Pursuing an Education degree
05 Mar 2024
Meet Alison, a dedicated student pursuing a Bachelor of Education (Primary) at Curtin University.
Her warm and inviting presence at the Centre creates a friendly atmosphere, and she’s always ready for a chat. Recently, we had the privilege of interviewing her for a student story, where she shared insightful details about her educational journey, shedding light on the challenges, triumphs, and the lessons learned along the way.
What do you love most about the Centre?
That it’s available at any hour, always computers available, dual screen monitors, printer, help from staff, and that there are other students and people my age that are in a similar situation to be able to talk to them and get support. Being able to come and do this whenever I have free time, not determined by opening hours, I can just come in whenever which can be very selective; I know I can come here, and it will always be available, so that is great to have.
What has been your learning journey to date?
I started five years ago as a part-time student of primary school education. I had two young children, and I studied mainly at home. I found it hard because I hadn’t studied in a long time. I did that for a couple of years, then had to move house, and this Centre wasn’t here then, so I had to give up university for about eight months because I was working two jobs and had no space to study. So, I had a break, and a fellow school teacher suggested that I use the Centre, and I haven’t looked back. I went from being a part-time cleaner part-time worker to being able to work full-time and study full-time because of the services available here.
How has the CUC impacted on your studies?
It’s been life changing because I don’t have a quiet space to study at home. When you’re at home, you’ve got washing chores, and you look at those first and use anything to distract you from studying. I think a lot of people do that. So, when you come to the Centre, you’re here to study, it is quiet, everyone is respectful, the services are amazing, there’s the internet, you can bring your own devices, but even just having the two screens that was life changing for me, to be able to look at journal articles and do your assignment at the same time, wow.
Do you have any advice or tips you would give to other students studying?
It’s definitely worth it. It’s hard at times, but with support from friends, family and the people here, not only the staff but other students studying, really helps you to get through it because you realise you’re not alone, that a lot of people are trying to do that same thing as you, so that helps you to keep going. Sometimes, when you feel isolated and alone, you start to doubt yourself and being able to have the ability to come here because a lot of people don’t have quiet spaces or even access to the internet. Being able to study online now is something else. It has changed my life because I wouldn’t be able to go to a university, so I think for anyone who wants to study, just knowing that there are different ways to have study available to you. You should try and do it, and don’t cry too much.
Why did you choose your degree and what do you enjoy the most about it?
As a stay-at-home mum without much in the way of an educational toolbox. I was working in hospitality, and I had children whom I wanted to be at home with and I wanted to be able to afford to buy my own home and provide for my children, I realised that the only way I was going to move forward was if I had a degree and one that gave me multiple opportunities, it wouldn’t matter where I lived or what I was doing, I would always be able to fall back on that, and because I had little children, I was taken by how much they learn, and it such a small space when they are young, that was why I started thinking about education. I was offered to work as a student learning support officer (SLSO) within a school environment, which really pushed me to want to study education.
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