A good learning style survey will help you understand a lot about how you learn best, and can help you mold your learning experience to fit your needs.  Try http://www.howtolearn.com/personal.html.  By entering your email address, you can access the quiz – and then receive information via email about how to make your particular style work for your academic success.

Beyond your personal learning style, there are also some general assumptions that have been made about adult learners over the years based on the results of several different studies.  For instance, research has shown that:

1. Adults learn best when they feel comfortable with the learning environment.  Consider this as you embark in an online learning program.
2. Adults prefer to take responsibility for their own learning.  Even though the Pace University/NACTEL program is not self-directed, it requires a lot of independence and self-discipline – just as any online learning program will.
3. Adults enjoy learning from peers, as well as from instructors.  An online environment is especially supportive of this type of learning, with chat rooms and discussion boards that bring students together.
4. Adults like to have a variety of learning experiences – individual and group learning, hands-on projects and exposure to different ways of thinking.  Most college courses, both traditional and online, will provide a variety of learning experiences. 
5. Adults retain more when they are able to apply theory and information to practical situations in their own lives.  Many Pace University/NACTEL students have told us they apply what they learn to their jobs almost immediately.

None of these will tell you specifically if you’re ready to go back to school, or if online learning is right for you – but knowing something about yourself, and how you’ll learn best will simply help you approach school in a way that will ensure your success.

Additional Resources

Probably the biggest challenge you’ll have, aside from balancing work, school… and that thing called life… is redeveloping your study skills.  It’s not just that it’s been a while; it’s also that you’re a different person today than when you were in high school or college the first time around.  You can start by downloading a copy of Indiana’s Career and Post-Secondary Advancement Center study skills booklet at http://icpac.indiana.edu/publications/planners/studyskills/index.xml to freshen up on good study habits.

It might help to read about other adult learners as well:

• “About.com's Adult Education Guide.” http://adulted.about.com/cs/backtoschool/
•  “Gaining Confidence – and a Degree – Online” http://www.back2college.com/turn.htm
•  “College at Mid-Life? Take the Chance” http://www.adultstudentcenter.com/stories/vivian_story.html