Empowering Self-Directed Learning

The most impactful change I’ve made in my classroom over the past few years is a simple exercise that came out of my work in #engineering education assessment.   At the start of each class period, I spend 1 minute discussing our #learning goals for class that day.   On our course website, I put these goals at the top of the page for each class to remind students what they should be able to do having followed the class, done the practice problems, and read the book.   When writing these goals, I keep the following in mind: 👩🏻🏫  What do my #students need to take with them from this class? 🌏  What fundamental knowledge should they learn, and how does this relate to the real-world? 👩🏻🔬 What is the “action” I want them to do? I try to state goals in a Bloom’s taxonomy framework where their knowledge gains are hierarchical in terms of their ability to do something.   How has doing this helped my students? 🙋🏻♀️ They ask more focused questions during class that show engagement with the goals and material. 👩🏻🎓 They know the goals of their studying and have a sense of mastery when it comes to exam time.   How has this helped me as an #instructor? 🙄 I don’t need to answer that “what’s on the test” question anymore. I point them to the learning goals. 🫶 When they’re stressed, I can better target what information is unclear by asking them “do you know how to do…?” and help them focus on that material. 🧐 It forces me to craft lectures and activities that align with our goals, rather than just what’s in a textbook, making my class more engaging and streamlining material presentation. If we're going to assess students' learning, we need to "write our own exam" by determining what they should know at the end of a course. Why not share this information with them? By letting students know the goals of the course - and thus what we're assessing them on - we empower them. This in no way tells them "how" to get an A. They still have to do the hard work of learning. But it helps them focus their studying efforts and benchmark their attainment.

Ever watch your learners' engagement gradually fade in a digital experience, despite compelling content? It’s a common frustration, but often the solution lies in a fundamental human need: a true sense of control. That feeling hit me yesterday on a long bike ride around the island I live on, gazing across the bay at San Francisco in the distance. That expansive view, with its implied freedom to choose any path towards that distant goal, powerfully mirrors the allure of well-designed exploratory experiences. It’s this spirit of exploration and self-directed discovery that games like the recent Zelda titles capture so brilliantly. As I explored in a previous article for UX of EdTech on how games create deep flow (link in comments), a key is empowering users: "Instead of the game dictating where you go and what you do, it offers a vast, interactive world and the tools to explore it freely... empower[ing] you to define your own goals, experiment with solutions, and ultimately control your own adventure." This principle is deeply rooted in motivational psychology. Self-Determination Theory, for instance, highlights that fostering a sense of autonomy (or control) is critical for intrinsic motivation and deep engagement. When individuals feel they have meaningful choices and can direct their own path, their persistence and mastery skyrocket. For EdTech and learning platforms, this means designing experiences that provide learners with genuine options to exercise autonomy – perhaps through choices in learning methods, tools, resources, or allowing them to set their own pace and goals. It’s about shifting from dictating a path to providing a landscape for supported discovery. How are you empowering your users with a sense of control? What does their adventure look like? #UserEngagement #EdTech #LearningDesign

Mastery learning in college is transformative: Traditional education follows rigid paths. Students are: • Restricted • Directed • Limited They’re seen as passive learners. They're confined by preset curriculums. ------------------------- Many teachers still believe students autonomy is risky. Look at the typical college structure. The control is clear: • Students must choose a major. • But they have no say in how they learn. Is this the best way to educate? My experience says otherwise. ------------------------- Real mastery learning reshapes education. And in certain scenarios, it empowers students deeply. Here’s why: Traditional education has its merits. But it stifles creativity and personal growth. Mastery learning is different. Students are at the center of their education. Students are given freedom and responsibility. The focus is on interdisciplinary skill development. ------------------------- I'm piloting a full-blown mastery learning program At John Carroll University Entrepreneurship 🚨 Follow along at link in the comments 👇 Students build portfolios showcasing their growth in: • Resilience • Investigation • Collaboration • Problem framing • Human dynamics • Empathetic action ------------------------- It’s time we rethink how we educate 𝗦𝘁𝘂𝗱𝗲𝗻𝘁 𝗔𝘂𝘁𝗼𝗻𝗼𝗺𝘆 ≠ 𝗖𝗵𝗮𝗼𝘀 Create meaningful, self-directed learning experiences. Guide students to navigate their journey effectively. Understand their needs. Help them find their path. If you are an educator, embrace this shift. Here’s how: 1. 𝗙𝗼𝘀𝘁𝗲𝗿 𝗮 𝗦𝘂𝗽𝗽𝗼𝗿𝘁𝗶𝘃𝗲 𝗘𝗻𝘃𝗶𝗿𝗼𝗻𝗺𝗲𝗻𝘁 Give students freedom to explore & fail. Build skills through real-world projects. Balance structure with flexibility. 2. 𝗘𝗻𝗰𝗼𝘂𝗿𝗮𝗴𝗲 𝗦𝗸𝗶𝗹𝗹 𝗠𝗮𝘀𝘁𝗲𝗿𝘆 Identify key skills. Use real-life scenarios. Make learning relevant and impactful. 3. 𝗕𝘂𝗶𝗹𝗱 𝗮 𝗖𝗼𝗺𝗺𝘂𝗻𝗶𝘁𝘆 Use mentors and experts to support student learning. Empower students to seek out and engage them. Their journey will be unique and theirs alone.

🧾 When you make learning a habit, you start seeing opportunities everywhere. You connect dots others miss. Think 🤔  about the most successful people you know, not just the ones with impressive titles or bank accounts, but those who consistently grow, adapt, and stay relevant in their fields. What do they all have in common? They never stopped learning. While some people scroll through social media after work, others are diving into online courses, reading industry blogs, or experimenting with new skills. They're not doing it because they have to, they're doing it because they understand something fundamental: the world doesn't wait for you to catch up. I've seen this pattern countless times. A friend who reads leadership books in their spare time gets promoted over more experienced candidates. An entrepreneur who studies customer psychology builds products and services that actually solve real problems. A marketer who leverages AI instead of being scared of it, grows exponentially faster than the ones who don't. You get the idea. What makes self-directed learning so powerful? ✅It's voluntary.  ✅It's relevant.  ✅It builds confidence. ✅You don’t need anyone’s permission. ✅You are in control all the time. You become the person who says "I don't know, but I'll figure it out" instead of "That's not my job." This mindset becomes your competitive advantage in a world where change is the only constant. How do you become one of these people? Start small: 1️⃣Replace 30 minutes of TV or social media time with a podcast in your field 2️⃣Set aside Sunday mornings for reading industry articles 3️⃣Take one online course per quarter 4️⃣Follow thought leaders and actually engage with their content 5️⃣Join communities where people discuss ideas that challenge you 6️⃣Lastly and v important… take notes, digest the content, understand what are some of top 2-3 ideas / thoughts that you can implement in your personal life, career, business. Those late-night study sessions and weekend deep-dives add up over time. The Bottom line is: Formal education gets you in the door, but self-education keeps you in the game. What's one thing you've taught yourself recently that changed how you work or think? #selfeducation #careergrowth #professionals