Open Connections

Self-directed Learning covers a spectrum of meanings for different users.  At Open Connections we tend to use the term to distinguish student-centered learning from learning that has been initiated by--and usually coerced by--someone in a position of authority.  The content may be identical in the two different schemes.  What distinguishes them is the source.  Choosing Moby Dick from the library is one thing: having it assigned by a parent or English teacher is quite another.  Similarly, learning to add and subtract so that you can balance your financial accounts is different from learning by way of completing assigned worksheets. While the outcome may also be similar, the self-directed learner has self-motivation and a sense of purpose that are likely to be lasting benefits that far surpass the skills learned or the the data memorized.