What is Self-Directed Learning?

Posted by: Nesha Milicevic

I grew up in a different environment where access to technology was very limited, and we relied heavily on books and libraries as means of gaining knowledge and doing research. Technology has advanced so much, and so fast that handheld devices (including smart phones) have outnumbered the entire population of earth. This has affected the way we learn. Information is available at the tip of your fingers at any time or place. This has tremendously changed the perception of a traditional classroom, and is very convenient for adult learners or people that upgrade their education while working. Attendance is no longer an issue in this type of environment; a student can “enter” the classroom anytime. There are numerous apps that enable learners to be in touch with their instructors and classmates, and it is a great time saver. Statistics have shown that over one-third of the workforce consists of people born at the end of the old millennium, hence the name “Mobile Millennials”.  This generation is very used to the new technology, but in my opinion, what they do not realize is that, they are involved in different ways of learning every day. To me, this is a perfect example of self-directed learning.

I read a nice article about challenges of self directed learning in a corporate environment, here is the link: What is Self-Directed Learning?