University of the people

Online Education Strategies

UNIV 1001 UNIT 4 Written Assignment: Self-directed Learning

Instructor

Adedayo Adetayo

1. What is a self-directed learner? What are the essential aspects of self-directed learning?

A self-directed learner is someone that takes the initiative about learning and has the ability and

capability to set up goals and identify the tools and strategies necessary for their own’s learning.

They are also responsible for the management of their learning activities. 

Management of all learning tasks with no external direction or intervention, self-directed skills is

so important in a learning environment and academic environment neither online nor physical

because it allows students (self-directed learners) to control what, how, and when they learn and

also allow them to seek for opportunities to enrich themselves and giving the appropriate credit

to the materials, they use. 

According to the University of Waterloo (n.d) “Self-directed learning can be challenging and

hard, it is very important to know the necessary aspects of the self-directed learning process”,

which are listed below:

  Self-assessment: students should self-assess their selves, and need to develop their

readiness and attitude towards learning. And need to check their current situation, study

habits, learning skills, their access to external materials to enhance the student’s

independent learning.

 Setting up learning goals: setting learning goals is very important, a self-directed learner

should be able to know what he/she is aiming at, what he/she would like to read, and

research. They should be able to communicate it with their instructor.

 Identify the resources necessary for learning: self-directed learners should be motivated

and ready to Search and get the necessary resources to enhance his/her learning. They

must also give credit to any material used.

 Choosing and applying the appropriate learning strategies: when learning independently,

students must be able to choose and apply the necessary and appropriate learning skills.

Learning skills are habits you will use to communicate and learning effectively.

 Evaluate learning: This is described as finding how well the students are learning,

knowing and assessing them to know how far they have gone with their independent

learning.

2. What are your two biggest strengths as a student? How will these strengths help you

become a self-directed learner?

As a student, my greatest strengths are self-discipline and communication skills, learning at this

prestigious university is hard and challenging, it requires self-discipline students to study at the

university. I schedule my time for studies by disciplining and committing myself to my studies
and it has helped me so far, like attending to all my assignments on the posting day so that I can

get more time to seek for knowledge to answer the assignment question. 

My communication skills had improved ever since I joined the university, it is very easy for me

to communicate with other students, share my ideas, and also comment on their works.

These strengths have helped me learn independently, it has increased my communication skills

when seeking knowledge.

3. What are your two biggest weaknesses as a student? How do these affect your readiness

to be a self-directed learner?

My biggest weaknesses are procrastination and time management, I study physically at one of

my country’s polytechnics, and also studying to get a degree at the University of the People.

Managing my time is my major problem, sometimes I find myself doing my assignment on the

last day of submission, I find myself trying to get people to help me out on my assignment. All

these are frustrating. Although I do manage my time, i procrastinate at the same time, this has

made it so difficult for me to manage my time. This has affected me that I could not sit down and

learn independently rather I depend on someone's direction.

4. Describe at least three strategies to become a more self-directed learner. How will you

hold yourself accountable for your growth as a learner?

These are the four strategies to become a more self-directed learner

1. Stay motivated and goal-oriented: follow your goals, let your goals directed you, stay

motivated, and also learn independently and apply the necessary active learning skills. 

2. Monitoring your learning process: you have to assess yourself, measure your progress

against your personal learning goals. This will help you know your position.
 3. Share your Acquired knowledge with your peers: sharing your ideas and knowledge with

your peer will allow you to gain more knowledge in return,

4. Create something out of what you have learned: this strategy has helped me as a

computer science student, after I learned new things I try to think of something new I can

create using the ideas I got from learning independently.

Self-directed learning is self-based learning in which all one’s success and failure will only be

determined by the students capacity, ability, and capability to learn independently

So I can only hold myself accountable for my growth by trying to manage my time, discipline

myself, and try to avoid procrastination. 

Word count: 804

References

Self-Directed Learning: A Four-Step Process | Centre for Teaching. (2019, March 4).

Retrieved Oct 4, 2020, from https://uwaterloo.ca/centre-for-teaching-excellence/teaching-

resources/teaching-tips/tips-students/self-directed-learning/self-directed-learning-four-step-

process