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CHAPTER SIX Self-directed learning

6.1 Chapter 6 examines the characteristics and outcomes of self-directed learning. As discussed in Chapter 1, this type of learning includes:

• on the job training
• professional development and
• any other activity that improves knowledge or skills without participation in a taught course.

6.2 The chapter begins with an overview of participation in different types of self-directed learning and amongst different demographic groups. It then focuses in more detail on 'other' self-directed learning (that is self-directed learning that does not include professional development and on the job training), summarising:

• most common subjects for self-directed learning
• mode of learning
• use of ICT for the learning
• motivation for undertaking, and
• perceived benefits.

6.3 Figures reported in this chapter only include respondents aged 16-69, unless otherwise stated.

Overview of different types of self-directed learning

6.4 As reported in Chapter 2, two thirds (67%) of respondents aged 16-69 in Scotland had undertaken some self-directed learning in the past three years. This is very similar to the proportion undertaking self-directed learning in England and Wales (65%). In terms of the 3 different types of self-directed learning asked about by NALS:

• 31% did on the job training
• 47% took part in professional development activities, and
• 32% undertook other types of self-directed learning.

These are almost identical to the equivalent figures for England and Wales (29%, 46% and 31% respectively).

6.5 Table 6.1 looks at types of self-directed learning by socio-economic group. Key differences to emerge are:

• Respondents in managerial and professional positions were more than twice as likely to have participated in professional development as those in lower supervisory and technical occupations (73% compared with 33%) and more than four times as likely as those in semi-routine and routine jobs (17%).
• Those in managerial and professional occupations were also twice as likely as semi-routine and routine workers to have undertaken 'other' forms of self-directed learning (45%, 21%).
• The picture was slightly different for on the job training, with managerial and professional workers as likely to have taken part as intermediate workers (38%, 40%).
• Further, although managers and professionals are still more likely than those in routine and semi-routine occupations to have done on-the-job training (38%, 25%), the difference between these two groups is not quite as stark as for other types of self-directed learning.
• Small employers and own account workers (i.e. the self-employed) were less likely to have taken part in on-the-job training than those in any other occupational group (6%), but over half (52%) of this group had undertaken professional development and over a quarter (26%) had participated in other forms of self-directed learning.

Table 6.1 Percentage of NS- SEC groups reporting different types of self-directed learning in the past three years

Base: all respondents aged 16-69 who were employed or self-employed or had been employed or self-employed in the past

6.6 Participation in self-directed learning is also linked to size of workplace - the larger the organisation they work for, the more likely respondents are to have participated in all types of self-directed learning (Table 6.2):

• Around a third of those in organisations with 25 or more employees reported on the job training (36% and 38%) compared with 26% of those in organisations with less than 25 employees.
• Professional development was mentioned by approximately two thirds of those employed by large organisations (65% of those with 500 or more employers) compared with 45% of those in medium size organisations (25-499 employees) and 38% of those in small organisations (under 25 employees).
• Other self directed learning was mentioned by half (49%) of those employed by large organisations compared with 28% in medium and 30% in small organisations.

Table 6.2 Percentage of employees in different sized organisations reporting different types of self-directed learning in the past three years

Base: all respondents aged 16-69 who were in paid employment or had been in paid employment in the past

Professional development

6.7 Respondents who had done learning to keep up to date with developments at work were more likely to have studied business and administration than any other subject (28%), followed by engineering (17%) and computer use (13%).

Table 6.3 Subject of self-directed learning to keep up to date with work developments*

Base: all respondents aged 16-69 who reported self directed learning to keep up to date with work developments in the past three years

*Percentage may sum to more than 100 because respondents could choose more than one reply

Note: Only those subjects mentioned by 5% or more respondents are included in the table.

Main features of self-directed learning

6.8 As mentioned earlier, detailed information about learning episodes was only collected for 'other' self-directed learning (i.e. self-directed learning that did not consist of professional development or on the job training). The remainder of the chapter focuses on 'other' self-directed learning, which will be referred to simply as 'self-directed learning'.

6.9 Table 6.4 shows subjects of 'other' self-directed learning undertaken by respondents in the previous 3 years. Respondents most commonly studied computer use (16%), followed by modern languages and literature (9%).

Table 6.4 Subject of self-directed learning

Base: all respondents aged 16-69 who reported 'other' self directed learning in the past three years

Note: Only those subjects mentioned by 5% or more respondents are included in the table.

6.10 Respondents who undertook self-directed learning most commonly learned from printed materials, such as books and magazines (73%) and computers (70%). Learning from friends, family and colleagues (43%) and watching TV, videos or DVDs or radio (39%) were also common (Table 6.5).

Table 6.5 Mode of self-directed learning*

Base: all respondents aged 16-69 who reported 'other' self directed learning in the past three years

*Percentage may sum to more than 100 because respondents could choose more than one reply

6.11 Due to the nature of self-directed learning, a quantity measure can only be approximate, so respondents were asked if the learning episode involved more or less than 10 hours. The vast majority of respondents reported spending a total of at least ten hours studying their subject (84%).

Use of ICT for self-directed learning

6.12 As with taught learning, the survey examined the use of ICT for self-directed learning: three quarters (75%) of respondents who reported self-directed learning indicated that they had used ICT (compared with 60% for taught learning). A somewhat higher proportion of self-directed learners in Scotland (75%) compared with England and Wales (64%) reported using ICT for that learning.

6.13 'Doing research' for self-directed learning was the most common use of ICT (56%), followed by learning about IT (25%), learning about using the Internet (22%) and exchanging emails (20%) (Table 6.6).

Table 6.6 Use of ICT for self-directed learning*

Base: all respondents aged 16-69 who reported 'other' self directed learning in the past three years

*Percentages sum to more than 100 because respondents could choose more than one reply

6.14 The majority of respondents had used both a computer and the Internet for self-directed learning (77%), while 1 in 10 had used only a computer and 13% only the Internet (Table 6.7) ²⁵.

Table 6.7 Use of computer and/or Internet for self-directed learning

Base: all respondents aged 16-69 who reported 'other' self directed learning in the past three years and used ICT for this learning

6.15 Around two fifths (41%) of those who had used ICT for self-directed learning said they had used ICT for all or most of the time they spent learning, while 36% used it some of the time and 23% a little of the time (Figure 6.1).

Figure 6.1 Time spent using ICT for self-directed learning

Job-related motivations for self-directed learning

6.16 Respondents' current work does not appear to be a major motivator for starting self-directed learning other than on-the-job-training or professional development - one third (36%) of those who were in paid employment in the past three years said the learning they were doing was related to their job when they started studying, while 64% said it was not (Table 6.8).

Table 6.8 Whether subject of learning was related to the job they were doing at the time when they started studying

Base: all respondents aged 16-69 who reported 'other' self directed learning in the past three years and had been in paid employment in the past three years (or since they left continuous full time education).

6.17 Fifteen per cent of those who indicated their study was unrelated to the job they were doing at the time, or who had not been in paid employment in the last 3 years, said they had undertaken self-directed learning to help with a future job, while 7% said it might help them with future employment (Table 6.9).

Table 6.9 Whether they started teaching themselves because they thought it would help with a job they were thinking of doing in the future

Base: all respondents aged 16-69 who reported 'other' self directed learning in the past three years which was not related to their job at the time or they had not been in paid employment in the past three years (or since they left continuous full time education).

6.18 1 in 10 of all self-directed learners said they thought the learning would help with voluntary work they were doing or thinking of doing in the future (Table 6.10).

Table 6.10 Whether they thought it would help with voluntary work they were doing/thinking of doing

Base: all respondents aged 16-69 who reported 'other' self directed learning in the past three years

Outcomes of self-directed learning

Employment-related outcomes

6.19 Among those whose self-directed learning was linked to current or future employment:

• around half felt it had helped them develop new job-related skills or improved their performance at work (49% and 47% respectively), and
• two fifths (40%) reported increased job satisfaction.

6.20 However, although many respondents could identify job-related benefits from self-directed learning, they were somewhat less likely than those who had undertaken taught learning to do so - for example, 63% of those who had undertaken taught learning felt it helped them develop job-related skills, compared with 49% of self-directed learners. Self-directed learners in Scotland were less likely than those in England and Wales to feel that the learning had led to a pay rise (4%, 15%).

Table 6.11 Employment benefits of self-directed learning*

Base: all respondents aged 16-69 who reported 'other' self directed learning in the past three years, whose learning was connected to current or future paid employment

*Percentages sum to more than 100 because respondents could choose more than one reply

Wider benefits of self-directed learning

6.21 In terms of the wider benefits of self-directed learning, the overall picture is very positive with almost all respondents mentioning at least one of the benefits listed (99%).

• Improvement of knowledge and skills and finding the learning interesting and enjoyable were mentioned by the majority of respondents (74%, 74% and 69% respectively - Table 6.12).
• Benefits associated with personal development were also frequently mentioned: 41% found it provided something useful to do with their spare time, 32% had been encouraged by the experience to do more learning, 29% said the learning had boosted their confidence and 21% met new people as a result of the learning.

Table 6.12 Wider benefits of self-directed learning*

Base: all respondents aged 16-69 who reported 'other' self directed learning in the past three years

*Percentages sum to more than 100 because respondents could choose more than one reply

6.22 Exploration of the wider benefits of self-directed learning by respondents' highest qualification did not show any clear patterns (Table 6.13). However, respondents with lower-level qualifications/ no qualifications were more likely to mention being able to do something useful with their spare time as a benefit (55% of those with level 1 or no qualifications, compared with 35% of those with level 4 or 5 qualifications). This group were also slightly more likely to mention keeping their body active as a benefit (32% compared with 12% of those qualified at level 4 or above).

Table 6.13 Wider benefits of self-directed learning by current qualification*

Base: all respondents aged 16-69 who reported 'other' self directed learning in the past three years

*Percentages sum to more than 100 because respondents could choose more than one reply

Conclusion

6.23 Participation in self-directed learning is strongly patterned by socio-economic group and the size of the organisation in which people work - for example, people in managerial occupations were more likely than those in lower supervisory, technical, routine or semi-routine occupations to undertake professional development and other self-directed learning, while those in large organisations were more likely than those in small organisations to participate in on-the-job training, professional development and other types of self-directed learning.

6.24 Participants in self-directed learning (excluding professional development and on the job training) were most likely to have studied computer use and were most likely to have learned from printed materials or computers.

6.25 The vast majority of self-directed learners spent over ten hours in total learning about their chosen subject and most participants had used ICT for their self-directed learning. The vast majority of respondents who participated in self-directed learning said they benefited from it in some way, either in terms of work-related outcomes, such as improving their ability to do their job or increasing their job-satisfaction, or in terms of wider outcomes, such as improved knowledge, enjoyment and improved confidence or self-esteem.

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