the art of self-directed learning

by Blake Boles !

blakeboles.com facebook.com/blakeboles

@blakeboles

Have you ever taken a class about…

!

learning how to learn?

What is “self-directed learning”?

What Self-Directed Learners Do

What Self-Directed Learners Don’t Do• vilify teaching or structure

• hang around unchallenging places and with bored people

• hide their passions and interests to please others

• learn in total isolation

• worry that if they don’t learn something right now, it will be too late

Self-motivation

Discipline, Dissected

Are you avoiding work or

are you working on the wrong thing?

• If you don’t do this work, will you feel physically ill?

• Do you feel like you’re making a difference?

• Does self-motivation take over after the first hump?

Cages and Keys

Cage Key

I can’t I could if I

I should I choose to

I don’t know I’ll find out

I wish I’ll make a plan

I hate I prefer

I have to I get to

One Right Answer —> Multiple Right Answers

52 Weeks, 52 Jobs

The Writing Retreat

Ultimately, how do self-directed learners motivate themselves?

!

They get consent.

• Understand what you’re committing to

• Know what the alternatives are

• Retain the power to say “No” (even after you’ve said “Yes”)

Don't you make your children learn anything?!!

Make? No. I don't make them learn anything. I inquire. I suggest. I offer incentives. But I do not make. I am not their central planner. That job is taken. My job isn't to decree what they will be good at or what they will do or how they will do it. I am not king in their lives. They are sovereign. Their minds belong to them. It is their property, after all.

My job is to approach them with humility and know that my ability to discern what they are to be or to do or to excel in is nothing compared to theirs. My job is to assist them in their discernment. To make experiences, work, play, resources, teachers, mentors, and collaborators available to them to help them as they construct themselves. To talk things through with them, but not talk it all to death. My job is to sit down, shut up, and serve when I can. I direct nothing. Less of me. More of them.

!—Ana Martin

(“The Libertarian Homeschooler” on Facebook)

–C.S. Lewis

“Of all tyrannies, a tyranny sincerely exercised for the good of its victims may

be the most oppressive.”

Learning online

lmgtfy.com

There are no stupid questions

just “you couldn’t f***ing google that?” questions.

• Prepare for a job interview?

• Find someone’s email address?

• Learn how to change an oil filter, butcher a chicken, or install a window?

• Find any place of business and its hours, customer reviews, and driving directions?

Can You Use Google to…

• Read five different perspectives on the same piece of news?

• Figure out the cheapest way to buy a flight, book, or any other consumer product?

• Use search operators like: “quotes” -minus site: ?

(Not sure where to start?)

Just google it.

Can You…

The Power of an E-mail

The Power of a Smartphone

The Power of a Digital Paper Trail

(girl walk video)

A Few Digital Paper Trails• Videos

• Images (digital or analog)

• Audio (podcasts, interviews)

• Writing (blogs, articles, books, how-to)

• Social media (e.g. tweets)

• Functional things: websites, programs, apps

Learning offline

MOOCs(Massive Open Online Courses)

Want to learn what love is? Throw yourself into relationships.

!Want to discuss novels?

Find other book lovers. !

Want to tell science fact from science fiction? Meet an actual scientist.

The Fall Retreat

Only humans can teach: work habits, self-regulation, conscientiousness, grit, and focus.

!Only humans can serve as: motivational coaches,

entertainers, and role models.

“We are the music makers, and we are the dreamers of dreams.”

—Arthur O’Shaughnessy (or, Willy Wonka)

Practice, Deliberately

• focused on a very specific goal

• designed to nudge you just past your current level of performance: not too hard, not too easy

• repeatable

• dependent on constant feedback

• mentally demanding (5 hours per day, max)

• not much fun: it’s strenuous and painful

Deliberate Practice is:

• Avoid someone who reminds you of a courteous waiter. They should scare you a little.

• Find someone who watches you closely, prefers jumping into activities over extensive talking, and gives honest feedback.

• Seek someone who gives short, clear directions.

• Seek someone who loves teaching fundamentals.

• Other things being equal, pick the older person.

To Find A Good Deliberate Practice Coach: (source: Daniel Coyle)

From self-directed learning to

“the real world”

The Kickstarter MBA• Who are you?

• What are you building?

• What are you offering?

• Who cares?

• How might you fail?

• Do other people trust you?

• How can I trust you?

Carsie Blanton &

Jazz Is for Everybody

Live Below Your Means

(become time-wealthy)

Minimum Viable Personality

@FAKEGRIMLOCK

MOST IMPORTANT STEP FOR BUILD PRODUCT IS BUILD PRODUCT

SECOND MOST IMPORTANT IS BUILD PERSONALITY FOR PRODUCT. 

NO HAVE PERSONALITY? PRODUCT BORING, NO ONE WANT.

1. HOW YOU CHANGE CUSTOMER'S LIFE?

2. WHAT YOU STAND FOR?

3. WHO OR WHAT YOU HATE?

NOW HAVE MISSION, VALUES, ENEMY. THAT ENOUGH FOR MINIMUM VIABLE

PERSONALITY.

My MVP:

• How would change people’s lives? By showing them new educational paths.

• What did I stand for? Self-directed learning.

• What did I hate? Wasting young people’s time in compulsory schooling when there are so many other engaging, productive, and enjoyable things to do.

(Carsie, Sean, Jonah, too)

“An organization filled with honest, motivated, connected, eager, learning, experimenting, ethical and

driven people will always defeat the one that merely has talent. Every time.”

!—Seth Godin

That’s some of…

• Cat on laptop: sskennel

• Violinists: agullalee

• Laptop group: Saad Faruque

• Austin Kleon: Austin Kleon

• (all other images used with permission or fair use)

Connect with me! @ blakeboles.com