And so it begins... My New Learning Journey!

Its week 2 which means I have survived my first week back! Woot! Woot! I had my first accounting class on Thursday morning, and when I say first.. I mean first ever! Previously, the only experience I truly had with accounting was back in grade 10 when I studied business (the struggle was real with debits and credits even back then) or at work where my basic understanding of accounting extends no further than photocopying receipts and recording transactions in a massive folder. I never questioned it, I just do my job from the outside looking in and not really understanding how such a task contributes to a business' value.

Metaphorically, this applies to us all in life. We participate in what they call  passive learning, and its so true. It is how the majority of us take in knowledge- without realising the value in making the personal commitment to learn from our own findings (active learning). The teacher sits at the front of the room, we do what they say and class is over. As I look back now, I can hardy remember the basic principles from my previous courses such as the 4 P's in Marketing, or the theories of Organisational Behaviour and considering I only began my university journey twelve months ago, this is pretty sad! As Mr Turner wrote in our study guide,

"We need to actively build on our own knowledge and not simply regurgitate somebody else's knowledge. We need to build our own knowledge into something that belongs to us: something that is ours." 

So this week, I have discovered the massive folder is actually called a journal and the day-to-day finances of the workplace are recorded in it. Still, this is me passively learning but as I relate my new-found knowledge of the accounting world to my own experiences, no doubt I am beginning to engage in my new learning adventure. I have now decided to make a commitment to be more active in my university life. No more sitting back and tackling assignments as they come. From starting peer wise, and commenting on other people's blogs there is so much more potential in engaging with fellow classmates and discovering what they have to offer.