Self Directed Learning Essay

Independent learning is when an individual is able to think, act and pursue their own studies autonomously, without the same levels of support they would receive from a teacher in school. There are certain approaches to independent learning, one of which is self-directed learning. Self-directed learning is a type of instructional strategy where students take charge of their learning process, they decide what and how they will learn with guidance from the teacher. It can be done individually or with group learning but the overall concept is that the students take ownership of their learning, formulating their own goals and evaluating their learning outcomes. The other approach is known as Discovery and Inquiry, in this approach

The teacher would just provide guidance to the student in the learning process. Independent learning would be successful when the learner plans on what he or she is going to learn and the topics the learner wants to cover during the learning process. It is very important that the learner plans on the resources that they are going use to assist them in their learning process. Independent learning would be effective when self-monitoring of learning occurs, this is where the learner would have to keep record on whether the learning is taking place the way the learner had planned. For example to monitor the learning, the learner could maintain a checklist on the topics they want to complete for a particular subject therefore the learner would be able to identify whether they have completed that topic. In independent learning the learner decides on how long they would spend on a particular topic unlike in a school where the teacher decides the time period needed to complete a particular topic. The learner has control of the pace and direction of work, he or she could decide how deep they would go into the topic. It is very necessary that the learner evaluates his or her learning to keep track of their improvement during the learning process. Therefore if the learning is not successful the learner would have to change the method of learning. Self-motivation is an important element of independent learning, it is the force that keeps pushing the learner to achieve the goals he or she has set and to move ahead in the learning process. Every learner should be self-motivated in order to succeed in the learning