I have used concept maps, learning journals, self- and peer-assessment tasks; mainly a combination of cognitive and metacognitive strategies.

Based on Thompson & Sheckley (1997), I continue with my CL (collaborative learning) groups that make the students do more active learning.  I emphasize that much time needed to understand complex material, and convey high expectations to students.

I have used concept maps, learning journals, self- and peer-assessment tasks; mainly a combination of cognitive and metacognitive strategies.

Interesting question and study !

I have conducted an experiment on similar topics and introduced an automated methodology of training/learning. The results were interesting. I would suggest to have look at that paper. I hope it will help :). 

http://www.hfes-europe.org/wp-content/uploads/2014/06/Nazir.pdf

All the best,

Salman

I currently teach English as a second language to international college students.  They have a wide range of learning levels and needs.  Self-directed learning is crucial at the college level. (1) I try to have students daily log into CANVAS (under Discussions) to inform me of what they're learning or having difficulty with.  I can assess their SDL and supplement with specific help.

(2) I promote www.lextutor.ca  It's great for students to find their own answers for vocabulary usage on word pronunciation, definition, part of speech, etc.

Try your own application of these SDL opportunities.

I have written a conference paper about this subject. I use it in entreprenurship courses. Do you want me to send it?

Erik

Thanks, just send a softcopy @Erik.  Thanks.  Just put on the thread.

Dear Erik. I will be glad if you could send me the conference paper about the subject. I appreciate it.

Dear @Miranda, since you are very modest colleague, I will make a suggestion to  interested  followers to have a look and follow this question! There are more than 30 valuable responses!

https://www.researchgate.net/post/Is_anyone_interested_in_doing_a_research_in_self-directed_learning_or_independent_learning_of_first_year-college_or_K12_students?_sg=mOUjO8NwRltxpmZHJHeRaJaCWLReFXfBWdT48SIM2QHY%2BnlTKH1YcNN75RmWUEZX&_tpcectx=topic_detail&_trid=53f61556d685cc131c8b4582_2

Dear @Miranda, "... teachers need to model learning strategies such as predicting, questioning, clarifying, and summarizing, so that students will develop the ability to use these strategies on their own. Teachers also need to allow individual learners to approach a task in different ways using different strategies..."

Through five steps, the author of the following paper "Using Self-Directed Learning to Prepare Students for 21st Century Thinking and Living" achieves the goal by SDL applied!

http://www.education.com/reference/article/Ref_Self_Directed/

http://teachersnetwork.org/ntny/nychelp/Professional_Development/self_directed.htm

Dear Miranda,

Dear All,

I am a conservative and not sufficiently informed man so I would like to ask what are the pros of SDL?

Thanks for the great links Prof Ljubomir.  Dear Andras, here are the pros of SDL.  It's surely based on constructivist learning theory.

'The benefits of SDL are best described in terms of the type of learners it develops. The literature on SDL asserts that self-directed learners demonstrate a greater awareness of their responsibility in making learning meaningful and monitoring themselves (Garrison, 1997). They are curious and willing to try new things (Lyman, 1997), view problems as challenges, desire change, and enjoy learning (Taylor, 1995). Taylor also found them to be motivated and persistent, independent, self-disciplined, self-confident and goal-oriented.

Self-directed learning allows learners to be more effective learners and social beings. Guthrie, et al. (1996) noted that the self-directed learners in a Concept-Oriented Reading Instruction (CORI) program demon-strated the ability to search for information in multiple texts, employ different strategies to achieve goals, and to represent ideas in different forms (drawing and writing). Morrow, et al. (1993) observe that with proper planning and implementation, self-directed learning can encourage students to develop their own rules and leadership patterns.'

http://www.education.com/reference/article/Ref_Self_Directed/

https://www.researchgate.net/post/Constructivist_theories_have_been_in_education_for_quite_many_years_Based_on_Constructivist_theories_how_have_you_been_implementing_your_teaching?_tpcectx=profile_questions

Dear Miranda,

Thanks for the information. I see that SDL is what one called in everyday life a serious learner who has aims for studying, logical strategy, resolution and diligence. As far as I can assess the number of students practising SDL decrease and decrease. I am glad because I made and make efforts involuntarily for popularising SDL.

Yes Andras, you are right that we seem to get students of poorer academic quality.  At our last meeting just last Friday, my director said the good ones have gone overseas, or to local universities for the foundation or pre-university studies, so we get 90% who are average, not excellent students.  They have little curiosity, aren't so interested in studying (as we were) and think they can memorize to remember for exams.  They haven't developed critical thinking: analyse, evaluate, synthesize; and some cannot even apply.  Instead of being able to become independent thinkers and learners by themselves, now it's my job to guide them and persuade them to be so.

Dear Miranda,

The concept of self-directed learning goes way back to John Dewey and even to Jean-Jaques Rousseau and many in between. It is so obvious that learners learn more efficiently when they have the power to choose what, when, with whom and how they want to learn for so many reasons. But I would not start to argue on the basis of efficiency. I would even let students act as subjects of their learning process if it was (from the viewpoint of whatever perspective) inefficient. 

However, the problem with SDL is that self-determination does not function gradually. You need to empower the students entirely. There is no real, motivating, thrilling freedom inside a given frame or in the context of assignments that can be dealt with in this or the other way. Almost nobody dares to trust students to really take over the responsibility for their learning. Some do and it works perfectly. From my point of view, the value of compromised self-determination is very limited. 

Thank you Franz.  My students are 18 years old and I encourage them to be self directed learners.  Each year I have about 10% of good students, and 90% are average.  That's how my director describes them anyway.  After working with them for a year, encouraging collaborative learning among them, I can end up with about 20% who do well in the final exams.

Dear friends, my first research on SDL is completed and I have sent it to a journal in Michigan, US.  Now I'm doing a second research on SDL.

https://www.researchgate.net/post/Is_anyone_interested_in_doing_a_research_in_self-directed_learning_or_independent_learning_of_first_year-college_or_K12_students

Dear Dr Shanmugasundaram, I explain to my students that they must take the responsibility for their studies, to plan and monitor and evaluate.  SDL is related to constructivist learning theory that it's the learner who needs to actively build links between new info and existing knowledge.  Self directed learner needs info literacy skills (address the need for info, actively search for info, organizes, presents info, evaluates the process).  I have put 1 post on your thread concerning IL (info literacy).  Perhaps you didn't realize that.

https://www.researchgate.net/post/Is_it_high_time_to_include_Information_Literacy_programme_in_Higher_Education

Dear Miranda,

self regulation, autonomy ,  self management, self leader skills can be inextricably tied up to  SDL>

good luck with your research

a.

Dear Miranda,all the SDL,SR,SM,SLS are in SDL.The idea behind "SELF" whatever added, is to redirect learning to the "Learner -Directed mode".Teacher directed  classrooms are no longer ideal.Researches show that learners grasp and retain only what they are interested in learning through participation.So if a teacher should assist learner build interest in a particular content,the learner will grasp and retain more and possibly utilize over 80% as against below 50% in teacher directed learning mode.

Now consider the internet age,all the learner desires  is screens (small as handset mobile  OR big as highway billboards).So to make learning interesting and learner-driven,redirect content to involve what the  learners of this dispensation need(ELECTRONICS-power-points,internet search,field-trips,brainstorming,animation,podcasts,skype,emails,FB,twitters)the list is so much.

I have tried this and it worked.I asked the student to develop a content on Neurons from all available sources to them,i gave specific timelines for the process,i was amazed at the level and quantity of materials.As the teacher,no matter the time i would have put in,i would not generate that quantity and quality of content.At presentation time,i encouraged power-points  or any method chosen by each students,mmh for days we could not exhaust our content;HERE lies my work as the teacher: I wrote what was given by syllabus,in agreement,we eliminated unrequired content,irrelevant,distractions, noise,and divergent ideas from the line of thought required.We arrived at conclusion and the class retained all the required  line of thought,plus the extra from their own findings.Sometimes these syllabus and curriculum content seem to put the learner in a box.The idea of SD,SR,SM,SLS is to expand the mind and encourage meta -cognition which generates new world ideas and visions. Learning is all about developing our world and possibly global  problem solving.Let the learners think outside the BOX called CURRICULUM!!!

There are still many more global challenges which this generation would have to tackle and this cannot be done with regimented scheme of work in our classrooms.

So am not quoting someone else research,no,from my own teaching method Self directed learners are the ones who develop new world order of things.

Thanks for your views.  Recently, we had an education development plan (Pelan Pembangunan Pendidikan) that was intended to raise the education standard.  Our 15 year olds performed poorly in PISA 2012.  Now the results of PISA 2015 will be available quite soon, but I am not sure if our students would perform.  Our education ministry has been benchmarking Australian education.  And copying that for secondary schools.  I wonder if it would be better to benchmark SIngapore instead.

"Singapore Students Excel in Thinking Flexibility And Creatively To Solve Complex And Unfamiliar Problems, Says PISA Study.

Singapore’s 15-year-olds excel in thinking flexibly and creatively to solve complex and unfamiliar problems. This is according to the 2012 Programme for International Student Assessment (PISA) computer-based assessment of Problem Solving, organised by the Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD)."

http://www.moe.gov.sg/media/press/2014/04/singapore-students-excel-in-thinking-flexibility.php

Dear @Miranda, please find attached paper on life long learning based, among all possible approaches, on Self Directed learning.

http://stat.uns.ac.rs/workshop3/6lll-beam.pdf

Thanks for the paper, dear Ljubomir.  Much appreciated!  We are all lifelong learners on RG.  Lifelong learning is mostly about:

• Formal learning (university).
• Non-formal learning (obtaining particular skills at the workplace).
• Informal learning (home schooling, in the family, with friends).
• Self-directed learning (the individual makes all decision about what and how to learn)  But many of my students are so relaxed because they think that they will always have opportunities in education and career.  It's the minorities like me who have to work so hard.  Then I LEARN TO FIND JOY IN ALL MY LABOR.  When I retire, I will still work hard!

http://www.forbes.com/pictures/lmj45gedd/most-americans-like-their-jobs/

I agree with Ann-Maria and Dr Ljubomir

19 years ago we developed TheoPrax   www.theo-prax.de    at University Stuttgart, Germany. It is a mix of at least 3 different methods: 1/3rd frontal lecture with many exercises and quetions during reading, 1/3 rd group exercises (3 students in one group)

1/3rd procect work on real industrial or Society Problems. The remark weighing was: 50% : 25% : 25 %. The total remark was given immediately after the 2 coarses, all the examinations during the coarses. The motivation of the students was very high. The learning effectivity by factor 2 better than the normal frontal reading. Have look to file.

please ask me for Details!

Peter