Even the Self-Directed Learner Needs Facetime with You

Ron and Susan Zemke (1981) caution the teacher/trainer of adults to adopt an eclectic approach to content delivery. They refer to the theories of Malcolm S. Knowles, a proponent of andragogy, self-direction in learning and informal adult education. Knowles (1975) defined "self-directed learning" as a process by which individuals take the initiative, with our without the assistance of others, in

• diagnosing their learning needs, 
• formulating learning goals, 
• identifying human and material resources for learning, 
• choosing and implementing appropriate learning strategies, and 
• evaluating learning outcomes. In other words, the adult learner needs a hand in shaping the curriculum

There was a time when only face-to-face, one-on-one access to the teacher was considered the best and only method of content delivery. And whether for course administration or instructional purposes, most faculty lacked experience with the tools (blackboard, Angel, etc.) to use them as anything more than an augmentation of the traditional classroom lecture.

Private universities and colleges have climbed on the bandwagon, seeking to draw in prospective students with so-called, "blended" courses wherein the larger part of the course requirements may be satisfied with online presence.  State colleges accommodate adult lifestyles with programs offering flexibility, value for money, liberal transfer policies and adaptability, allowing adult learners to customize (hybridize) classes to their preferred learning style.

The Zemkes point out that even the self-professed, self-directed learning enthusiasts will still desire short lectures or seminars with "facetime" to pick the instructor's brains. Here might be called drawbacks to a completely online approach:

1. Some situations lend themselves to Self-Directed Learning better than others. Second language learning classes, hands-on cooking or automotive repair courses, e.g., come to mind. Self-directed learning methods compared with other learning methods in nursing education proved less popular among mature students, in one study. http://joannabriggslibrary.org/index.php/jbisrir/article/view/532/1827
2. Self-Directed Learning needs to be combined with other learning methods for content to be fully learned. In the field of biomedical education, one researcher warns it's way too early to "throw in the towel" on traditional delivery. http://www.biomedcentral.com/1472-6920/13/105
3. Since Self-Directed Learning is unstructured and independent, it is easy for students to become unproductive due to wide variations in student motivation, technological fluency and prior education. Many adult learners arrive at higher education with inadequate preparation, poor skills or undeveloped work habits. Newly-arrived immigrants and mature workers might be new to online learning. All of these factors demand that one-on-one interaction with a caring and effective teacher be a component of the hybrid course.  

Read about it: Knowles, M. S. (1975) Self-Directed Learning. A guide for learners and teachers, Englewood Cliffs: Prentice Hall/Cambridge.