Self-Directed Learning - Malcom Knowles

8/3/2019 Self-Directed Learning - Malcom Knowles

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Self-Directed Learning

By Malcom Knowles

Published by Cambridge Adult Education in 1975

I met Malcom Knowles at an ASTD (American Society of Training and

Development) National Conference in St. Louis, Missouri in May 1986. I

participated along with 300 conference attendees in a “Coffee with Malcom”

workshop that lasted one hour. During that hour he magically took us through

individual, dyad, triad, small group exercises and ended with a fishbowl approach

where five participants representing the rest of us discussed common problems and

potential solutions. It was an amazing event! Knowles, the facilitator, artfully

established a supportive climate, encouraged us to take responsibility for our own

learning, and moved us through the array of exercises to develop our own outcomes.

His book, Self-Directed Learning, is a mere 135 pages long. It is divided into

three distinct sections—The Learner, The Teacher, and a set of learning resource

exercises. It is not a book that you can read once. I have found it best to scan

through quickly and then go back for a more thoughtful study. It is important to see

the flow of material before diving to a deeper level.

Part 1—The Learner—addresses three areas:

1. What is the definition of Self-Directed learning? And how is it different than

Teacher-Directed Learning?

Teacher Directed Learning Self Directed LearningAssumes the learner is essentially a dependent

personality and that the teacher has the

responsibility what and how the learner should

be taught.

Assumes that the human being grows in capacity

(and need) to be self-directing as an essential

component of maturing, and that this capacity

should be nurtured to develop as rapidly as

possible.

Assumes that the learner’s experience is of less

value than that of the teacher, the textbook, the

Assumes that the learner’s experiences become

an increasingly rich resource for learning, which



textbook writers and materials producers as a

resource for learning, and that therefore the

teacher has the responsibility to see to it that the

resource of these experts are transmitted to the

learner.

should be exploited along with the resources of

experts.

Assumes that students enter into education with

a subject-centered orientation to learning (theysee learning as accumulating subject matter and

that therefore learning experiences should be

organized according to units of content.

Assumes that the students natural orientation is

task or problem centered and that thereforelearning experiences should be organized as task

accomplishments or problem solving learning

projects (or inquiry units).

Assumes that students are motivated to learn in

response to external rewards and punishments,

such as grades, diplomas, awards, degrees, and

fear of failure.

Assumes that learners are motivated by internal

incentives, such as the need for self-esteem, the

desire to achieve, the urge to grow, the

satisfaction of accomplishment, the need to know

something specific, and curiosity.

2. Why is Self-Directed Learning important?

• There is growing evidence that people who take initiative in learning, learn more

and learn better than those who don’t.

• The evidence is also that they learn more deeply and permanently.

3. What are the key competencies for Self-Directed Learning?

• Understanding the differences between Teacher-Directed Learning and Self-

Directed Learning.

• Working collaboratively with others (people and resources).

• Selecting strategies skillfully and with initiative.

Knowles suggests the following questions to get one started in their Self – Directed Learning process:

The simplest steps of scientific inquiry are answering the following questions:

1. What is the question I want an answer to?

-Is it a question worth asking?

-Is it a question you really care about?

-Is it a question that is answerable by data?

-Is the question clear and understandable to others?

2. What is the data I need to answer this question?

-Are the data available to you within your limitations of time, money, etc.?

3. What are the most appropriate and feasible sources of these data?

4. What are the most efficient and effective means I can use to collect these data from these

sources?5. How shall I organize and analyze these data to get an answer to my question?

6. How will I report my answer and test its validity?

A more sophisticated approach is to use the learning contract (with yourself). It consists of:

1. Learning objectives

2. Learning resources and strategies

3. Evidence of accomplishment

4. Criteria and means of validating



• Collecting and validating evidence of accomplishment of various kinds of

learning objectives.

Part 2—The Teacher- takes the reader through a very detailed process of

how a learning facilitator can take a group of learners through a self-discoveryprocess. The section can easily lose the reader’s interest because of its detail and

reference to Part 3 where the exercise and reference material are located.

I found it much easier to move from Part One to Part Three and then go

back to Part Two to finish the book.

Part 3—Learning Resources—This section consist of a dozen exercises that

must be taken seriously to appreciate the book. I found the best way to work with

the section is to take the time to apply and finish the exercises. Exercise L—Reading

a Book Proactively—is well worth completing. I used his suggested approach inreading through Building Wealth (last month’s book review). This process taught

me how to identify learning objectives prior to reading a book and developing a set

of outcomes that I wanted before reading. It proved invaluable.

In summarizing the book, it is clearly a working guide to help adults

understand the process of learning and the responsibility the Self-Directed Learner

has in his/her own learning.

What are the benefits? Taking responsibility for one’s own learning tends to

increase self-esteem and produces an inquiring mind on everything one does. As

Knowles says, “ We must learn from everything we do; we must exploit everyexperience as a learning experience. Every institution and every person we have

access too become a resource. It is a lifelong process.”

Documents

Self-Directed Learning - Malcom Knowles