Concepedia

Self-directed Learning

Self-Directed Learning is an educational approach within adult and lifelong learning contexts wherein learners independently initiate, manage, and evaluate their own learning processes, distinguishing it from instructor-led or structurally dependent models by emphasizing learner autonomy, intrinsic motivation, and personal responsibility for learning outcomes.

3.8K

Publications

250.7K

Citations

7.5K

Authors

2.2K

Institutions

Publications per year

2017–2026

1.1K

Variants

Self-managed Learning

Parents

Children

Publications

3.8K

The Adult Learner: A Neglected Species

David V. Tiedeman, Malcolm S. Knowles · Educational Researcher · 1979 · 3.9K citations

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Cultivating competence, self-efficacy, and intrinsic interest through proximal self-motivation.

Albert Bandura, Dale H. Schunk · Journal of Personality and Social Psychology · 1981 · 2.5K citations · Full text

, , +11

The adult learner: a neglected species.

Malcolm S. Knowles · 1988 · 2.4K citations · Full text

, , +14

Self-explanations: How students study and use examples in learning to solve problems

Cognitive Science · 1989 · 2.3K citations

, , +7

Self-Directed Learning, A Guide for Learners and Teachers

Jeanne Margaret McNally · The Journal of Continuing Education in Nursing · 1976 · 2.2K citations

, , +14

1–5 of 3.8K

Authors

7.5K

  1. PH
    Philip H. Winne

    Simon Fraser University, Canada

    22 publications · 2.8K citations

    21

    h-index

  2. RG
    Ralph G. Brockett

    University of Tennessee at Knoxville, United States

    15 publications · 836 citations

    14

    h-index

  3. ML
    Michael L. Wehmeyer

    University of Kansas, United States

    13 publications · 1.7K citations

    13

    h-index

  4. CJ
    Curtis J. Bonk

    Indiana University Bloomington, United States

    13 publications · 978 citations

    13

    h-index

  5. RK
    Rob Koper

    Open University of the Netherlands, Netherlands

    11 publications · 564 citations

    11

    h-index

1–5 of 7.5K

Institutions

2.2K

  1. University of Hong Kong

    Pok Fu Lam, Hong Kong

    25 h-index

    37 publications

    2.6K citations

  2. Open University of the Netherlands

    Heerlen, The Netherlands

    23 h-index

    95 publications

    6.7K citations

  3. Simon Fraser University

    Burnaby, Canada

    22 h-index

    66 publications

    6.6K citations

  4. University of Toronto

    Toronto, Canada

    22 h-index

    49 publications

    2.6K citations

  5. University of Michigan

    Ann Arbor, United States

    19 h-index

    44 publications

    4K citations

  6. University of British Columbia

    Vancouver, Canada

    19 h-index

    45 publications

    3.6K citations

  7. Maastricht University

    Maastricht, The Netherlands

    19 h-index

    39 publications

    2.4K citations

  8. University of Kansas

    Lawrence, United States

    19 h-index

    50 publications

    3.5K citations

1–8 of 2.2K

Venues

  1. Computers & Education

    49 publications · 5.5K citations

    36

    h-index

  2. Adult Education Quarterly

    AEQ · 36 publications · 5.5K citations

    30

    h-index

  3. Teaching and Teacher Education

    31 publications · 3.8K citations

    29

    h-index

  4. Learning and Individual Differences

    35 publications · 3.6K citations

    28

    h-index

  5. Procedia - Social and Behavioral Sciences

    51 publications · 2.6K citations

    28

    h-index

1–5