When most people think of learning, images of online training sessions or a classroom full of students come to mind. However, learning in which students take classes in groups, or group-based learning, is one form of learning and not the only form. By giving students the freedom to choose when, where and sometimes what they want to learn, both organizations and students can benefit.
This form of independent learning is known as self-directed learning and has become a unique model in both training and learning and development organizations. If you want to learn more about self-study, its pros and cons, and self-study tips, this article is for you.
What is accelerated learning?
Accelerated learning is a teaching method in which students progress through material at their own pace and on their own schedule. Unlike traditional classroom or group-based learning, accelerated learning is led by the student, not the instructor-Stylomr
Individual study allows students to spend as much or as little time as their interest in the course or course materials. This enables personalized learning where students can identify their own needs and interests.
Benefits of Self-Learning
Now that we have covered what self-directed learning is, let’s look at the benefits that both students and instructional designers can expect from a self-directed learning program.
Allow students to progress at their own pace.
One of the most important advantages of self-directed learning is that students can progress through the material at their own pace. This gives students a greater chance of success because not all students learn at the same pace. Being disabled or having a learning disability, or being a caregiver, parent or full-time employee can change the pace of learning.
However, rapid learning is beneficial not only for students who need more time, but also for students who progress through rapid learning. These students do not need to feel restricted and can breathe with the device if they wish.
Improves students’ self-control and time management
Without a deadline set by the teacher, it may be difficult for some students to manage their time well and remain disciplined. This is why self-study can be so valuable. Students can develop their skills in working independently and following a self-directed curriculum.
Discipline and time management skills are not important skills to learn. But it is also a life skill and a professional skill. Many professional jobs require employees to perform their work independently and sometimes without a fixed deadline. Experience and self-study can give these workers the skills to succeed outside of their education.
Even though learning is rapid, this does not mean that teachers cannot monitor students’ progress and provide support when necessary. By monitoring the progress of the work regularly, you can quickly see if students are falling behind.
One of the best ways to motivate and encourage students is to send reminders based on student performance. For example, if a student has been inactive for more than a week, an email can be sent to encourage them to continue and provide them with supporting materials.
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Results are part of good learning. Feedback can guide students and help them understand how they can improve and what they are doing well. It can also motivate students and make them feel supported.
Because feedback is crucial to a successful learning experience, even an accelerated learning program should include some feedback. When it is not possible to provide personalized feedback due to limited time or resources, creating automated responses to assessments can help students feel supported and guided throughout the process.
Use the game
Accelerated learning programs lack the motivating factors such as social pacing and deadlines that are part of teacher-driven or group-based programs. Therefore, it is important to find other ways to engage and motivate students. And gaming can be a great way to do this.
Playing involves incorporating game-like elements into the learning process. Some examples of eLearning games include leaderboards, learning tags, activity-based activities, or simulations.
Add assessment
Assessment is invaluable for effective learning. Information cannot be stored in our brain without frequent exposure. This means that information will be difficult to obtain in the future. Therefore, since revision is very important in learning, it needs to be incorporated into the learning process itself.
Group-based learning involves group discussions or debates in which information is evaluated, whereas individualized learning generally does not include such evaluation opportunities. Therefore, try to present the same information in different ways; for example, through a lecture followed by a video or podcast. Repeating the space rather than repeating it sequentially is also a good strategy.
Final Thoughts on Self-Directed Learning
Students are no longer expected to constantly coordinate their schedules, learning pace, and interests throughout the course. In self-directed learning, students have the power to choose how they embed learning into their lives; with as little or as much time as they need or want to spend learning.
As with any learning model, self-study has its pros and cons. But understanding your individual student, learning goals, budget, and time constraints can help you decide whether self-study is the best option for you and your students.
But just because you’re self-employed doesn’t mean you can’t include social elements in your plans. Providing informal collaboration opportunities, such as a discussion board, is a great way to enhance opportunities for students to learn from each other.
Lack of structure
One of the main disadvantages of self-directed learning is the lack of structure compared to group learning. While group-based learning usually has a set schedule where all students progress through the program, accelerated learning has a looser schedule.
While a lack of structure may not pose a problem for students with advanced organizational and time management skills, other students may struggle. Therefore, it may be helpful to provide students with instructions on how to organize their work. For example, you might advise students that they should aim to complete one module per week.
Reduced opportunities to connect
Although not directly related to the course, the unexpected opportunity to take a course or complete a training program is a way to connect with other students. For example, you can meet colleagues from other departments or levels by taking professional development courses at work.
However, it is difficult to connect to networks due to the independent nature of self-learning. Students are often not in the same place at the same time and have few opportunities to work together. But one way to get around this is to have participants voluntarily share their LinkedIn profiles or email addresses. In this way, they can meet outside the program.
Increasing Challenges and Maintaining Student Motivation
Another challenge of self-paced learning is related to student motivation. Without external motivators such as mandatory participation or social pressure, students are at great risk of becoming democratized and discouraged. However, this should not be the case.
Even without the supportive factors of group-based learning, self-directed learning can continue to be highly motivating for students. The most important thing is to make the lesson interesting and interesting. In the next section, we’ll show you how to integrate engaging elements like microlearning and gamification to motivate students.
Finding Your Own Research Solutions
If you are interested in developing a self-study program, there are some considerations you should keep in mind. Here are five tips to help you plan a fun and productive event.
Use microlearning
Microlearning is the last word in eLearning and presentation design. And there’s a logical reason for its rise. Microlearning provides many benefits, including higher retention rates, higher levels of student engagement, and affordability.
If you are planning to develop a self-learning program, why not include some microlearning elements? Some examples of microlearning that you can include in your accelerated learning program are large format videos, quizzes or games, or infographics.
Track student progress
Reduce stress for students
Studies show that approximately 25-40% of American students suffer from anxiety. In some cases, this fear does not end with graduation but can continue in their professional lives. Therefore, accelerated learning can be useful to help reduce additional pressure on students who are already overwhelmed.
Although accelerated learning requires students to be motivated, they can prevent test anxiety or social anxiety. This means they can complete the task when they feel ready and in the best position to succeed.
Allows more students to enroll
Another benefit of individual study for both students and families is that it allows for larger class sizes. This means students have a better chance of being placed on a course before enrollment capacity is reached.
But not only do many students study, you can also work well in organizations. Instead of teaching multiple instructor-led classes to small groups, organizations can create a single learning program that suits all students.
Cost reduction for companies
Another advantage of self-employment for organizations is that it reduces costs. While training and development provides a high return on investment, the Learning and Development program also comes with a cost.
Creating learning programs often requires designers, instructors, and learning software, which can be expensive. Therefore, creating an accelerated learning program with longer enrollment periods can be very beneficial.
Disadvantages of Individual Study
Although individual study has its advantages, this does not mean that it is always the right or always effective way to teach. Here are four common self-study traps and how to overcome them.
Lack of Collaboration
Unlike group-based or traditional classroom learning, there is often less group activity and collaboration in self-directed learning. Since students do not have a set schedule, they complete the programs independently without much interaction with other students.
