Self-Directed Learning in Education
While undertaking self-directed learning myself, I have been reading and conversing with other educators about self-directed and learning which has resulted in me drawing up the diagram below.
As a concept this works if an assumption is made that the learner has a particular goal. Certainly within informal learning there is a high level of self-direction required if the learning is going to accumulate and be relevant to the person's goal. Alternatively within a qualification offered by an education institution there are defined curriculums and the level of self direction is limited to the selection of some subjects or projects that are chosen to meet assessment requirements of subjects.
Changing the image and turning the self-directed to curriculum-directed line into a see-saw that moves up and down at either end. Informal learning that is being considered in the past tense for purposes of recognition of prior learning is highly curriculum directed to ensure that all criteria are satisfied, regardless of whether the previous learning was purposeful or by chance. In my example I am using standards identified in units of competency to map my own knowledge and skills against defined requirements and then undertaking tasks to address any identified gaps to the criteria and even though this is highly defined the level of curriculum direction is minimal because I have developed my own program of learning and depending on the week, holding myself accountable to achieving outcomes.
Students at all levels have had to self manage their learning differently during the experiences of coronavirus in 2020 and so maybe we will see more learners who identify the formal requirements that they want to achieve and then in a self-directed, informal manner they will work towards those goals.