We all engage in self-directed learning throughout our lives, which includes studying on our own using books, articles, videos, or other materials without or with little assistance from an instructor.
Having its own set of advantages and disadvantages, self-directed learning refers to a person’s ability to take the initiative to identify their own learning needs, their ability to set learning objectives, their ability to define the learning resources they need, their ability to select and use effective learning strategies, and their ability to assess learning outcomes with or without assistance from anyone.
Self-directed learning is becoming increasingly important in higher education as students are expected to take charge of their own education and career development with less contribution from teachers. This approach to learning allows students to set their goals, develop their own learning plans, and assess their progress.
In this post, we will learn about the necessity of promoting self-directed learning in higher education and how we can for promoting a self-directed approach in students using practical tools and resources
Why is self-directed learning necessary for higher education?
Self-directed learning is an important aspect of higher education as it empowers students to take ownership of their own learning, sets them up to be self-motivated, and encourages them to be lifelong learners.
- Self-directed learning in higher education makes the learning process more effective and efficient. In traditional classroom settings, the teacher is primarily responsible for providing the information and guiding the learning process. However, in higher education, the focus shifts from being solely teacher-centered to being more student-centered. Learners are more likely to be engaged in the process and seem to be motivated and inspired when they are in charge of their own education. Independent thought and self-reliance can be encouraged by self-directed learning
- Another major difficulty in higher education is that students are not always used to taking responsibility for their own learning process. Self-directed learning can aid people in better understanding their own learning styles. When students are in charge of their own education, they can examine their personal strengths, weakness, and preference.
Self-directed learning also encourages students to be lifelong learners after studies for professional development and being updated with the changes in the field.
How to promote self-directed learning in higher education?
Self-directed learning is an essential life skill that can aid people in achieving their professional, academic, and personal objectives in higher education. Learners must be proactive, motivated, and organized throughout the process. There are several methods that can aid students in becoming more self-directed. These include formulating a plan, determining resources, establishing learning goals, and monitoring development. Furthermore, teachers and educators can also use some tools like quotes to empower and inspire the little ones.
1. Learning how to learn

One of the important steps toward self-directed learning is learning the right way to learn. Some people spend long hours reading books or taking notes but get nothing out of it. It is important to know effective approaches such as retrieval practice, the Pomerado technique, note-making, and more. Research and try what fits best for you.
2. Create a learning plan

After you’ve figured out how to study, the next question is what you want to learn. Make a list of topics or chapter plans you want to cover in a week at a particular time. Do not make unattainable goals. Learning plans with a schedule, specific objectives, and due dates encourage learners to pursue information at a deeper level. It also enables students to recognize their growth, weak points, and progress, which will bring about a feeling of satisfaction for their hard work.
3. Self-reflection on learning
Self-directed learners should have the ability to reflect critically on their own learning. This way, one is able to identify their own knowledge gaps and cover them. They are also able to regularly take a step back and evaluate the strategy they have been using, spot any flaws, restructure the plan, and modify the approach as necessary.
4. Time management

To maximize an individual’s efforts in daily life, time management is essential for the synchronization of tasks and activities. In essence, time management is used to help people complete more, better work in less time. Setting goals, creating a to-do list, developing a routine, eliminating distractions, and prioritizing what needs to be done are all important aspects of time management.
5. Finding Resources

Finding and researching relevant and credible resources to learn about your topic of interest is the approach to self-directed learning. Types of resources include information and media like books, videos, learning programs, mentors or guides in a particular subject, methods, and approaches to take.
6. SMART Strategy
A well-liked framework for defining and attaining goals is the SMART method. Students should make SMART goals for themselves that are time-bound, relevant, specified, measurable, and achievable. You can use these factors to determine how near you are to reach your objective.
Tools and resources to promote self-directed learning in higher education
There is a tonne of free academic publications, online courses, ebooks, and other resources available online that could be helpful for your educational endeavors in higher education.
1. Online Courses
Coursera, Khan Academy, EDX, and future learn are some of the best online course providers, including courses in all domains of higher education. Apart from these MOOCs, you can avail abundant of free knowledge on Youtube- all you need to do is make a search – but be aware of false information.
2. Youtube
Youtube is a video platform where you can find quality content from basic to advanced topics in one search. Youtube is free of cost, and educational content is available to students, professors, institutes, colleges, universities as well as industry experts.
3. Research papers
For scholarly articles, Google Scholar provides you with a wealth of research papers both paid and free versions around websites including links and access to academic books. To access free books and papers you can utilize archive.org and JSTOR for academic papers and books.
4. Study Planners
You can schedule time each day for clearly defined learning activities, goals, and other daily duties with a study planner app or make one by yourself. It’s extremely useful when attempting to find time to schedule every task for completion by a certain deadline and keep you organized.
5. Whiteboard
Keep a small whiteboard with you to help to have plans, notes, or task planning easy.
Whiteboards are excellent surfaces for keeping lists of the things you need to do and the things you need to learn. With the various colored markers, you can color-coordinate your studies and create distinct to-do lists for each subject that you can refer to while you read the content.
Teachers must remember…
Teachers still have the ability to offer help that can clearly benefit students even when they are working individually. Here are two things teachers can use to support students’ independent learning:
- Finding trustworthy and reputable resources is one of the difficulties of self-directed learning. Educators can assist students by recommending books, websites, and other resources.
- For students who are self-teaching, feedback is also crucial. Teachers can address any queries, offer feedback on students’ improvement, make suggestions for enhancement, and guide them.
Conclusion
It is necessary for higher education institutions too to provide students with the necessary guidance, support, and resources to help them overcome these difficulties and succeed in self-directed learning. This can include providing students with the tools and skills they need to set learning goals, create effective study plans, and manage their time effectively. Additionally, providing opportunities for self-reflection, peer learning, mentorship, and guidance can help to improve their self-regulation and self-evaluation skills.

I am Shweta Sharma. I am a final year Masters student of Clinical Psychology and have been working closely in the field of psycho-education and child development. I have served in various organisations and NGOs with the purpose of helping children with disabilities learn and adapt better to both, academic and social challenges. I am keen on writing about learning difficulties, the science behind them and potential strategies to deal with them. My areas of expertise include putting forward the cognitive and behavioural aspects of disabilities for better awareness, as well as efficient intervention. Follow me on LinkedIn