Self-directed learning is a process by which individuals take initiative in planning and implementing their own learning (Merriam, Caffarella, & Baumgartner, 2007; Brookfield, 1995). While generally applied in adult learning environments, adults are hardly unique in their ability to be self-directed (Piaget & Inhelder, 2000). 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 (2007) 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 emancipatory learning goals are deep in radical education philosophies that reject humanist-oriented strategies for individual improvement while arguing that the purpose of learning is to convert the learner to act as a change agent for the political or social interests of the practitioner or institution (Thompson, 2000).

In short, growth facilitation enables individual autonomy, transformation assimilates the individual into a collective, and emancipation converts the individual to actively advocate for the collective. A potential problem with the transformation and emancipation goals is that they consider individual interests irrelevant to those of the institution or collective. Using tactics like 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, which may not be in the best interests of the individual, regardless of how just the cause envisioned by the true believers.

Application: Grow’s Staged Self-Directed Learning Model

Grow’s (1996) 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, with the objective of facilitating the learner toward self-direction. Scaffolding is a technique educators can use to facilitate self-direction. Scaffolding is a tactic originally suggested by Vygotsky (Schunk, 2004; Watson, 2002), in which the teacher carefully guides the student through the initial stages of learning, then gradually removes support as the student progresses toward independence.

While SDL prepares individual students to be lifelong learners by developing a 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 of the collaborative nature of SDL.

Criticisms and limitations of self-directed learning

Focusing on how adults take control of their own learning, self-directed learning seems to be neither unique to adults nor universal among adults. A Piagetian may argue that children have the capacity to be lone scientists who will learn best when left alone. Likewise, self-direction may be determined by contextual factors besides adulthood. Brookfield (1995) argues the self-directed learning ideal reflects patriarchal values of individual autonomy and competition while ignoring culture, gender, social networks, time, and the relevance of the individual’s experience. further, 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 (1995) 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 proposes that adult education should not consider adults as “self-contained… beings” working to engage in “an obsessive focus on the self” but should be used to engage individuals in “cooperative and collective” pursuits that emphasize interactivity and common 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 while 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, but may never be able to speak Japanese or adapt to Japanese culture without integrating social activities into her studies.

In addition to not being a characteristic that is unique to adults, not all adults have the capacity to be self-directed; even adults who do have the capacity to be self-directed may still need support, encouragement, and feedback to engage in and complete credible learning programs. For example, while the University of Phoenix considers adults to be capable of self-direction, a key-value the institution provides is a highly structured and collaborative environment that guides the self-directed learner to master the objectives necessary to demonstrate competency in the learner’s selected area of study (Berg, 2005).

References

Brookfield, S. (1995). Adult learning. In International Encyclopedia of Education. Oxford: Pergamon Press.

Grow, G. O. (1996). Teaching learners to be self-directed. Adult Education Quarterly, 125-149.

Merriam, S. B., Caffarella, R. S., & Baumgartner, R. S. (2007). Learning in adulthood: A comprehensive guide. San Francisco: John Wiley & Sons, Inc.

Piaget, J., & Inhelder, B. (2000). The psychology of the child (2nd ed. ed.). (H. Weaver, Trans.) New York: Basic Books.

Schunk, D. H. (2004). Learning theories: An educational perspective (Vol. 4). Columbus: Merrill Prentice-Hall.

Thompson, J. (2000, May). Emancipatory learning. Retrieved January 6, 2009, from http://www.niace.org.uk/information/briefing_sheets/Emancipatory_Learning.pdf

Watson, M. W. (2002). Theories of human development (Vol. 1). Chantilly: The Teaching Company.