Five reasons to take up remote learning in retirement
In an era of continuous technological advancements, remote learning is becoming more normal each day. People often prefer remote learning to the old-fashioned face to face learning. McGraw-Hill, a learning science company, conducted a survey in 2016 that found four out of five college students not only preferred to learn remotely but that it also improved their grades.
But remote learning isn’t just for college students. Anyone can learn almost anything remotely. Think about YouTube; YouTube is one of the top platforms people go to for learning something new. For example, you can learn how to crochet, change a headlight in your car, exercise correctly, and so much more on YouTube.
YouTube isn’t the only platform used for remote learning, though. There are several paid and un-paid platforms that can help you accomplish mastering a new skill or subject. Now that you’re retired, you likely have several freed-up hours a day you could dedicate to learning something new in the comfort of your own home. Here are five reasons why you should consider remote learning in retirement.
1. Learning stimulates the brain
The brain needs continuous stimulation to remain strong and healthy. Think of knowledge and activity as brain food – it needs it to survive. As we age, our brains deteriorate in a way. Our memory retention, decision making, motor skills, and other basic functions start slipping away the moment we stop learning and stimulating our brains.
Learning something new from home is the perfect solution to keeping your brain sharp and healthy. Several studies have proven this to be true. A 2014 Annals of Neurology study found that people who learned a second language in adulthood experienced slower age-related cognitive declines than those who only spoke one language. Another study proved that learning a new complex skill in your senior years can improve your memory retention.
2. More choices
With the worldwide web at your fingertips, you have a substantial amount of more learning opportunities than if you were to go out and find a local class. Like we said before, anyone can learn almost anything remotely. It’s highly likely that a simple Google search of “How to _____” would populate ten times more remote learning opportunities than face to face classes.
3. 24/7 access
Depending on the type of class and the platform you use to learn, you may have access to the lessons 24/7. This allows you to learn when you want to learn. One reason why so many people don’t sign up for in-person classes is that they can’t commit to being there at the designated start time. And, even if they could make it on time, with how busy we make ourselves nowadays, committing to a two-hour class just to learn a new skill can be hard on our schedule.
Remote learning gives you all the flexibility you could want when learning something new. And let’s face it, in retirement, we don’t want to be tied down to a schedule.
4. Usually less expensive
As mentioned earlier, YouTube is a great platform for remote learning. One of the best features of YouTube is that it’s 100% free. Every minute, there are 300 hours of video uploaded to YouTube, and we’re willing to bet that at least 1/4 of those hours are educational videos.
When taking a class in person, there are expenses that wouldn’t exist if learning remotely, such as rent for the space where the class is help and equipment and supplies for the students. Having everyone at their own home with their own supplies cuts costs drastically, allowing your sign-up fee to be discounted.
5. Improves your computer skills
Since remote learning involves some form of device with a screen, this way of learning can help to improve your technology skills. In this day and age, if you don’t have access to a computer, simple tasks can be nearly impossible to do. Some seniors aren’t fans of technology, either because they simply don’t like it or because they just don’t know how to use it.
According to another study, nearly 60% of seniors stated that technology has had a positive impact on their day to day lives. If you are a confident computer user, consider taking an online class for something you’re interested in learning to you can kill two birds with one stone – learn something new and gain computer skills.
Of course, if you learn better in a face to face setting, remote learning may not be ideal for you. However, you have to admit that remote learning does have its perks.
