When was the last time you ventured out of your routine and tried something entirely new, learned a new skillset, or changed something about yourself? When trying to recall that special project you started, you may recollect your experience as Self-Directed Learning (SDL). According to Costa and Kallick (2004), Self-Direct Learning is an approach whereby a person takes the responsibility of any event that occurs. Self-directedness enables people to self-manage, self-monitor and self-modify themselves whenever they are faced with complex and demanding tasks (Costa & Garmston, 2001; Costa & Kallick, 2004). In this paper, the self-directed learning experience I chose to analyze is how to fit physical fitness into my busy work and school schedule? Starting this project and new activity required initiative on my part to diagnose my needs, and then formulate a plan. Also, in order to design a working plan, it is imperative to create a learning goal. The learning goal here, is to fit daily exercise into my busy schedule, while trying a new type of fitness. Once the learning goal was established I set out to strategize how I would learn to accomplish my goal, and evaluate the outcomes of my self-directed learning.
Facets of Learning Experience
What kind of new fitness regimen would fit into my busy lifestyle? After trying many different classes and workout programs over the years, I found it difficult to find something that challenged me and kept me motivated to continue doing the same every day, as my work life and school responsibilities increased. For this particular SDL project, I found a virtual fitness class called Peloton that was cost effective and inspiring. Peloton was founded in the year 2012 and recruited top talents to create a new concept in fitness. The Chief Executive Office and founder of Peloton is John Foley. The Silicon Valley creators of this fitness product say that they loved cycling bud had not found an appropriate fitness program that would fit their busy schedules. It is this situation that prompted them to create an indoor cycling studio that would be convenient for people with quite busy work or school schedules. Peloton’s app features workouts for floor exercise, treadmill, and strength training. After doing my research, I found that the creators of Peloton and I had a few things in common: A busy schedule, and a need for a challenging, yet motivating workout. Peloton urges customers to purchase their expensive indoor bike and equipment. However I was able to utilize an indoor spin bike, weights, and treadmill at the Christus Mother Frances Fitness Center gym located in Tyler, TX. The environment in which this learning project takes place is both at the gym, and my home. At Peloton Company, there are fourteen instructors that teach a variety of classes, both “live” and on-demand. Also, there are fourteen daily “live” rides, and other classes including total body workout programs comprising of treadmill, arms and shoulders, and core workouts. The good thing is that these classes are easily accessible through the apple app.
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Detailed Analysis
In this section, I will provide a detailed analysis of how my self-directed learning experience in fitness program compares or contrasts with a specific learning model or theory. The learning theory that I choose to discuss is the Situated Cognition Theory, also known as situated learning. Situated cognition includes various theoretical positions that assume that cognition is directly connected to the socio-cultural contexts or situations in which it exists or occurs (Stoner & Cennamo, 2018). Therefore, the theory suggests that people acquire new knowledge based on the social context in which they are in or based on the activities in which they perform. For this reason, knowledge acquisition cannot be separated from the situation in which the knowledge was acquired (Driscoll, 2005). The suggestions of the Situated Cognition Theory are embedded on the fact that learning is social and, therefore, not an isolated occurrence as it involves acquisition of knowledge through interactions with other people and shared activities.
Peloton benefits self-directed learners by facilitating fitness programs using a variety of online instructors with different skillsets. More so, the classes are purposely motivating through the use of a greater “community” whereby learners join a large online community of riders and fitness participants. Similar to the Situated Cognition Theory, instructors and learners at Peloton value the importance of the community for the learning experience. Also, Peloton learners find themselves in a “cognitive apprenticeship” by experiencing a social online interaction with expert instructors and other participants, hence enriching their learning experience. Even though Peloton offers community and variance in the learning environment, learners can choose to isolate themselves physically by taking the classes alone at home instead of going to the gym. Although learners can choose to listen to the learning content in a more isolated atmosphere, they still obtain a social interaction with expert instructors that provide encouragement and motivation whilst the participant is actively working through the classes.
Self-Directed Learner Assessment
According to Costa and Kallick’s Criteria for self-directed learning, learners ought to self-manage, self-monitor, and self-modify themselves, especially when they are confronted with demanding tasks (Costa & Kallick, 2004). Self-directed people should self-manage themselves by controlling their actions and solve problems with creativity, innovativeness and with splendid problem-solving skills. Also, they should self-monitor themselves by knowing what good thing works for them and by thinking about their behaviors, putting into consideration how those behaviors can affect the people around them (Tennant, 2007; Costa & Kallick, 2004). Self-directed people should also self-modify themselves by evaluating their experiences and constructing meaning out of them. It is this self-modification that would enable individuals to apply knowledge learned to solve future challenges (Costa & Kallick, 2004).
Balancing a busy work schedule and a fitness program is, indeed, a demanding task that requires self-directedness. First, it was imperative for me to draw from past experiences in my personal fitness history to see what worked, and what didn’t work for me. I found that previous fitness regimens were successful because I could manage added fitness programs into my schedule wisely because I had more free time. The goal for this self-directed learning project was to utilize a new way of fitness and fit it into my current busy work/school/family schedule. In this case, I utilized Costa and Kallick’s criteria for self-management by thoughtfully planning and initiating which program would best suit my busy schedule. I found it almost impossible to attend gym classes due to my busy work schedule. This significantly affected my motivation to get into the gym and work-out. It was at this point that I realized that I needed to find a new plan and solution to balance my work life and my fitness programs.
I did my research online and found out that fitness apps were becoming increasingly popular for people who have busy professional lives, and yet need a challenging workout that would keep them motivated to achieve their fitness goals. Once I found Peloton, I started a free “trial” membership to make sure it was something I would love and use daily. Secondly, I started self-monitoring myself and my learning after I had started taking a few classes. Even though I do not own a Peloton bike, I used my gym indoor spin bike which features a cadence and resistance monitor. On a daily basis. I monitored my cadence and resistance levels and strived to score higher than the day before. Depending on how I felt each day, emotionally and physically, I chose instructors and classes to either challenge me or give me more of an “active recovery” type of exercise. Similar to Costa and Kallick’s criteria, I continually used self-modifying techniques in my learning experience. Since I did not purchase the Peloton bike, I was not synced up with the Peloton community’s “leaderboard” which enables riders to view other riders’ stats. However, I modified my cadence and resistance according to my daily challenge goals and reflected on previous workouts to find ways on how I could improve.
Self-directed management strategies that I used in my Peloton learning experience included readiness to learn, setting learning goals, active engagement in my learning process, and evaluation of what I learned. I had to keep a positive attitude and what it would take to have the motivation to start this project and stay encouraged. My fitness goal was to exercise for at least 30 minutes for 5 days in a week. I found out that using the calendar and class schedule on the Peloton app was motivating because it tracked my daily usage of classes and how many minutes I trained. To encourage myself and stay motivated, I identified my favorite instructors and signing up for their classes. I found a few male and female instructors that helped me fulfill my motivation needs and fitness goals. The main reason as to why I enjoyed their classes is that they utilized a more strategic and athlete “performance” based teaching style. Some of the activities I enjoyed performing include sprints, interval work, climbs, and incorporating barbell weights for arms and shoulder strength as well as riding the bike. Throughout my learning experience with Peloton, I realized that it was important for me to make my own connections with the instructors and motivate myself without necessarily relying on the app.
Improvements to the Process of Learning
Within my roles as a Peloton student learner, I am aware that there are always improvements that can be made. One learning enhancement I would improve is defining my learning goal and developing a timely schedule to create more time for the workout routine. Currently, it is difficult to schedule in a time to exercise because, as a small business owner, my schedule fluctuates daily due to the dynamic nature of my clients’ schedules. There is the possibility that I could choose to go to the gym early in the morning, every day, before my working hours.
There are some ways in which the knowledge that has been acquired can be utilized as an adult learner. For example, it can be used to ensure that in the future, there is the development of new learning experiences that offer both minimum instruction as well as maximum autonomy. This is an aspect that involves self-management. In this case, research has proven that as an adult learner, I am always needed to always acquire new information and develop upon the existing knowledge effectively (Costa & Garmston, 2001). For example, with regard to the self-directed management strategies that I used in the learning experience, it means that in the future, it will be possible to develop other creative and innovative methods that can ensure that I am capable of getting new information. Later, this information can be used in establishing the strategies that are necessary to make sure set the right fitness goals.
The second way in which I can use the knowledge acquired is in the improvement of my ‘self-monitoring’ tactics. This is the aspect that involves the evaluation of one’s thinking, biases, and beliefs and the impacts that the states and processes of the mind have on the rest of the individuals as well as the environment. In the future, I will be needed to have enough knowledge that can make it possible to know what works for me. For example, it will be possible to know what type of equipment that will be required to make sure that I achieve my daily exercise routines. In addition, it will be possible to know what type of classes or instructors to choose. This can make it possible for me to feel motivated, especially when I feel demotivated. The third way in which the knowledge acquired can be utilized is by having an improvement in my self-modifying tactics. This is the ability of a person to change himself or herself by reflecting on the previous experiences and later analyzing them. Later, the two activities lead to the construction of meaning. With reference to my case, it would be appropriate to always take some time and think of the experiences that have happened in the past and then analyze, assess, and later establish the meaning. Later, it can be possible to apply what has been learned to the future tasks, activities, and challenges.
I can also use the knowledge acquired as a future facilitator of adult learning. In the first case, its use can ensure that I have more focus on the major concepts. In this case, a learner is able to effectively transfer his or her knowledge after he or she understands all the principles that are used in the guidance, organization, and the explanation of both contents as well as skills. Hence, as a facilitator, it will be my duty to establish the activities which link the dots via deeper shared functions or deeper relationships. The second way of using the knowledge as a facilitator can be by including all the activities which enhance deeper learning. In this case, for any activity that involves the idea of conceptual learning, it would be important for the learners to practice more rigorous thinking rather than memorization or skill practice. Thirdly, as a facilitator, it would be appropriate to offer roadmaps that possess links. In this case, it has been proven that all learners are able to become more engaged in the situations where the instructions offer a vivid sense of direction for the intended leaning. Through the means of establishing the intellectual links that exist between the segments of learning, it can be possible to show the manner in which knowledge can operate in more than a single context.
Fourthly, the knowledge can be used to empower the learners to both evaluate and assess their progress. In this case, it means that I should be capable of empowering the learners to effectively assess their individual strengths as well as weaknesses. By doing so, it means that I can offer them the power to take charge of their learning. For example, instead of offering progress reports, the students can monitor what they have learned and the means used to learn by using the assessments. Fifth, the knowledge would be used to ensure that there is collaborative learning. In this case, it means that the learners should work together with the aim of solving problems. By doing so, it can become possible for them to get the chances of learning from each other as well as benefiting from the people around them. In addition, collaborative learning can ensure that there is the provision of opportunities that can aid in the tapping of the current knowledge base and building upon it at a later time. Lastly, I can use the knowledge to include several real-world situations into practice. By doing this, it will be possible for the learners to know how the information can be important to them in various settings.
In conclusion, the evaluation has offered the opportunity to study and assess my adult learning activities. It has utilized the adult learning models and theories covered in the course. The analysis has covered various aspects that have made it possible for me to know my position with regard to adult learning. The outcomes have revealed what should be improved and how the knowledge can be used in the future.
References
Costa, A. L., & Kallick, B. (2004). Assessment strategies for self-directed learning, pp. 86– 87.Thousand Oaks, CA: Corwin Press/Sage.
Costa, A., & Garmston, R. (2001). Cognitive coaching: A foundation for renaissance schools . Norwood, MA: Christopher-Gordon.
Driscoll, M. P. (2005). Psychology of learning for instruction . Boston: Pearson/Allyn and Bacon.
Stoner, A. M., & Cennamo, K. S. (2018). Enhancing reflection within situated learning: Incorporating mindfulness as an instructional strategy . Cham: Springer.
Tennant, M. (2007). Psychology and Adult Learning (3rd ed.). Routledge.
