Autonomous and Self-Directed Learning

Book excerpt: For nearly two decades, Professor Michael K. Ponton and Paul B. Carr have formulated discussions of self- directed and autonomous learning by building upon the conceptual frameworks provided by Professors Emeriti Gary Confessore (learner autonomy and conation) and Albert Bandura (social cognitive theory, human agency, and self-efficacy). Using an agentic perspective of personal agency to describe learning, the agent as a learner engages in forethought to adopt goals of personal value and formulate learning plans; reacts to this ideation by enacting plans; reflects upon consequences and outcomes; and uses this acquired information to inform future learning plans. Their work and that with their colleagues has included both theoretical discussions and original research. This edited compendium, primarily consisting of previously published articles, is the result of those efforts.