I'm a returning student (changing careers) and I hate the way that college classes are taught now

*** I realize this experience is unique to my degree and to my college, that my experience isn't universal ***

I'm switching careers because I hate mine (medical field, licensed provider). I did a four year program to get my first degree about a decade ago now, it was a very rigorous program, but I pretty much know my field like the back of my hand at this point. I thought it prepared me incredibly well.

I am now getting my teaching degree. I want out of clinical practice. I'm finding myself more and more agitated with my classes, as everything I have done the last three semesters has been "self-directed education." There's a lot of discussions boards with other students, reacting to activities done in class, choosing what projects to do, what to read, etc.

While I find this all...incredibly easier than more "traditional" teaching, I also find myself constantly agitated and in a lot of ways, weirdly more stressed out. Mostly, I think, because I'm taking out all these students loans and spending time away from my own family and child....to essentially teach myself the class?? What I'm a paying thousands of dollars per semester for, really?

I also feel like my time is largely wasted and like I'm honestly not learning all that much. I realize when I was in public school (in the 90s) it was very far in the opposite direction teaching style wise, but is student-lead learning REALLY that much better?

Submitted November 25, 2023 at 02:15PM by aryndoesnotlikeit https://ift.tt/P0AlKM1