Self-Directed Learning is defined as a process in which people diagnose their own learning needs on their own, with or without the assistance of others. When it comes to self-directed learning, the ability to think critically is the most important asset. It encourages the growth of self-assurance and tenacity as a natural process.
As a result, the basic premise is that professors guide pupils while they maintain control.
Importance of Self-Directed Learning
It is necessary for a person to become a self-directed and self-aware learner in order to be successful. Being one necessitates the development of habits that can influence one’s success. In the sense of being a self-directed learner, it is clear that an individual must possess skills and talents that distinguish him and enable him to be the best student and professional he can be. Self-direction, on the other hand, is not a simple task.
It demands patience and a knowledge that everything in the environment has a certain origin, which must be uncovered during the learning process. Furthermore, self-directed learning and self-awareness enable an individual to acquire knowledge beyond what is taught and supplied within the four walls of a classroom.
With SDL, the students are free to use their abilities, interests, and learning styles to augment their knowledge since they have power over over their own learning.
Relevance in today’s context:
Even the brightest and most driven students may find learning on their own difficult. Students are at home due to the Covid-19 threat, and their days are packed with learning activities. The difficulty is in putting those schedules into action.
Most of the students are accustomed to studying in a classroom atmosphere, where the teacher offers the lectures and pupils are informed what to study. The student receives instructions to do a task, and at the completion of the term, he or she receives a grade. The teacher is the one who controls all under this kind of framework.
Self-directed learning is an important aspect of education, yet it is undervalued in both public and private institutions. Occasionally, a pilot programme addressing the power of autodidactic learning will be mentioned, but it is rarely used as a pedagogical alternative to regular schooling. Our educators are trapped within a system that no longer serves our children.
Benefits of SDL:
Natural way of development: People are expected to make their own decisions in school and in life. SDL helps students improve their ability to assess situations and trust themselves to make the best decisions.
No negative way of reinforcement of knowledge: Schools have the potential to permanently taint a student’s mentality. There have been occasions where pupils have been verbally mistreated by teachers, or where children who study differently are mocked by their peers. There are no winners or losers in self-directed learning.
Boosts different interests: Students can pursue a larger range of interests while learning with SDL. In this situation, students are not forced to study about topics that they are uninterested in or to complete tasks that are irrelevant to their interests.
