Continuing education is becoming more and more individualized, as we have often discussed. That is why it is all the 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!
First things 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 can be found in various areas, e.g. in psychology, but also in adult education and personnel development. And rightly so: Self-directed learning offers a decisive advantage. It enables learners to tailor learning content to their own needs. This makes it easier for them to apply new knowledge in everyday work – precisely 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
Selection of suitable learning strategies that match one's own 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 around these five points. Let's start with goal setting:
1. Setting goals in the self-directed learning process
Goal setting is an essential component of self-directed learning. In order for your employees to learn effectively, they must first be clear about what they want or need to learn. Therefore, well-defined goals are particularly important. Only then can learners pursue the desired goal. The following questions may help:
What do I want to learn in this course?
Why do I want to learn something about this topic?
When is the best time for me to learn?
How should I learn this content?
It is best to sit down with your participating employees before a training session (regardless of whether it is e-learning or a face-to-face event) and try to answer this question together.
2. How to motivate in self-directed learning
The motivation of learners is crucial to the success of your training program. Since we have already discussed this topic in detail on the blog, I would like to highlight a few helpful articles:
Increase motivation in e-learning: Involve leaders!
More motivation in online courses: Why the first content matters
Continuing education in the home office: How to motivate your employees!
Two simple blink.it solutions for motivation killers in online courses
In addition, an important aspect should be highlighted: Social interaction in the self-directed learning process. After all, especially in e-learning or other digital training offers, there is the possibility to interact with other participants. Whether through joint projects or group discussions. This exchange is particularly important for learners, as it allows them to support each other and develop new ideas.
3. Suitable learning strategies for different learning types
Not every person is the same, and that’s a good thing! This also applies to the learning behavior of each individual. Therefore, it is even more important for HR professionals to provide suitable learning content for different learning types.
Tip: The four types of learners have already been explained in another article: Four Types of Learners in Training
Accordingly, it is helpful to provide your learning content in different formats. Whether text, video, or quiz – the media mix in your training program is ultimately decisive for success.
4. How learners can overcome problems
Experience shows that most of us fail at the same things. In the learning process, this can be due to the actual learning content or the external circumstances. The following things 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 in a crowded, noisy train? Or do you prefer to do that quietly on your own sofa? Probably the latter, and for good reason: In order to concentrate, we usually need a quiet environment where we are not interrupted. Whether in a quiet individual office or at home in a quiet room. Perhaps you'll choose a completely different place, like a library? No matter where: The right learning place is crucial to success and varies from person to person.
Are you an early riser or a night owl? These factors are also decisive. After all, we cannot learn equally well at all times. Some prefer to learn early in the morning before the hectic workday, while others prefer to learn late into the night. Once you find your best time, you should also schedule your learning times firmly.
2. Your guideline: Create a learning plan
Here it is almost irrelevant whether you, as an HR professional, provide a rough learning plan or the learners create one themselves. The goal is for learners to have a clear target in mind and know what to expect. This can include individual topics as well as fixed learning times and locations. In the spirit of a learner's journey, you can create your own learning paths for training.
3. Our brain learns during breaks
Even though it may sound strange at first: We primarily learn during breaks, as shown by several studies. That’s why you should consciously plan your breaks and pay attention to their design.
If we study for long periods of time, we become tired and cannot concentrate properly anymore. Ideally, we should move every 20 minutes and take a short break every hour. During this time, however, we should set our smartphones aside and consciously relax, perhaps by taking a short walk or engaging in another activity away from the desk.
4. Use all your senses: Take notes
You’ve probably participated in training sessions and educational measures before where you can’t remember the content. This is likely because you primarily listened but didn’t have to “work” with the information. Therefore, it is even more important for learners to take their own notes (preferably with pen and paper, e.g. as sketchnotes).
Notes not only help to better retain information, but you can also refer back to them later. Collaboration with other learners can also be helpful at this point to summarize what has been learned in your own words.
Tip: We have summarized other typical learning mistakes in this article for you: 3 Typical Learning Mistakes in Further Education and How to Avoid Them
5. Enable self-control in the self-directed learning process
Trust is important, control is better. But this does not mean that HR professionals should interrogate learners in a testing situation under duress. It is more about the learners' own control. After all, it does no one any good if employees are just as smart after a training session as they were before.
Those responsible for training have the opportunity to offer quizzes and repetitions for voluntary self-control. This way, learners can check for themselves whether they have really learned something. In the spirit of self-directed learning, it is important to allow learners this self-control and not to intervene from the "outside".
In summary, we can state here that self-directed learning is one of the most effective learning methods for closing knowledge gaps and acquiring new skills. Additionally, learners feel a sense of control over their own learning process and can tailor content to their own needs. This increases motivation. Furthermore, interaction with other learners is beneficial for learning success, as they can support each other.
HR professionals can also support this by providing learning content in a central location. A suitable learning platform like blink.it helps with this.
