While wrapping up my last post on self-directed learning a thought occurred to me that I’d like to explore here.  I’m also hoping to inspire some discussion around the subject since in my mind this could present a key opportunity for higher education moving forward.
I attended a Research Showcase yesterday in which one of the topics covered was Threshold Concepts.  This notion is a new one to me, and to be honest I don’t know much about it; however based on the definition I’ve just uncovered online, a threshold concept …

A post I read yesterday really got me to thinking about curriculum-based instruction versus self-directed learning models.  This post is a reflective writing exercise that seeks to clarify my philosophies on the subject in my own head.
In “Downes on Learning and Web 2.0“, Diego Leal reflects on the following video in which Stephen Downes argues 3 key points:

You are at the center of your own personal learning network;
To gain from self-directed learning you must be self-directed;
These principles should guide how we teach as well as how we …