Self-Directed Learning: A Brief Summary

What It Is: The process of teaching one’s self, or “Self-directing” through the learning process

Why Do It: Engagement, self-pacing, and free

What You Need: Hardcopy, accessibility, content control, location free (mobile learning)

Tips & Tricks: Self-assessment, momentum, planning, variety, projects

Problems & Challenges: Procrastination, laziness, misguidance, lack of motivation, time management

Famous Self-Taughts (Autodidacts): Leonardo Da Vinci, William Blake, Herb Rits (in addition to Virginia Woolf, Mark Twain, John D. Rockefeller, and many others)

Why It’s Relevant: Modern access to information and formal (e.g., MOOCs and free eLearning sources) and informal (video games and simulations) learning platforms make self-directed learning more accessible–and powerful–than ever before