You know at least one self-made individual who stood out and made their skills known and appreciable, for example Nikola Tesla and Steve Jobs. Although self-learning was considered a great feat some time back, it is no longer as difficult as it once was. With huge amounts of free resources and access to hundreds of content sources and online courses, all you need is to put a judicious amount of time and energy into learning something new.<\/p>\n
If you are wondering what exactly self-learning is, here is the answer:<\/p>\n
Self-learning is anything you learn outside a classroom environment by yourself without a set curriculum or examinations.<\/p>\n
Unlike traditional methods of schooling, your self-learning efforts are not measured by how well you perform on an exam. Self-learning lets you gauge and improve your knowledge via practical applications with no matriculated evaluation. This makes it all about pure learning.<\/p>\n
Besides the knowledge factor, self-learning also helps in developing your skill levels and enriching your experiences through practical applications. Here are some reasons why you should consider self-learning:<\/p>\n
So, how can you start learning by yourself?<\/p>\n
The first step to learning anything is to be curious about it. The desire to learn is what will keep you motivated to keep learning.<\/p>\n
Allow yourself to ask questions and be naturally curious about what learning experiences are interested in. Start your learning with a purpose. Ask yourself various questions:<\/p>\n
Do you know that when students are not curious enough, they tend to take in or absorb less information from the curriculum?[1]<\/sup>\u00a0On the other hand, if you are studying on your own through self-learning, this is entirely for your own benefit, where you are curious and ask the relevant questions to get through the course.<\/p>\n Setting\u00a0realistic goals<\/a>\u00a0will help you focus and improve your productivity while utilizing various learning styles. It lets you work towards something achievable and gives purpose to your learning.<\/p>\n For instance, if you are trying to learn a programming language, try to set a goal to create an application using that programming language. Or, if you are training yourself in a foreign language, you should set yourself a goal to invest some time in this language. This could be writing an article, reading some poetry in that language, or picking up a song in the foreign language.<\/p>\n These kinds of goals actually keep you motivated, providing you with some ambition to fulfill in the end.<\/p>\n This is an important step you need to focus on. As self-learners, it is necessary to verify the authenticity and correctness of the materials you use to educate yourself. You should also look into what is accessible to you to make your learning progress.<\/p>\n Unlike traditional classroom learning, self-learning can be a sporadic process that does not follow a set plan or syllabus. Try not to lose focus and absorb the necessary information from whatever channels you stumble upon.<\/p>\n Here are some pointers to help you assess your resources:<\/p>\n For instance, if you are engaging in some software or tool course via self-learning methods, you could always go back and check how updated the tool is. If the course is meant for the 2013 version of the tool and you are using the 2019 version, the course could actually prove to be redundant for you. This way, you might end up learning something that does not meet your requirements.<\/p>\n The more you keep putting off your learning process, the more difficult it becomes for you to start learning.<\/p>\n Set a schedule and engage in your own approach to self-learning. Leaving gaps will make you\u00a0procrastinate<\/a>, so try to stick to a self-made process for your learning efforts.<\/p>\n Decide on how you want to assess your improvements. It could be self-made quizzes, online tests, or anything that lets you be assured of your progress. Just create an effective\u00a0feedback loop<\/a>\u00a0to help you learn faster.<\/p>\n The best way to retain knowledge is to use it. When you self-learn something, try to find a real world application to use the knowledge you gained. For instance, if you are trying to\u00a0learn a new language<\/a>, try speaking it with a native or fellow learner. This way you will get more confidence in your learning and will also be able to remember what you studied better.<\/p>\n Project-oriented learning where you will try building or creating something as you learn is a good way to gain experience through self-learning.<\/p>\n For instance, if you are working on a web development coding language, you could actually take time out to build a small tool online or a web page that could help you exercise your skills. The idea is to keep yourself motivated in the self-learning process. Anything that serves as a live example of the course you are going through will come in handy in the near future.<\/p>\n2. Set Learning Goals<\/h3>\n
3. Assess Your Learning Resources<\/h3>\n
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4. Engage in a Learning Process<\/h3>\n
5. Apply What You Learn<\/h3>\n
6. Collaborate With Other Learners<\/h3>\n