A Guide to Self-Directed Learning

Within my teaching, I structure my courses so that I am not assigning students everything to read or research. Within some clear parameters, I invite them to do self-directed learning. This is to help them get personally invested in our topic and to train them to be lifelong learners.

My students are generally resistant to the idea of not being assigned exactly what to read. I do give some short common readings, and they have my lectures by which to get a thematic framework for the historical periods we are studying. But after that, they are turned loose. Where to start? What to do? This is meant as a short guide to assist my students.

I believe self-directed learning works best when certain parameters are in place: clear purposes, a time structure, and accountability through documentation and sharing.

It also helps to understand the differences between types of sources and activities for learning, to vary among these, and to avoid getting stuck in the most common secondary sources. All of this I address in more detail below.