I'm Transitioning From the Student to the Adult Learner Market and It's Not Easy

My entire career life has been in the student market - ages 10 - 19 or so - for the past 15 years. My contacts, naturally, have overwhelmingly been people who work in and around this market.

Yes, I’ve had opportunities and experiences in the adult learner market, but this is a very recent development, starting around 2018 or so.

And then, of course, the pandemic hit and everything went nose first into the ground.

Even a number of the contacts I’d made prior to the pandemic aren’t in business anymore, or have gone to a different industry or job. Essentially, I have to build everything up again, and I’m have the hardest time with Zoom meetings, a format that I loathe.

For those who are quick to adapt and find the new formats intuitive or, perhaps, even better than the formats they are replacing, you’re in a great place. I wish it were easier for me.

There is, of course, the possibility of staying on in the student market by bringing my programmes online. The immense problem is that, because of the nature of the programmes I’ve developed for students, they were designed for in-person sessions and a lot of it cannot be translated online.

Yes, there are alternatives - online labs, simulations, etc. - but even seasoned educators generally agree that they are temporary substitutes for the situation we are in, not adequate replacements. There are intangible benefits to in-person learning that can never be replaced by online learning.

I recognise that they are useful in the current situation and they definitely hold a place in education. That said, because my programmes aren’t curricular, I always intended for them to be as immersive and experiential as possible.

Unfortunately, this means that they can’t quite be translated to an online version without losing a lot of their intended effects.

There is the possibility of creating a new programme aimed directly to be done online, as I’ve done with some of my other programmes (for the adult learner market), but this will take time. Also, those programmes aren’t intensely-hands-on science-based programmes, so it’s not difficult to do so.

Furthermore, because I’ve spent at least 3 months creating the original programmes without recouping the resources I’ve put into it, I don’t feel inclined to create any more new programmes.

The schools seem to think that 20 hours of in-person training should translate into 20 hours of online training, as if they are the same thing. This is something I find strange because they had to translate their curriculum online last year and, surely, they must realise that you can’t translate things minute for minute.

The logical thing to do, therefore, is to move away from the student market and into the adult learner market.

So here is where it circles back to the beginning of this blog post.

I need to connect with people in the adult learner market and ramp this up quickly.

I’m finding some good leads in Clubhouse, in educator circles. I’m also looking at investing in certain online tools to simplify my processes.

It’s not easy, and it’s not going to get easier.

It’s a large transition and it’s going to require a lot of work to get right.

I’ve been disheartened for a month. It’s time to get over the slump.

It’s time to get cracking!

I Spent Two Months Plus Doing These Things During Singapore's Circuit Breaker

Now that Singapore’s Circuit Breaker has entered Phase 2, with limited openings of certain establishments, I suppose we could say that we are starting to get back to some sense of ‘normal’.

Perhaps this is a time to take stock of what I’ve done over the past 2 months or so.

The main achievement?

I produced 4 sets of curriculum/content.

Namely,

1) Forensic Investigative Skills

The original purpose for this one is for the school market, of course. This will be put to use in July, as long as schools remain open.

That said, I think that it will be both useful and fun for adults as well. The skills, after all, are used in our everyday lives - information gathering, observation, problem solving, and so on.

I’ll have to see who I can talk to to get this started.

2) Health Science

Again, this was made for the school market, but can be useful for those who have aged parents and/or children to take care of.

3) Harnessing Your Quiet Strengths

Now, this one has a little story behind it. It was originally developed for Introverts Network Asia (INA), but things have tapered off for this, so I never finished it, leaving it half done.

I decided to just finish it up. At least I now have a set of curriculum ready to go should I need it, either live or, perhaps, as an online course.

It is, as expected, aimed at introverts and helping them to make use of the strengths that they perhaps regard as insignificant, but are actually highly valuable.

I see this as an accompaniment to The Introvert Teacher, and intend to have them linked together.

4) 4D Your Message

This is my take on communication skills, slightly angled towards newer educators/trainers, but can definitely be used by anyone who wants to get their message out.

This, too, has a story behind it. It was originally conceived for online delivery as part of an initiative by an organisation. But, as with the previous set of content, this, too, fizzled out.

I decided to just have it finished up.

My main thought at the moment is figuring out how to bring these things to more people once Circuit Breaker properly ends.

I've considered online training, but the activities, especially for the first two, are best done live. I could potentially redesign them, but it’s A LOT of work.

Alternatively, I could have them converted to videos and sell an online course. I’m not sure yet.

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I’m also finishing up a project I started 2 years or so ago - my book on gem buying, titled A Gem of a Deal.

The good news is:

A Gem of a Deal is NEARLY finished! Yay!

Here’s a cover I designed for it. It may not be the final version, but I’ll use it for now.

I’ll put more information up on Loupin Jewels.

Yes, I designed it myself. Photoshop and Illustrator. ;)

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Photographing gems!

It’s quite a long story behind this, but I’ve started to photograph gems again. This time, the results look pretty good, even if I do say so myself.

Sapphire Crystal

Garnet Crystal

Prehnite Cabochon

Emerald Piece

And, of course, I’ve been collating some of my old photos.

It’s been a fairly productive couple of months, I’d say.

Here’s to an even more productive 2 months ahead!

Developing Curriculum In These Uncertain Times - Preparing For The Future

So here we are, in the middle of a slowdown (not quite a shutdown yet) in Singapore.

Schools are closed, as are many retail stores.

Food outlets, markets, and supermarkets are still open, to ensure that everybody can still buy food and necessities.

This would normally be a very busy period for freelance trainers in schools. However, since the schools aren’t open, all programmes have been postponed, cancelled, or unconfirmed.

There is an upcoming one in mid-May that I am developing curriculum for, but there is this sense of uncertainty. What if the schools are shut for an extended period of time?

Well, I can worry, or I can just forge ahead and do what I’m supposed to.

Even if this school doesn’t go ahead with the programme, the curriculum can still be used for future school programmes. Since the topics are gaining popularity, it shouldn’t be a problem to secure future projects.

So, instead of wasting time worrying about whether or not I will get to use it, I’ll just have it ready.

Well, back to work, then!

Preparing for the future requires present sacrifice!

Cooling Down Period

As the mad rush of the projects that erupted over the first four months of the year cools down, it's time to do some reflection, get some rest and prepare for the next phase of the year.

By the middle of the year, I plan to send The Introvert Teacher for printing. That means that I have to settle accounts with any potential sponsors, finish up my marketing materials (including my author photos), and plan the book launch. That's going to be rather exciting.

Apart from the book, I'm going to work on some gem and jewellery projects. The launch is projected to be somewhere around the third quarter, not too long after my book will be printed. Again, rather exciting!

I also intend to get some curriculum designed and I need to prepare for a two-week long school project at the end of May.

Freelancing isn't as relaxing as many people think it is. Without proper planning, it could easily become a mess. Here's to not messing it up!