This 3-page undergraduate paper briefly describes the concept of self directed learning, or SDL, as a largely useful, and certainly wide-spread method of instructing employees. This paper defines SDL primarily as method of learning which tends to stress employee impetus in developing education goals, methods, and evaluations for themselves, rather than making employees rely on more formal and structured educational measures. SDL involves a flexible process or set of processed in which learners identify goals and resources, implement chosen learning processes, and evaluate their progress. SDL can occur in contexts of team work, individual work, or instructor-individual interaction, depending upon the needs of the learner, and the learner’s readiness for SDL. The process offers several advantages, including flexibility and employee empowerment in learning, as well as increased cost-effectiveness for the employer. This paper also argues that SDL can also engage with all three types of learning - instrumental, dialogic, and self reflective - outlined by Marizow (1981), thus creating a powerful and multi-faceted learning experience.
