in the spotlight
LEARNING
Self-directed
The world as we know it has changed drastically over the past 20 months. Many have had to upskill and quickly adapt to the “new normal” to stay abreast of the changes, which include virtual learning, home-schooling and changes in job scopes across various sectors.
Radio Sonder Grense presenter Johan van Lill receives his award from Prof Elsa Mentz, director of the Research Unit for Self-Directed Learning (SDL).
Johan, an education expert, writer and motivational speaker, has devoted many hours on the air to SDL since starting his first radio programmes and discovering it was a topic that interested listeners. “It is not just students and school learners who want to know more, but also parents, especially those who facilitate home schooling.”
Self-directed learning (SDL) was a growing trend before the Covid-19 pandemic and has since been further intensified.
SDL is the initiative people take to diagnose their own learning needs, formulate learning goals, identify resources, choose and implement appropriate learning strategies and evaluate learning outcomes.
Putting the spotlight squarely on SDL, the Research Unit for Self-Directed Learning recently hosted its fourth International SDL Conference, with the theme of “Self-directed learning: An imperative for innovative learning”.
The three-day-long conference had an impressive list of speakers who shared best practices, research and guidelines on technology and multimodality, contextualisation, teaching, learning and assessment strategies, and curriculum and praxis.
National and international speakers
The keynote speakers for the conference were Dr Michael Ponton of Texas A&M University-Commerce, Dr Naomi Boyer of Polk State College in Florida, and Prof Elsa Mentz from the Research Unit SDL at the NWU. All three of these speakers are previous awardees of the Malcolm Knowles Award of the International Society of Self-Directed Learning.
On the first day of the conference, Dr Ponton gave a keynote address titled “An agentic perspective of learning and suggestions for teaching”. On the second day Dr Boyer hosted an interactive session on “The digital skills economy and self-directed learning”.
Dr Mentz spoke on the last day of the conference. Her address was titled “Putting SDL research and practice to the test: Looking at the past, challenging the future”.
Recognised for his efforts
At the conference Johan van Lill, Radio Sonder Grense (RSG) presenter, received an award from the SDL Research Unit for his contribution to the enhancement of SDL in society as a whole.
Over the years, Johan has devoted many hours of his radio programme, Ons en die Onderwys, to SDL and creating platforms for teachers, students and parents to engage on various related aspects, especially in the education sector.
Self-directed learning
STEP 1
Diagnose your learning needs.
STEP 2
Formulate your learning goals.
STEP 3
Identify learning resources.
STEP 5
Evaluate learning outcomes.
STEP 4
Choose and implement learning strategies.
Click on the image above to watch the ceremony during which radio presenter Johan van Lill receives his award for promoting self-directing learning in society.
Click here to read more about the award.