I determined that I wanted to obtain a Master’s level degree, but whatever course I was to take would have to provide a meaningful experience and one that I could gain inspiration from. Above all I would enjoy it, like a fine dining experience. So with the fundamental criteria established that the educational experience had to be meaningful, inspirational and enjoyable, I re-focused in 2005.

I look back at my past experiences and then looked to where adult education was going in the future. How were newer technological changes related to the internet band-widths or web-based applications, the development of more mobile workforces, or the changing societal demographics; going to affect adult education and training?

In the autumn of 2005, I started on the path to attain a Masters of Distance Education degree through Athabasca University. Before beginning my AU distance education experience I reflected back on my previous educational experiences which give me pause to think about some of the perceived challenges. Some of the questions that arose were:

• Was I prepared to enter this new learning environment?
• Did I have the necessary skills to achieve goals (i.e. a passing grade)?
• Can I obtain a sense of fulfillment from this program (i.e. self-improvement)?
• Did I have the adequate motivation or self-regulation mechanisms?

My final paper attempts to summarize major themes of learning and discovery that I experienced over the past five years ... My AU Learning Experience - A Bountiful Harvest