Self-directed learning

Self-directed learning is a process by which individuals plan and implement their own learning [6, 5]. While generally applied in adult learning environments, adults are hardly unique in being self-directed [12]. Anyone who has seen a child devour books on dinosaurs, explore the biology of a backyard or scour the Internet for cheat codes on the latest video game has seen the powerful potential of self-directed learning in a child’s life.

Goals through philosophical perspectives

Merriam et al. [6] identified three classifications of goals based on the philosophy of the practitioner: growth facilitation, transformation, and emancipation.

Growth facilitation goal. The growth facilitation goal is to assist learners toward self-direction. This goal is rooted in humanistic psychology, which assumes that the goal of adult learning is personal growth toward autonomy. The progressive and radical perspective tends to reject a strict focus on individual development when it does not consider the collective interests of the institution or educator.

Transformation goal. The transformation goal is to transform the individual to collective interests through critical self-reflection. This goal has its roots in progressive education philosophy that sees the purpose of learning to be driving social change. Transformation serves as a foundation for the third goal category, which is emancipatory learning.

Emancipatory learning goal. The emancipatory learning goal is social action for change. The roots of the emancipatory learning goal are deep in radical education philosophies that reject humanist-oriented strategies for individual improvement. Emanciaptory learning argues that the purpose of learning is to essentially convert the learner to act as a change agent for the political or social interests of the practitioner or institution [28].

In short, growth facilitation enables individual autonomy, transformation assimilates the individual into a collective. In comparison, emancipation converts the individual to actively advocate for the collective. A potential problem with the transformation and emancipation goals is that they seem to consider individual interests irrelevant to those of the institution or collective. Using tactics similar to those used by cults, the purpose of critical thinking and individual education under these goals is to enlist the individual for a greater good envisioned by the organizational leaders. This may not be in the individual’s best interests, regardless of how just the cause is envisioned by the true believers.

Application: Grow’s Staged Self Directed Learning Model

Grow’s [29] Staged Self Directed Learning Model provides a framework that adapts situational leadership models from business to help teachers align classroom leadership with the abilities and motivations of the learner. The objective is to facilitate the learner toward self-direction. Scaffolding is a technique educators can use to facilitate self-direction. Scaffolding is a tactic originally suggested by Vygotsky [30, 31]. The teacher carefully guides the student through the initial stages of learning. Then, the teacher gradually removes support as the student progresses toward independence.

While SDL prepares individual students to be lifelong learners by developing capacity for self-direction, awareness of metacognitive processes, and a disposition for learning, SDL environments tend to be highly collaborative. A growing trend toward building communities of learning in traditional education and the University of Phoenix collaborative learning model serve as examples for the collaborative nature of SDL.

Criticisms

While it focuses on how adults control their own learning, self-directed learning seems to be neither unique to adults nor universal among adults. A Piagetian may argue that children can be lone scientists who will learn best when left alone. Likewise, self-direction may be determined by contextual factors besides adulthood. Brookfield [5] argued that the self-directed learning ideal reflects patriarchal values of individual autonomy and competition. At the same time, it ignores culture, gender, social networks, time, and the relevance of the individual’s experience.

In addition, a purely self-directed learning environment might provide learning that is relevant to the individual; however, this learning may have limited value outside the individual realm. Emphasizing this point, Brookfield [5] argues that self-direction can equate to “separateness and selfishness, with a narcissistic pursuit of private ends in disregard to the consequences of this for others and for wider cultural interests.” Brookfield proposed that adult education should not consider adults as “self-contained… beings” working to engage in “an obsessive focus on the self.” Instead, adult education should engage individuals in “cooperative and collective” pursuits that emphasize interactivity and shared interests.

For example, an individual may be fully capable of engaging in self-directed study in business management. However, regardless of how much he learns, failing to actively engage with others. At the same time, learning can severely limit his ability to plan, organize, lead, or control people and processes in a business environment.

Likewise, an individual can devour books, tapes, and movies about the Japanese language and culture. However, that individual will likely never speak Japanese or adapt to Japanese culture without actually integrating social activities that involve speaking Japanese and experiencing Japanese culture. Book learning, no matter how deep, does not translate into practical experience.

Also, not all adults have the capacity to be self-directed. Even adults who can be self-directed may still need support, encouragement, and feedback to engage in and complete credible learning programs.