Further education is becoming more individual, we have often talked about this. Therefore, it is even more important to promote self-directed learning among employees. We share our favorite tips and tricks on how everyone can learn in a self-directed manner!
The most important thing first: What does self-directed learning actually mean?
The term “self-directed learning” is often used synonymously with the terms self-organized learning or self-determined learning, according to Wikipedia. These concepts can be found in various fields, e.g., psychology, but also in adult education and personnel development. And rightly so: Self-directed learning brings a decisive advantage. It allows learners to tailor the learning content to their own needs. This makes it easier for them to apply new knowledge in their everyday work – exactly when it is needed.
Self-directed learning is also characterized by the following features:
Independent goal setting by the learner
Self-motivation during the learning process
Choice of suitable learning strategies according to personal learning behavior
Overcoming problems in the learning process
Self-control of one's own learning success
We would like to structure our tips for the successful implementation of self-directed learning based on these five points. Let's start with goal setting:
1. Set goals in the self-directed learning process
Goal setting is an essential component of self-directed learning. For your employees to learn effectively, they must first be clear about what they would like or need to learn. Therefore, clearly defined goals are particularly important. Only then can learners pursue the intended goal. The following questions may help:
What do I want to learn in this course?
Why do I want to learn something on this topic?
When is the best time for me to learn?
How should I learn this content?
It's best to sit down with your participating employees before a training measure (regardless of whether e-learning or in-person) and try to answer this question together.
2. How to motivate in self-directed learning
The motivation of learners is crucial for the success of your training measure. Since we have already dealt with this topic extensively in the blog, I would like to recommend a few helpful articles at this point:
Increase motivation in e-learning: Involve leaders!
More motivation in online courses: Why the first content matters
Further education in home office: How to motivate your employees!
Two simple blink.it solutions for motivation killers in online courses
Moreover, an important aspect should be emphasized: social interaction in the self-directed learning process. After all, especially in e-learning or other digital training offerings, there is the opportunity to interact with other participants. Whether through joint projects or group discussions, this exchange is particularly important for learners because only in this way can they support each other and develop new ideas.
3. Suitable learning strategies for different learning types
Not everyone is the same, and that is a good thing! This applies, of course, to the learning behavior of each individual. Therefore, it is even more important for personnel managers to provide suitable learning content for different learning types.
Tip: We have already explained the four learning types in another article: Four Learning Types in Training
Consequently, it is helpful to provide your learning content in various formats. Whether text, video, or quiz – the media mix in your training measure is crucial for success.
4. How learners can overcome problems
Experience shows that we mostly struggle with the same things. In the learning process, this can be due to either the actual learning content or external circumstances. The following tips can help learners overcome problems in the self-directed learning process:
1. The right learning place and the right time
Have you ever tried to read a book on a crowded, noisy train? Or do you prefer to do that quietly on your own couch? Probably the latter, and for good reason: We usually need a quiet environment where we are not interrupted in order to concentrate. Whether in a quiet single office or at home in a quiet room. Perhaps you might choose a completely different place, for example, in a library? No matter where: The right learning place is crucial for success and varies from person to person.
Are you an early riser or a night owl? These factors are also important. Because we cannot learn equally well at all times. One person likes to learn early in the morning before the hectic workday, while the other prefers to study late into the night. Once you find your optimal timing, you should plan your learning times accordingly.
2. Your guideline: Create a learning plan
Here it is almost irrelevant whether you, as a personnel manager, provide a rough learning plan or the learners create one themselves. The key is that learners have a clear goal in mind and know what to expect. This can include both the individual topics as well as fixed learning times and locations. In line with a learner's journey, you can create custom learning paths for continuing education.
3. Our brains learn during breaks
Even though it sounds strange at first: We primarily learn during breaks, as several studies show. That’s why you should consciously incorporate your breaks and pay attention to how you organize them.
When we study for long periods without interruption, we become tired and can no longer concentrate properly. Ideally, we should move every 20 minutes and take a short break every hour. However, during this time, we should set our smartphones aside and consciously relax, for example, by taking a short walk or engaging in another activity away from the desk.
4. Use all senses: Take notes
You've probably participated in in-person training and continuing education measures where you can't remember the content anymore. This is likely because you primarily listened but weren’t required to “work” with the information. Therefore, it is all the more important for learners to take notes themselves (preferably with pen and paper, e.g., as sketchnotes).
Notes not only help retain information better, but you can also refer back to them later. Engaging with other learners can also be helpful at this point to summarize what they’ve heard in their own words.
Tip: We have summarized further typical learning mistakes in this article for you: 3 Typical Learning Mistakes in Continuing Education and How to Avoid Them
5. Enable self-control in the self-directed learning process
Trust is important, control is better. However, this does not mean that personnel managers should quiz learners under pressure in an exam situation. It is more about the learners' self-control. After all, it doesn’t help anyone if employees are just as knowledgeable after a training session as they were before.
Training managers have the opportunity to offer quizzes and reviews for voluntary self-control. This way, learners can check whether they have truly learned something. In the spirit of self-directed learning, it is crucial to leave this self-control to the learners and not to intervene “from the outside.”
In summary, we can state that self-directed learning is one of the most effective learning methods to close knowledge gaps and acquire new skills. Furthermore, learners feel they have control over their own learning process and can tailor content to their needs. This increases motivation. The exchange with other learners also promotes learning success, as they can assist each other.
Personnel managers can also support this by providing learning content centrally in one place. A suitable learning platform like blink.it can help with this. If you would like to test it without obligation, you can directly schedule an admin demo and learn more about the features and possibilities of blink.it.
Test blink.it
Your Admin Demo
Start collecting your content in online courses and make it easier for your employees to learn in workflow. Test blink.it now!
Request a free admin demo now
Do you have questions about blink.it or this article?
Please feel free to write to us if you have questions about the product or specifically about this article. Our marketing team is available via email or forwards your request to a suitable Blinkie 😊
