Topics: Learning & Education Self-Directed Learning
Students need to be able to steer their learning according to their interests. Even intelligent students fail when they can’t make a connection to their personal goals or control their studies autonomously — they have to feel a sense of agency . But when they do control their path, the benefits are clear.
Students that switch between (self-selected) projects as they get stuck or bored avoid downtime and generate more cross-project insights. This creates a virtuous cycle between self-direction and motivation, because Internal scorekeeping is a virtuous cycle. Learning becomes a positive feedback loop, not a static goalpost.
Learners should be setup with all the tools necessary to learn1; but its fundamentally up to them to “go out and experience the world” to gain wisdom — Knowledge can be taught; but wisdom must come from experience. Thus self-direction is the best way to deeply known, experiential understanding.
Finally, self-direction is also more hands-on, which improves retention — Experience beats observation. You remember what you struggled for, yourself —Transformation requires challenge.