Self-Direction (original) (raw)
Related papers
The (im)possibility of new learning and selfdirection
Academic Medicine, 2009
New learning' puts demands on learners, students and workers in the fi eld of self-direction and the development of competences, career identity and employability which many of them cannot (yet) meet. This conclusion was made nearly ten years ago based on development theories supported by empirical research . 'New learning' was then referred to as 'learning how to learn' and was specifi ed as a creative-social learning process. The conclusion was based on an analysis of this learning process in terms of nine specifi c demands it brings to the learner. If the above conclusion persists then it undermines the foundations of many programs for educational reform and career guidance that have been launched on a massive scale. Odd as it may seem, critical reviews on new learning ( and several analyses of failed educational reforms (Basoski, Wieges & Overmeer, 2007; Dijsselbloem Committee, 2008) conducted in recent years rarely addressed the question whether the demands made by new learning in its many diff erent forms are at all feasible for the people concerned. Such failures are mainly blamed on political, organizational, preconditional and technical operational diffi culties. In recent times, this trend seems to have shifted somewhat, as demonstrated in the publications by Jolles (2006, 2007, 2008), Westenberg's Dies Oration (2008) and the response in the press. The fi ndings from relatively recent, large-scale and advanced research into the functioning of the brain led to increased attention to the discrepancy between the demands and the learners' abilities. The voice from solid science is always heard. It provides unexpected support for the conclusions drawn earlier from the development theories.
Resistance to self-direction in learning can be overcome
New Directions for Adult and Continuing Education, 1994
The strategies, applications, and illustrations portrayed in this volume represent the kinds of efforts educators and trainers of adults are making to foster self-direction in learning. Resistance to self-direction is often very real, and it can permeate the experiences of learners, instructors, and institutions. But the examples contained in this volume can provide a sense of optimism and demonstrate that self-direction is possible in virtually any teachmg-learning setting. Indeed, the "cliscovery" of empowerment and the perceived value in turning greater control of the learning process over to the learners is most encouraging. As a way of bringing this volume to closure, we would like to highlight three themes that run through the previous chapters. In addition, we wdl summarize some of the major strategies for overcoming resistance highlighted in this volume.
STRETCHING THE ROLE OF 'SELF' IN WISE CAREER CHOICES
IASET, 2021
At its beginning the concept of guidance was limited only to vocations. The main purpose of guidance was to minimize juvenile delinquency which was an emerging problem at that time. The basic idea was to divert the teenage energy towards a direction; to give direction and meaning to their lives. Hence, to make them able to understand their needs, skills & abilities and thus making them able to realize of what they are capable of doing. Focus was to make 'wise' choice among the available ones. Career guidance is a branch of guidance that is limited to the sphere of career only. It makes an individual able to make 'wise' choice among available careers as per his/her field of interest and qualification. Present-day competitive world has made it very difficult to grab hold of a career and to continue it as well. Most of the times, students do not realize their aptitude, their needs and their selves before making career decisions. Present paper signifies the importance of understanding self in striving for a better career option. The paper highlights the prerequisites that should be considered prior to make any career choice. It also uncovers the principles set behind the development of self and various methods involved in the measurement of self. Considering the obscurity involved in the measurement of self, the paper also bring to light various psychological and social barriers restricting the revelation of self in a human being. At the end, some career development approaches and recommended career choices have also been explained to assist the students to go for 'wise career choices' in their future endeavors.
TECCIENCIA
AAD Self-Digested Learning is a learning strategy oriented towards the actor subject, capable of reconfiguring one's resources autonomously and responsibly. The latter makes it possible to conceive one's personal and collective action project in a conscious and resonated way. ADA offers adult learners the opportunity to plan and manage their resources, collaborate with their peers to develop cultural, methodological and technological competences. Nevertheless, the implementation of an AAD-centric approach depends on andragogic and pedagogical expertise, by managing the complexity of the teaching-learning situation from the modeling and personalization of a family of learning situation differentiated and personalized to the needs and learning styles of adult learners. At the same time, current andragogic trends continue to proclaim the use of a learning approach to reflexivity and self-management of personal and collective action projects. Identifying the family of self-manag...
Two Decades of Literature on Self-Directed Learning: A Content Analysis
2000
Using a quantitative content analysis approach, a study examined the literature on self direction, or self-directed learning (SDL), that appeared in 14 mainstream adult education journals between 1980-98. The procedure involved classifying, entering, and tallying inforthation on each article through use of an Internet-based program. Results indicated about 1 percent of the articles published over the period dealt with SDL. During the peak year of 1986, over 3 percent of the articles were on SDL. Overall, the climactic years for publication in the area of SDL appeared to be 1983-91, a time of considerable interest and controversy pertaining to the methodologies of measuring self direction. A major part of this debate was generated in
Understanding and promoting self-direction in freshman and master's students: a qualitative approach
Behavioural Development Bulletin, 2017
This study investigates how the transition toward self-direction is experienced and facilitated in 2 semester-long courses in teacher education degree programs and the differences in such a transition for freshman and master’s students. The thematic analysis of the written self-assessments of 8 illustrative examples enabled the detection of (a) students’ initial upset in the face of demands for internal authority; (b) the support of the teacher and peers in managing that upset; and (c) the students’ shift toward more complex conceptions of learning and teaching, including evidence of increasing self-direction. These findings shed light on the potential of intentionally designed learning contexts for promoting students’ epistemological development. The similarities found between freshman and master’s students’ experiences when managing the demands of internal authority emphasize the underutilization of the most extended teaching practices in higher education.
SELF-DIRECTED LEARNING IN EMERGING ADULTHOOD: DEVELOPMENTAL AND BIOGRAPHICAL REFLECTIONS
2023
Self-directed learning is a skill woven through specific life experiences. Based on biographical narratives, this study focuses on the self-directed learning skills of emerging adults who are university students and aims to provide an understanding of the background dynamics of different learning orientations. Theoretical sampling was used to conduct biographical narrative interviews. The Documentary Method was employed to interpret the interviews. The results of the documentary analysis of the narratives put that the autonomy-supportive family structure throughout the life course and the individual's willingness and desire to be autonomous constitute an important and decisive ground for the emotional dimension of self-directed learning skills. The research findings also reveal that self-directed learning is a way of life and a set of continuous processes that require continuity far beyond the boundaries of formal education. The research findings can be convenient in two ways. First, families can recognise and support an adolescent's effort and need to separate and contribute to the relationship dynamics necessary for their children to become self-directed learners. Second, the findings of the research suggest that more than a technical skill within the boundaries of formal education, self-directed learning is a positioning in life, which may lead to a holistic approach in future research on the subject.