx





'

[Empirical]

If you could go back into education completely free and financial worry free, would you do it and if so, what would you choose to do?

I would love to do a degree in Art & Design and I would love to do a photography course, including new camera.

How about you?

I did photography with the Open College of the Arts, though didn't complete. I found some of the assignments trivial, others were much harder, and I felt that I was being "processed" rather than developing—I'm a bit too independent, and I found it frustrating at times having to work into someone's concepts and ideas.

As for languages; the only way to learn one is to live (and work) in the country. You then have to learn, otherwise you starve. I don't like being in a foreign country and having to rely on English.

I'd rather like to do philosophy and logic; alternatively a PhD in something interesting.

[samlad]

On a serious note I would like to get back into Psychology and History of Arts.

[Curvaceous Kate]

My dear Kate. It's never too late!
I would advise you to research photography courses via adult evening classes, usually around 100 for a 10 week course, and should include a trip to the zoo say.
But I have found the best source to be a camera club. I belong to a fantastic one that does.a beginners course, trips away, lectures, competition a and so much more. The folks are a wide age range and very friendly. I would also recommend a cheap 2nd hand camera that lets you set the exposure and shutter speed. No need for big expensive toys until you reach the limit of a basic one.
Lots of info free on the web you tube vids etc a club encourages you*to get out and use a camera and learn it and people always willing to help and lend equipment.
You go girl!

I really want to join a club. I looked into joining one in Belfast, but they were not taking any new members and then there is the problem with me being away so often. Is it fair for me to take a place when I can't guarantee attending weekly or monthly? If you have any suggestions for clubs then I am definitely interested.

I just went on to youtube and discovered a part of my camera that comes off and a joystick

[namesjack]

In full time education at present but unfortunately its not free for me but probably would do the same course as I'm doing now as I find it very interesting and hopefully it will be very rewarding.

[Curvaceous Kate]

I did photography with the Open College of the Arts, though didn't complete. I found some of the assignments trivial, others were much harder, and I felt that I was being "processed" rather than developing—I'm a bit too independent, and I found it frustrating at times having to work into someone's concepts and ideas.

As for languages; the only way to learn one is to live (and work) in the country. You then have to learn, otherwise you starve. I don't like being in a foreign country and having to rely on English.

I'd rather like to do philosophy and logic; alternatively a PhD in something interesting.

Interesting about the photography and I may be the same, as I have my own ideas and thoughts on what I want to take. I just want to learn different skills, so perhaps a club is the better option for me.

Languages are definitely easier when in the Country, but I still find it very hard.