OUR PEOPLE
Diana heads back to university again – and again If you have a keyboard, the world’s universities are yours for free. JO CRANSTOUN meets a retiree who has discovered that learning is a never-ending journey.
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iana Hassett has a curious mind. Her need to know more and the sheer joy of learning has driven her to complete 41 online study courses. When Diana retired, she began to wonder how she would fill her days – and then she discovered edX, a reputable online education platform established by Harvard University and the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. It offers more than 2500 online courses from international universities, including Australian institutions. Diana spends an average of two to three hours each week day studying. The length of courses she chooses varies from five weeks to 15. She is currently studying epidemics through the University of Hong Kong, an interest sparked by the Covid-19 pandemic. “I have to be doing something. I found I needed structure in my day when I was no longer going to work. It’s great to wake up with a purpose,’’ Diana says. With a varied background including education and working as a marriage celebrant, Diana, 71, admits she is often the most senior student in the online courses. “But I love it,” she says. “I can be there online and get into a discussion with someone in Tel Aviv in Israel.”
All that’s needed to begin studying online is basic computer skills, an internet connection and a wish to know more. “I have only basic computer skills but it’s enough to do what I do,’’ she says. “It’s so easy. You don’t need to go to the library. Everything is at your keyboard. And it’s all free unless you want to get a certificate.” When people say they wouldn’t be able to do it, Diana tells them they shouldn’t be put off by the fact it’s a university course. “If you can read you can do it,” she says. “The depth you need to go into varies from uni to uni.”
Students need to take an exam only if they wish to obtain a certificate. Some courses have non-graded quizzes at the end of each section to test understanding. Diana’s first edX online course in 2014 was criminology through the University of Queensland. “I really loved the criminology topic and that’s what got me hooked,’’ she says. “I just pick the topics I am interested in.” Diana’s 40 topics since then have included an introduction to psychology, tropical coastal ecosystems, environmental protection and sustainability, anthropology, justice, and oriental beliefs. “It is so interesting to find out things that you don’t know anything about,’’ she says. “It’s amazing what you can learn. I found it a bit of a disadvantage at first because I didn’t study science in secondary school but now I have an interest in science and research.” Diana has developed a fascination with the topic of climate change and as a diabetic undertook a study course into the condition through WA’s Curtin University. “My interests change,” she says. “I’ve also started looking at ageing and nutrition; ageing and mobility, and ageing and the brain.” Diana finds online learning is a huge
benefit, not only increasing her knowledge and expanding her conversation topics, but also keeping her brain active. And while she is studying in her home office, her husband Gordon is enjoying the challenge of learning languages to support their travels. “We were in China this time last year and this year was supposed to be another chance to travel but the Covid restrictions halted everything,” she says. They were supposed to be leaving this month for Venice, Croatia, the Adriatic Coast and Portugal. “We have travelled to lots of places where I probably wouldn’t go now,” she says. “It’s good we travelled while we could but I think in future we might be limiting ourselves more to Australia, New Zealand and all the places in Queensland we haven’t yet been.” So where will Diana’s quest for knowledge and her keyboard take her next? The current Covid climate has her intrigued. “This week we’ve been looking at different epidemics each day, including bird flu and where it came from. I’m already considering signing up for parts two and three of epidemics. I just want to know more,” she says.
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