1. Self-directed learning has been portrayed as both a process of organizing instruction and a personality trait (Bierema & Merriam, 2014). Self-directed learning as a personal attribute implies that an individual has the natural tendency to thrive in this type of learning with a high level of independence. As a process of organizing instruction, self-directed learning is learning that is coordinated by the learner. Malcolm Knowles famously defined the process of self-directed learning “in which individuals take the initiative, with or without the help of others, in diagnosing their learning needs, formulating learning goals, identifying human and material resources for learning, choosing and implementing appropriate learning strategies,
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The self-directed learning I have experienced in my life over the last five years has been in playing the game of golf. I took up golf later in life than most people my age. I was twenty-eight years old when I started playing golf, and it has been by far the most challenging game I have ever attempted to play. I began by playing with friends on the weekends, but my practice time quickly increased and I began to play multiple times a week. I was constantly watching instructional videos on YouTube in an attempt to perfect my swing or fix typical mistakes that beginning golfers often make. I sought the advice of friends who played golf in college, but one piece of advice set me back months. His advice caused me to seek lessons from a professional golf instructor before I was able to strike the ball solidly …show more content…
Being a self-directed learner simply means that the individual takes the responsibility and initiative of what is being learned and the learning process, but it does not mean that the learning has to take place in isolation. In the example I gave about learning to play golf, I explained that I took lessons from a professional golf instructor and yet this learning process would still be considered self-directed because I was the person initiating and controlling the education.
I have learned that self-directed learning is a byproduct of intrinsic motivation. Intrinsic motivation is defined as motivation that comes from within. If someone has no intrinsic motivation, then it would be impossible for he or she to be a self-directed learner.
I believe that we should strive to promote self-directed learning in the public school setting. Some people might argue that building a culture of self-directed learners would diminish the role of the public school teacher, but I disagree. The more autonomy our students in secondary education can develop, the better off they will be because becoming a self-directed learner is a life skill I believe will correlate with long-term success later in life.
4. Experiment. How might you test your new understanding of self-directed learning
The self-directed learning I have experienced in my life over the last five years has been in playing the game of golf. I took up golf later in life than most people my age. I was twenty-eight years old when I started playing golf, and it has been by far the most challenging game I have ever attempted to play. I began by playing with friends on the weekends, but my practice time quickly increased and I began to play multiple times a week. I was constantly watching instructional videos on YouTube in an attempt to perfect my swing or fix typical mistakes that beginning golfers often make. I sought the advice of friends who played golf in college, but one piece of advice set me back months. His advice caused me to seek lessons from a professional golf instructor before I was able to strike the ball solidly …show more content…
Being a self-directed learner simply means that the individual takes the responsibility and initiative of what is being learned and the learning process, but it does not mean that the learning has to take place in isolation. In the example I gave about learning to play golf, I explained that I took lessons from a professional golf instructor and yet this learning process would still be considered self-directed because I was the person initiating and controlling the education.
I have learned that self-directed learning is a byproduct of intrinsic motivation. Intrinsic motivation is defined as motivation that comes from within. If someone has no intrinsic motivation, then it would be impossible for he or she to be a self-directed learner.
I believe that we should strive to promote self-directed learning in the public school setting. Some people might argue that building a culture of self-directed learners would diminish the role of the public school teacher, but I disagree. The more autonomy our students in secondary education can develop, the better off they will be because becoming a self-directed learner is a life skill I believe will correlate with long-term success later in life.
4. Experiment. How might you test your new understanding of self-directed learning