Most people prefer to tackle the majority of their continuing learning objectives independently or informally in professional groups, as Self-Guided Learning. Additionally, the availability and affordability of qualified teachers and accessible learning environments can’t nearly meet the global demand for higher and better educational opportunities.
Opportunity Statement
Venture opportunities exist in a vibrant global marketplace to offer self-guided and self-paced learning solutions in multiple languages and cultures across professional, academic and vocational fields. Specific Self-Guided Learning opportunities include content, curriculum, programs, tools, aggregators, automated tutors, evaluation, and accreditation-preparation.
Prediction Source(s):
Self-guided learning is something that I have started to push in some of my computer classes. In addition, its probably the way I’ve learned most of the skills I’ve needed at work.
I agree. Not only does self-guided learning let students acquire knowledge about a subject, it also gives them the opportunity to learn about themselves – essential to successful higher learning and career progression.
I’m torn on this one. The learner is the only one who truly knows what he/she knows and doesn’t know. This gives them a critical role in determining what they need/want to learn. However, I believe that interaction/apprenticeship with experts is critical. I don’t think this can be duplicated by machines – a least not yet.
I agree jldr, self-guided learning has the potential to drive many students, but if the student does not have adequate metacognition skills he or she will have little to no direction in the learning.
This is the one I’m biggest on. I don’t think collaboration etc is what has the most potential going forward. I think it’s individualized learning courses that can be completed independently. This allows models where the content learned is fixed while time becomes the variable. It’s not as good for everyone but it doesn’t have to be because on a global scale most people aren’t likely to be “educated” in my lifetime.
This is a great topic for online education that falls outside institutionalized learning.
Self-guided learning is certainly one of the hot topics in educations and certainly in the EAL field. Currently Citizenship and Immigration Canada is rolling out a new curriculum and program for immigrants. learners create portfolios of language samples throughout their time in the language program. Every term they complete self – assessments regarding personal learning and topics they’d like to cover. The instructor then teaches the topics, ensuring that content and materials are appropriate for the skills needed to be covered in that level, while learners look at their own needs for that unit (balancing jldr’s concerns). Learners are encouraged to look at their own learning goals, and what they are doing in/outside of classes to achieve those goals on a biweekly/weekly basis. The goals are to make learners better self-learning and to personalize their own learning. Needless to say this is very challenging, especially at the literacy levels, where students not only lack the language, but life skills to accomplish these tasks. I teach an intermediate class, and this takes about 20% of the time. Yet it is working. Learners are becoming more committed, motivated and are showing slightly better progress. For the lower levels, I know teachers are doing goal setting week by week. They talk about what they plan to cover and students are asked to think about what skill they will work on. It is more focused and starts getting the metacognition skills going. The only downside is that it does take more time and takes away from content time. Fortunately CIC recognizes this and has stated goal setting and individualized learning should be treated as importantly as any topic, so time is allotted for it in the classroom I think that for institutionalized learning that recognition is key – if you want more personalized learning, something else will have to give. It is interesting to see what technology adds to the equation, especially for those of us who are very familiar with it.