Self-Paced Learning

When most people think of learning, images of a scheduled online training or classroom full of learners may come to mind. Yet, learning that involves classes as a group, or cohort-based learning, is only one learning prototype – not the only one. By giving learners the facility to choose when, where, and sometimes even what they want to learn. This independent learning style is known as self-paced learning and has become a featured model in the education system (“What Is Self-Paced Learning? Definition, Benefits and Tips.” Digital Learning Institute, 18 June 2023, https://www.digitallearninginstitute.com).

It’s worth pointing out that self-paced learning benefits a wide range of individuals within different age groups and learning styles, among them: 1. Students with Diverse Learning Styles where visual learners can focus on visual materials, auditory learners can listen to lectures or audio recordings, and kinesthetic learners through physical activity. 2. Adult Learners: Self-paced learning is particularly valuable for adult learners who may have work or family commitments, they can study at their convenience according to their schedules. 3. Gifted and High-Achieving Students: Self-paced learning allows gifted and high-achieving students to progress at an accelerated pace. These students often require more challenging materials and a faster learning pace than traditional classroom settings can provide. 4. Students with Special Needs: Self-paced learning can be adapted to accommodate the needs of students with disabilities or learning difficulties. It allows for individualised instruction, providing additional time and resources. 5. Working Professionals: Self-paced learning is highly beneficial for working professionals who want to enhance their skills or pursue professional development.

According to Suvin (2022), self-paced learning has distinctive advantages as follows: 1. Students learn at their own pace. 2. Freedom to use various models of learning according to students’ learning modes and schedules, it could be from YouTube tutorials, books, podcasts, webinars, or discussions, as they wish. 3. Willingness to try out new experiences and learn new skills. 4. Students become experts. 5. Prompts more effective learning in students. 6. Boosts self-esteem and self-reflection of students. Despite the advantages of self-paced learning above, it has disadvantages as follows: 1. Lack of structure: One disadvantage of self-paced learning is that it can lack the structure and guidance provided by more traditional approaches to education. This can make it harder for learners to stay focused and motivated and to know what to learn and when to learn it. 2. Lack of support: This can make it harder for learners to get help when they need it, and to access materials and resources for learning. 3. Time and effort: Self-paced learning can require significant time and effort investment on the part of the learner. This can be especially challenging for learners with other commitments, such as work or family responsibilities. 4. Difficulty assessing: Learners have difficulty assessing their progress and determining whether they are meeting their learning goals. This can be especially true if they do not have access to external feedback or assessment. 5. Limited social interaction: Learners may also have limited opportunities for social interaction with other learners, which can be an important part of the learning experience. This can make it harder for learners to collaborate and learn from each other and may lead to feelings of isolation or disconnection (Sharma, 2023).

To summarise, self-paced learning proposes to provide learners with the experience learn of flexibility, customisation, and individualisation, making it highly beneficial across diverse educational settings for a wide range of individuals. Moreover, engaging in self-paced learning means lifelong learning, raises motivations, and allows new experiences.