Topic 1 : Definitions, importance, and process of self-directed learning.
In the real world today, the scientific knowledge and technologies have grown rapidly to considerable progress. Thus, learning only from any educational institutions might not answer most learners’ total needs. Selfdirected learning becomes they way that can do such things. Whenever an individual feels like learning something, he can freely start at any time he wants. The educational and philosophy at the present time are to enable learners to continue lifelong learning; to learn by themselves; to seek knowledge and learning resources; to own the skills of thinking creatively, of acting properly and of problem solving appropriately; to create a habit of working hard, living a simple life, and participating in looking after the nation.
“It is possible to help learners expand their potential by being discovered that which is yet untapped”
(Brockett & Hiemstra, 1991)
According to the Non-Formal Curriculum of Basic Education Level B.E. 2551, education is appropriately arranged according to the national problems and out-of-school learners’ needs. The non-formal learners can be adults who have some experiences from working or occupations and children who miss out on basic education. By setting the curriculum, standards of learning, learning management, measurement and evaluation, the target learners are to be developed of the mind and morality along with learning, and immunization. The learners are to manage knowledge either from the local wisdom and technologies, so that they can adapt to changes in society over time. They are to have immunity under the sufficiency economy, including consideration of the nature of the learning that is outside the system and consistency with economic, social and political situations, and the progress of technology and communication. Thus, in each learner’s study, learners must be aware that education programs outside the Basic Education Act 2551 will bear fruit well, if the learners have studied and followed the instructions of teachers. Each subject is divided into chapters, each of which consists of questions, activities, and exercises. The practice of each course book has provided various details such as a set of learning evaluation, so that learners can measure their progress after they have learnt. Besides, the learners will have to review the lesson, or what they have learnt. This will be helpful in preparing for the next examination too.
Learners have to learn the substances of the courses of self-directed learning, using learning resources, learning management, thinking ability, and simple research. In the course of self-directed learning, the substances focus on the development of learning skills. Opportunities are provided for learners to learn and practice learning on their own, and to improve their learning habits which are sustainable basic skills for every learner. It can serve as a tool for a lifelong self-directed learning throughout his life.
Self-directed learning is a learning approach that is consistent with the current conditions, and it is the concept that supports the lifelong learning in society to become a learning society. It enables individuals to learn on their own with clear goals, responsibility for their own lives, and with inspiration. This ensures that learners are motivated to have a lifelong learning and they can learn much more than their teachers can teach them.
Self-directed learning is an educational principle, which has gained more and more interest in almost all educational organizations. It is one way to support the lifelong learning by creating the skills of lifelong learning in the learners, as specified in the objectives of the Education Act 2542, and as amended (No. 2) Act 2545. The self-directed learning is an educational concept which is based on the theory of human group posts (Humanism), who have believed that all men are naturally good people, having freedom and being of their own, being individual, having potential, having their own perception, responsibilities, and being human.
The learners can learn at their own pace; therefore, it is the best feature which is available in all persons. Learners should have the qualities of self-directed learning. Self-directed learning is a lifelong learning process which recognizes that every learner has potential to learn things on their own in order to live a happy life in a society that has been changing over time.
To begin our best self-directed learning, we must first get ourselves ready for it and realize the level of our readiness: most, much, moderate, low, or least.
Readiness to learn on one’s own.
To learn on one’s own is one of a learner’s personal characteristics that is required as an educational goal. Learners who are well-prepared for self-directed learning will own personal responsibilities, and those for their own thoughts and performances. They can interactively control any situations and themselves in the direction of their choices, and are ready to accept any consequences resulting from either their performances or decisions.
"Children naturally have to rely on others and parents to protect themselves. When grown up, they develop independently and need less external dependence and are on their own.
This features a self-directed learning."
1. Learning by accident. The learning occurs by chance, not by intention.
2. Self-directed learning. The learning occurs by intention. When learners desire to know anything, they have to think of a way to learn them. After that, they will evaluate their learning results by themselves. This method of learning becomes more important in this globalized world. People who can adjust themselves to the progress of the world, and can use modern equipment and materials will become the persons of great value and well succeeded in life.
Definitions, and importance of self-directed learning
Learning is for everyone. Learners’ dignity occurs whenever they have a chance to learn whatever meaningful to them. Learning consists of 2 factors. The external ones are: the environments, the school buildings, facilities, and teachers; the internal ones are: thinking ability, self-reliability, freedom, enthusiasm for learning and creation, logical thoughts and positive attitude towards learning. Learning does not occur while listening to the lectures or what the teacher said. But it may occur in the following situations:
Learning by accident. The learning occurs by chance, not by intention.
Self-directed learning. The learning occurs by intention. When learners desire to know anything, they have to think of a way to learn them. After that, they will evaluate their learning results by themselves. This method of learning becomes more important in this globalized world. People who can adjust themselves to the progress of the world, and can use modern equipment and materials will become the persons of great value and well succeeded in life.
Group Learning. Learning occurs when learners gather and experts are invited to give lectures to them, and they can gain knowledge from the lecturers.
Learning in educational institutions. This is formal learning with a set of curriculums, evaluations, enand trance principles into the study places. Learners have to act according to the rules and regulations of each institution. After they have completely performed everything set for them, they become graduates with a diploma or a degree.
As mentioned above, learning can occur in several ways. Learning does not only occur in an educational institution, but also by self-directed learning or by group learning. A person who consciously realizes the value of learning will always need self-directed learning which will support his lifelong learning. This kind of learning can go along well with the always-changing world of today and well supports “the society of learning”.
“Learning is the best friend of man.”
(LEARNING makes a man fit company for himself) ... Young) ...
What is Self- directed learning?
When referring to self-directed learning. general people may understand that it is a way of learning that learners study on their own without relying on any instructors. But in fact, self-directed learning is a learning process that encourages learners to begin their learning directly from their own needs, interests, and aptitudes. Learners have their own goals, know where to find learning resources, and know how to choose learning methods and ways to assess their learning progresses, either by themselves or with others. The learners, therefore, have to be responsible for their own learning.
The concept of self-directed learning is based on the concept of a theory group called “humanism”. It is a belief that all human beings are born with independence and goodness; they can be on their own and find their own choices; they have potentials which can be developed without limits, including responsibilities for themselves and others. The self-directed learning brings a positive effect on learning. This will result in the learners' self-confidence, more learning motivation, and higher academic achievement. With the use of a variety of methods, self –directed learning becomes an educational standard that should be created in all the learners. That is to say, when learners love to study, to find out their own needs, they will feel enthusiastic about their learning endlessly without being told or forced. This will lead them to a lifelong learning, one of objectives of education.
The self-directed learning consists of 2 learning phenomena: learnercentered education which focuses on learners’ responsibilities and controls of their own learning by their learning plans, learning performances, and evaluating their own learning. A learner does not have to learn alone, he can transfer knowledge and skills from one situation to another. Another phenomenon is in all learners’ characteristics which differ from one another relating to their individual differences and different situations. However, this phenomenon can be improved to its highest when the learning environment is arranged conductively.
Self-Directed Learning is a learning process that learners begin their learning directly from their own needs, interests, and aptitudes. Learners have their own goals, know where to find learning resources, know how to choose learning methods and ways to assess their learning progresses, either by themselves or with others. The learners, therefore, have to be responsible for their own learning.
How important is Self-Directed Learning?
Self-directed learning is a learning approach that is consistent with the current conditions and it is a concept that supports the lifelong learning of our society members to the society of learning. Self-directed learning enables individuals to learn on their own, with a certain learning goal, independence, self-responsibility, motivations, enthusiasm for learning, a lifelong learning mind, knowing how to learn, ability to learn a lot more things than being taught by teachers. Self-directed learning is the most outstanding feature that belongs to every individual. Learners should own this characteristic. Self-directed learning is a lifelong learning approach. Every learner has his own potentials which are accepted that they can learn a lot of things on their own; so that they can live happily in the society that keeps changing all the time. So, the importance of self-directed learning can be as follows:
1. A person who learns by his own initiative can learn much more, better, more intentionally, more obvious goals, more motivated, and more capable and sustainable of applying in life than those who attend the class as recipients, or wait for the teachers’ instructions.
2. Self-directed learning is consistent with psychological development. Natural processes make a person grow to maturity. When one is young, it is natural for a child to rely on others, especially parents, to protect him, to feed him, and to make decisions for him. When he grows up, he is fully developed and becomes independent. He needs less and less support from others: neither parents nor teachers. He can stand on his own feet.
3. Self-directed learning makes learners full of responsibilities. This is consistent with new educational developments: curriculums, open classrooms, education outreach centers, independent studies, and open universities. All of these encourage learners to have high responsibilities.
4. Self-directed learning helps a human survive. Everything worldwide keeps on changing. So, it is necessary for a human to learn the changing world in order to live a long life. Self-directed learning is, therefore, a continuous process throughout his life.
Self-directed learning is an important feature for living a life effectively. It helps learners gain intention and high ambitions, creative thinking, more considerable flexibility, ability to adjust working behaviors, ability to think and to analyze. It also helps learners adapt and apply their own methods of problem-solving to cope with new problems. Learners can make use of their learning benefits better and longer. And they can certainly succeed in their learning.
What are the main features of self-directed learning?
Self-directed learning can be classified into 2 main features as follows:
1. Personality: Self-directed learners’ personalities are classified as an interior feature that helps keep learners continuously motivated to learn more. Learners who own learning personalities will have responsibilities for their own thinking and their own learning performance, including their selfmanagement. This is most likely to occur when the learning conditions are arranged promisingly.
2. Learning management: The external feature for self-directed learning is the learning management that the learners have to deal with. The management consists of various steps of learning planning, plan undertaking, and evaluations. This feature results in the learners’ self-directed learning. Such learning management brings the most benefits to learners. Knowles (1975) presented “learning contracts” to self-directed learners as a kind of assignment informing learners what to do in order to gain knowledge according to the learning objectives, and the conditions to follow.
What are the elements of self-directed learning?
The elements of self-directed learning are as follows:
1. Analysis of self-needs. Individual learners initially tell his fellow learners about his needs and interests in learning. One fellow learner act as an advisor giving some advice; other acts as a note-taker. Then all 3 learners swab their roles. Each learner performs 3 roles: need and interest presenter, advisor, and note-taker or observer. This is learning cooperation which helps each learner learn in a team and know how to help one another in every aspect.
2. Objectives of learning. It is important to start from the learners’ roles. The learners should study the objectives of each subject, and then write down their learning objectives obviously, focusing on expected behaviors which are measurable and different in each objective level.
3. Learning planning. Learners are to set their learning objectives according to the subject objectives, then arrange the contents to suit their needs and interests, and indicate their learning management most suitably for themselves.
4. Pursuit of information resources, both materials and individuals.
4.1 The useful resources for self-directed learning are libraries, museums, and so on.
4.2 Essential skills that help seek information resources rapidly are questioning skills, reading skills, etc.
5. Evaluation. Learners should, by themselves, assess their learning performance according to their learning objectives in all aspects: knowledge, understanding, skills, attitudes, and values. The steps of evaluation are as follows:
5.1 To set the goals and objectives clearly.
5.2 To perform a study to fulfill the objectives.
5.3 To collect all the complete and reliable evidence resulting from the evaluation for decision-making.
5.4 To compare the data before and after study to see how good the learners’ progresses are.
5.5 To use the information resources from teachers and learners as a criterion for evaluation.
Factor of the self-directed learning. Learners should have a needsanalysis, content analysis, the purpose and plan of study, capability ofacquiring knowledge sources, how to evaluate their own learning, thefriend who was learning along the way, and a mentor and teacher. The teachers and the counselors may need to analyze the availability and skills of the Learners in the steps necessary to become self-learners.
Process of self-directed learning
The process of self-directed learning and the learners’ responsibilities for the learning are the important things that will lead the learners to selfdirected learning. The learners’ responsibilities for their own learning means that the learners can control the learning contents, processes, and various elements of the learning environment, such as the learning plan of their own. The learners need to rely on various information resources which will help bring the plan into action. However, it is the self-directed learners’ responsibility to prepare a plan of their own learning, to choose the topics to learn, and to build a structure of their learning plan as well. In their learning plans, learners must be able to perform a given task, diagnose the support needed and make the support available, analyze and plan the entire learning activities, including to evaluate their learning progress.
What should be the learners’ and teachers’ roles in selfdirectedlearning?
It can be seen that both the Learners and teachers have to diagnose what needs to be learned, the availability of the Learners about the skills needed to learn, targeting, planning learning, the pursuit of knowledge sources, and evaluation of learning. The teachers are trained to recommend the motivation facilitated by the preparation of the background and consulting. The Learners must be a default action, with enthusiasm, caring and responsible to continue their actions, and participatory learning. the Learners are learning at your own pace. The principle that "Learning to be self-starting" and the growth potential and the Self-Learners should bring the heart wise, I think, I asked, as a key list or listen to the synthesis of knowledge. The process of learning in a social context is a powerful one to learn on their own, which is learned in daily life to participate in the live environment. It enables the exchange of interdependence but under the freedom of choice of learning with others who live with the experience and guidance of how teachers and Learners with a shared responsibility for the success of their own learning.
Main features of self-directed learning are as follows.
1. Participation in learning plan, implementation of the plan, and evaluation of learning mean that learners take part in their own learning activities which are based on their needs.
2. Learning that takes the importance of individual learners into account means that the learning process appropriately covers the learners’ individual differences, their backgrounds and interests.
3. Development of the learning skills by oneself is composed of information retrieval, and practice of essential techniques, such as observation, reading with purposes, keeping a record, and so on.
4. Development of learning skills of one another means that learners are required to share their responsibilities in their learning processes, both in an individual learning and in group learning which need different learning skills.
5. Development of self-assessment skills and cooperative skills to assess others focusing on learners’ understanding of the needs to assess and the acceptance of being assessed with various forms of assessment.
The process of self-directed learning is a way of learning that requiresthe learners’ abilities to arrange their own learning processes by the following steps:
1. Diagnosing their needs of learning.
2. Establishing a set of learning objectives.
3. Designing a learning plan.
4. Performing learning activities in information resources.
5. Evaluation.
The learning process for learners who learn by self-directed learning has been proposed by Knowles (1975) to use a “learning contract”, which is used to assign a learning task to learners, to tell them what to do in order to gain knowledge according to the objectives. And the learners have to follow the conditions.
Learning Contract
The term “contract” generally refers to an agreement between two or more people, stating what each will do or refrain from doing something. In fact, there is a contract between teachers and learners in the educational system. But mostly the contract is not written with the conditions that, “if the learners do something correctly, they will get something in return.” The learning contract is a tool that allows the learners to define their own learning method better. It enables the learners to achieve their successes according to the objectives, and the contract itself is a concrete testament to learners’ successes.
The word “contract” in the Webster dictionary means "agreement". So, the words “learning contract” is an agreement that a learner has made with the teacher in order to confirm what he will do in the learning process to achieve the aims and objectives of the course itself.
Learning contract is a form of learning that shows learning evidence by using portfolios.
1. Concept
Learning management in the formal education system is a form of learning that a teacher is required to play a major role in any learning activities. Teachers are to set the form of learning, contents, and activities. Learners are to follow what teachers teach; they have no chances to take part in the learning plans. Educators, both in the West and Africa see that this education system is a systematic learning of the sovereign, the learning of some high-class people, or the systematic learning of the oppressed. In conclusion, this education system does not train people to be themselves; they are not trained to depend on themselves. Thus, there is an attempt to bring in the new concept of the education system, such a system of education that focuses on training people to be self-reliant in Tanzania, and the education in Thailand focusing on training people to have thinking ability. The future form of the education system should be geared to learners rather than teachers. It should be so because in the world of today, new technologies advance rapidly; there are a lot of things that people need to learn. People cannot wait for anybody to tell them anymore. So, in the learning activity, people have to be trained to think about how to learn what they need to learn first. That is to say, learners are trained for their future learning.
2. Why must there be a learning contract?
The results of the research on adult learning have showed that adults learn best when they are learning on their own, not by telling or teaching at a school. And the results of psychological researches also have showed that adults have a strong desire to do something for themselves without any instructions or much guidance. However, when speaking of the education system, it is a must to say about the quality of the individual who will come into the education system. It is, therefore, necessary to set up rules for the education standard. Although, the learners are required to learn on their own, there need to be established measures to control the quality of the learners to the standards established by the society. Because of this, the learning contractplays a role in a systematic learning plan.
Advantages of the learning contract are the coordinated ideas that learning should be set up by learners and the education standard must be built to suit the nation’s growth. In the learning contract, the learners indicate what content they want to learn, what criteria of evaluation they will use to evaluate their learning progresses, and what evidence indicate their learning results.
3. Writing a learning contract.
Self-directed learning starting from writing a learning contract has its sequence of performances as follows:
Step 1: The course distributed to learners has to indicate the following items:
The objectives of the course.
A list of books or reference books to study.
Sub-units and a list of reference books.
Teachers explain and help learners understand the course, its objectives and sub-units.
Step 2: Distribute learning contract forms to learners.
Step 3: Describe how to write an agreement in each gap of the contract forms which sequentially begins as follows:
Objectives
Methods of learning or information resources
Evidence
Evaluation
Step 4: Ask problems and doubts.
Step 5: Distribute a sample of learning contracts, one learner apiece.
Step 6: Describe how to write a learning contract.
Learners fill out the learning contracts by themselves. In addition, learners can specify their levels of education, and levels of qualities: excellent or medium, in which the learners intend to complete the course with the quality of excellence or satisfaction. They have to specify their details. Learners with good quality are those who are able to meet the objectives stated in the curriculum completely. If the quality specified in the contract is excellence, the learners must completely meet the objectives, as well as showing they are the learners of extraordinary abilities
Step 7: All the learners read and consider their own contracts. Then one of the learners and his fellow learner jointly reconsider the contracts of both of them.
To determine the learning contracts, learners have to consider the following items:
Are the objectives easy to understand, possible to be achieved, and able to bring out desirable behaviors?
Are there any additional objectives for the contracts?
How good are the information resources and methods for finding out the information? Are they appropriate and effective?
Are there any other ways that can be used for learning?
How well is the evidence consistent with the learning objectives?
Is there other evidence to show?
How trustworthy are the methods and the measures used for evaluation?
Are there any other methods or measures used for evaluation?
Step 8: Learners reconsider and improve the learning contracts.
Step 9: Learners have their teachers and advisers re-check thelearning contracts and then learners carry out the agreement as described in the contracts.
Step 10: Learners hand in their portfolios 2 weeks before the end of the semester.
Step 11: Teachers and learners set up a committee to consider the portfolios handed in and return them to learners before the end of the semester.
You’ve learnt the learning contract with an emphasis on your responsibility for the work you’ve set for your own learning ...
Evaluation of learning by using portfolios
Preparation for portfolios is an important mean of measuring and evaluating the learners’ self-directed learning. Portfolios are built with a fundamental belief that they come from the learners’ authentic learning, the essence of which can be summarized as follows:
1. Basic beliefs of authentic learning.
1.1 Beliefs about education management
A human has an instinct, ability and eagerness to learn.
Under the atmosphere of friendly and promising environment, a human can initially perform his self-directed learning.
A human is able to create knowledge from interaction with others and from the media that are meaningful to life.
A human has different developments: physically, socially, emotionally, and intellectually.
1.2 Beliefs about learning.
Learning starts from a concrete idea to an abstract idea through the process of self-exploration, creating a learning atmosphere, and creating the social context for the learner's interactions with other learners.
Learning relies on various intellectual elements: language, calculation, music, movements, interpersonal relationships, and others.
The pursuit of knowledge will be more effective if it is in the context that is meaningful to life.
The pursuit of knowledge is a process that occurs throughout life.
1.3 Beliefs about teaching.
Teaching must focus on learner-centered activity.
Teaching is performed individually and in a group.
Teaching varies according to cultural differences and the method of learning which is the identity of each individual learner.
Teaching and evaluation are an ongoing process and related to each other.
Teaching has to respond to the ever-expanding learning courses.
1.4 Beliefs about evaluation.
The assessment by comparing the scores made by all the learners is of little value for the potential development of the learners.
Authentic assessment does not reflect the abilities existing in the learners. Instead, it reflects the interaction between the individuals, the environments, and their abilities.
Authentic assessment reveals accurate information about the learners and the educational process.
2. Description of Authentic Assessment
Authentic assessment is a process of observation, recording, documenting, and showing methods of assessment. All of its outcomes are used as a basis for the learners to decide about their education. Authentic assessment differs from project evaluation in that the former focuses on the learners’ importance rather than that of the learning results, which are from the learners’ tests. Authentic assessment, also, differs from learning evaluation, because the former is based on facts, and actual performances. So, this form of assessment can reveal quality information continuously, which can be used as guidance on learning for each learner
3. Main features of Authentic Assessment
Emphasis on development and learning.
Highlight the revelation of the potential.
Focus on learners’ strong points.
Trust in existing events in real life.
Focus on practicality.
Associated with teaching and learning.
Focus on learning with a target.
The process occurring continuously in every context.
Help understand learners’ abilities and methods of learning.
Enable cooperation between parents, teachers, learners, and others.
4. Evaluation by using portfolios.
Portfolio is a way to evaluate the actual learning results. It is the method that the teacher copies from a certain artist to assess the progress in the learning of the learners. The major advantages of portfolios are as follows:
Learners can demonstrate their abilities, while they cannot achieve in their tests.
It is a tool to measure the learners’ learning abilities.
Learners are allowed to show their learning processes and their products.
Learners are able to learn abstract ideas in the form of concrete ideas.
Portfolio is not a new concept. It has long been used by a visual artist, an architect, an actor, and a designer. Portfolio has been used in education for teaching languages, mathematics, science and other subjects. The use of portfolios is the method that reflects the method of learning assessment focusing on actual conditions (Authentic Assessment), which is the process of gathering evidence to show what the learners can do, and the process of evidence interpretation, and value judgment on actual conditions. It is, also, used to describe the workload or real task that the learners need to practice or to develop knowledge, not just information.
Evaluation using a portfolio is an assessment approach, the key elements of which are as follows:
Learners learn by acting - performing an action.
Demonstrate or show off the skills.
Demonstrate the learning process.
Produce a piece of work or evidence to show learners’ abilities.
The outcome of the evaluation using portfolios has its main features as follows:
The tasks are meaningful.
They have a clear standard.
They provide the reflections of thoughts and feelings.
They transfer real life.
They are formative and integrative.
They relate to high - order thinking.
They focus on quality performance.
They are quality products.
5. Nature of the portfolio.
Some educators say that the portfolio has the same feature as a palette. It can be seen that the palette contains different colors for painting pictures; so as the portfolio, it is a combination of various forms of assessments.
Portfolio is not a container, but it is a compilation of evidence available, and it is managed by teachers and learners to monitor their progress and learning knowledge, skills and attitudes in any subject course.
Generally speaking, the main features of portfolio are at its 2 key factors:
- The collection of evidence of the learners’ knowledge and skills.
- The evidence showing the learners’ learning development throughout the duration of their learning
6. Purposes of portfolios evaluation are as follows:
To allow teachers to reflect the importance of the learners’ learning objectives.
To encourage learners to manage their own learning.
To enable teachers to have a clear understanding of thestudents’ progress.
To enable learners to understand themselves better.
To know the change and progress during the process of learning.
To allow learners to become aware of their own learning.
To create relationship between learning and assessment.
7. Process of portfolio preparation
There is a standard procedure for making portfolios. Usually, there are several steps. However, any process or procedure can be improved.
Kay Burke (1994) set 10 stages for making a portfolio as follows:
Set project purposes and uses.
Collect and organize all the tasks.
Set the criteria for selecting the tasks.
Make a creative portfolio.
Reflect the idea or attitude towards the tasks.
Check for self-assessment.
Evaluate and grade the portfolio.
Share experiences with others.
Select and modernize the tasks.
Publicize or exhibit the portfolio.
8. Models of preparing portfolios they are as follows:
For beginners without previous experience should take 3 steps.
Step 1: gather all the tasks.
Step 2: select the qualified tasks.
Step 3: reflect the idea or attitude towards the tasks.
For those who are new to the experience should take 6 steps.
Step 1: set the objectives.
Step 2: gather all the tasks.
Step 3: select the qualified tasks.
Step 4: reflect the idea or attitude towards the tasks.
Step 5: evaluate the portfolio.
Step 6: exchange the portfolios among the learners.
For those who are experienced enough should take 10 steps mentioned above.
9. Planning to make portfolios.
While planning and setting goals for the portfolio, the main questions that need to be made clear are as follows:
- Why should the learners collect their tasks?
- What do they make the portfolios for?
- What are the real objectives of making the portfolios?
- What are the advantages and disadvantages of using portfolios for assessing the learners?
Portfolio is not just a learning process or an assessing process, but it is the process of both learning and assessing.
Portfolio is a process that enables learners to act on their own and do the self- directed learning.
Use of portfolios as an assessment requires 3 main criteria:
1. The contents are significantly related to those stated in the curriculum.
2. Learners act on their own.
3. The integration used reflects the learning process: reading, writing, listening, problem solving, and ability of high-order thinking.
10. Collecting tasks and arranging portfolios.
The definition of portfolio is the collection of tasks by which the learners aimed to demonstrate their efforts, progress and success in a subject.
Collecting methods can be performed in the following formats:
☐ Portfolio, notebook, file cabinet, box, album, or compact disc.
Collecting procedures are as follows: collect
☐ all the tasks to make a portfolio. select
☐ the qualified tasks.
☐ reflect the idea or attitude towards the tasks.
The format of a portfolio may contain the following elements:
☐ Table of contents and biography of the portfolio owner.
☐ The objectives / goals.
☐ Show of quality tasks.
☐ Reflect the opinions or feelings.
☐ The evaluation on one’s own.
☐ Show of evaluation results.
☐ Appendix
Forms of self-directed learning
In order to complete the learning objectives as set, learners can choose one of a variety of forms of self-directed learning as follows.
1. The use of a learning project, an indicator of participation in selfdirected learning according to Tough (1971)’s concept of adult learning plan, is performed by expanding the collected data on needs into a project or a learning plan that specifies what, how, where, when, and how long to learn, including what learning resources to use, from whom to get help, how to choose the learning method, how good it is, how long it will take, what the budget is, whether it is economical or not, how to know if the goal is met, how to show the learning results of success, how much the need to learn is, how it relates to the goal of life, whether or not the knowledge sought helps achieve the objectives set, and whether or not it offers the learners positive attitude and fun to learn. The learners must complete the given task specified in the learning plan. They must diagnose the assistance they need, and make it available. They must choose the learning resources, analyze and plan the learning project, as well as assessing their learning progresses by considering and making decisions on knowledge and skills in details, activities, learning aids, learning resources, learning equipment, places of learning with certain session and goal, stages and duration of learning, levels of learning programs, including the removal of barriers that cause ineffectiveness, getting learning aids and equipment, accessing the resources, preparing the class, budgets, and learning motivation.
2. Making learning contracts, a tool for self-directed learning according to Knowles (1975)’s concept of group learning, is performed by making an agreement between learners and teachers. It is a private lesson that each learner is individually taught to create responsibility, self-discipline, and to be on his own. After exploring and investigating the true interests of their own, learners choose what to learn. Learning contracts can encourage them to learn more and more. They can best rely on themselves. The learning contract is a learning tool agreed and signed by a learner and a teacher with various steps as follows: diagnosis of learning needs, setting learning objectives, setting learning methods and learning resources, specifying the learning results and criteria for assessment, and setting task deadline. Learners may review their learning contracts with their advisors in order to improve the contracts and evaluate their learning results. Learners who use learning contracts in their self-directed learning will gain the following benefits:
Learners will have a better understanding of individual differences in the ideas and skills needed for learning. They will know the difference between learning with a teacher as a guide and self-directed learning.
Learners will be able to build good relationships with friends, so that they can receive feedback from their friends on their learning needs, learning plans, and helping others.
Learners will be able to identify their real learning needs in collaboration with others.
Learners will be able to set their learning objectives according to their needs, and the objectives can be assessed.
Learners will have a good relationship with their teachers in order to ask for help or advice.
Learners will be able to seek individuals and learning resources that are consistent with different learning objectives.
Learners will be able to choose an effective learning plan by using various learning resources, with initiative, and with good planning skill.
Learners will be able to collect information, and apply the information appropriately.
3. One-to-one learning is the learning model that learners work in pairs in order to assist each other in their work.
4. Cooperative learning is a sharing of experiences among learners. An experience of a learner may help another learner solve a problem. This form of learning encourages an exchange of different ideas between teachers or facilitators and learners in groups. The outcomes are the development of knowledge, understanding of the course content, social skills, self-esteem, selfrecognition, and learning motivation.
5. Making a learning log is making a record of learners’ thoughts, feelings, and expectations of their learning or development occurring in their minds. The learning log will be an opinion bank that gathers what the learners have read, performed, and thought about in their daily life little by little. This, later, will expand their ways of learning. The learning log is very useful for self- assessment. With an individual file or directory record on activities, the log indicates the expectations of the individual learner, as well as the learners’ responsibilities. Teachers may use the learning log to reinforce the learners by writing an easy and short comment as a suggestion for the learners.
6. Session arrangement is for learners to summarize what they have learnt or should be performed. In self-directed learning, learners learn and deal with a lot of problems on their own. Therefore, there must be time for them to summarize what they have learnt, while the teacher acts as a leader.
7. Creating their own library means learners collecting information and various learning resources such as lists of people, institutes, books, conference reports, learning materials, places, and biographies. All of these will be useful and interesting for learners to learn in the future.
8. Seeking learning resources in the community means learners having conversations with the local experts of different occupations or reading a large notice or advertisement that put up in a public place. These resources will be very important for learners’ information seeking
In conclusion, learners of self-directed learning can choose any form of learning. For a learning contract and a learning plan, teachers should guide the learners through the process of learning, encourage cooperative learning, and arrange sessions for learners to meet teachers for a periodical assessment. Learners may plan their own learning by learning in person, in pair, in group, or with learned people who have more experience in the content.
Knowles (1975) has proposed the learners to consider the elements in the learning plan as follows;
Self-directed learning should start from the learners’ learning needs for a certain thing with the purpose of skill and knowledge development for the improvement of their own lives and careers.
To prepare themselves, learners must firstly study the course principles, objectives, and outlines.
Learners, themselves, should select and organize the subject content and set up the clear behavioral objectives informing what outcomes they may achieve after their learning. This is to show that the learners have completely learnt the content with positive opinions and attitudes for their social lives and their environment.
Learners, themselves, perform their learning plans, and learning activities. They might get help from teachers or fellow learners in the form of collaboration as well.
The evaluation of self-directed learning should be an interaction between teachers and learners by sharing a common set of criteria for the evaluation.
The questions that the learners have to ask themselves for the answers and they will be used in the learning plans are as follows.
How and when can you learn as fast as possible?
What is a learning method for this kind of content?
What textbooks or learning resources can be used?
How can you set your specific aims for your learning?
What knowledge, skills and attitudes do you expect?
How do you evaluate your learning results?
What criteria do you use for judging your success?
In self-directed learning, learners can learn a variety of ways, depending on prior knowledge and skills. By the aid of a learning contract, learners are able to record and manage their learning well. Learners of selfdirected learning should have skills of inquiries, investigation, using technologies, team-working, problem-solving, critical and creative thinking, conducting a research, and holding leadership qualities. Learners should play their roles in self-directed learning as follows.
Diagnosing their own learning needs.
Questioning with curiosity that will lead to answers seeking.
Setting goals and objectives in their self-directed learning.
Perceiving their own objectives and accepting the feedback from others on their own qualities that need improvement.
Planning their own learning.
Choosing learning resources: individual, material, or experience that helps complete learning aims and relates to the required information.
Choosing and receiving information for answering questions.
Choosing and using the most effective methods to examine the information from various learning resources.
Managing, analyzing, and evaluating the information for the most correct answer.
Designing a plan on how to apply the learning resources that can answer questions or meet the learners’ learning needs.
Performing a systematic and sequential learning process.
Examining the success according to the learning objectives.
Evaluating their own learning.
In conclusion, self-directed learning is a feature that can be arranged both in a formal education and in a non-formal or informal education. The principles of self-directed learning are providing opportunities for learners to analyze and show their real needs in their own learning, giving freedom to learners to determine the purpose of their learning, to analyze the problems, to make learning plans, to pursue learning resources that will be used in the classroom, to set the appropriate learning process for themselves, to perform the learning activities, and to freely evaluate their learning process and results by themselves without any threat of force, reward, or punishment. Teachers will help learners to recognize the needs to learn, to realize that they need to learn and manage their own learning. They are given the opportunity to take responsibility for their own learning and the learning processes in order to achieve their own needs. Learning activities are planned by taking into account the learners’ individual differences. The environment is created to promote learning activities. Learners are trained to hold self-directed learning skill. Teachers are to observe the learning activities, to help and facilitate learners, and to evaluate each learner’s learning result by using a learning contract as a tool for the learner’s self-directed learning. Teachers must realize that levels of self-directed learning may range from low to high. That is to say, the low level is the learning with a teacher as a leader; the high level is that without a teacher, learners learning on their own.