What is learner autonomy?

Motivation

“What do you want to learn and why?” Ask your employees to think about what will make their roles easier, help with career progression, assist them in mentoring others, etc. The “what and why” is key to getting them started.

Planning

Ask your employees some questions about how they’ll execute their plan. How much self-imposed structure do they need? How disciplined are they? Where will they learn from (on the way to work, at their desks, etc.)? What do they need before they start?

Set goals

“What do you want to learn? How long will you give yourself? What do you want to cover this week, this month? How will you use the information you’re learning in a practical way in the following weeks?” Get your employees to think about the goals they want to set.

Buddy up

Learner autonomy isn’t about working alone. Get employees talking to colleagues, managers or their network to find out who else is learning about similar topics. They can share learning experiences and learn from each other.

How your LMS Supports Autonomous Learning

You can use a learning management system (LMS) to incorporate autonomous learning into your training strategy. Here are some of the key ways that an LMS supports and encourages learner autonomy.

1. Always available

An LMS is easily accessible whenever, wherever, however – using desktop, tablet or mobile device. This flexibility enables learners to learn anytime, anywhere. What’s more, courses don’t have to be completed in one sitting. A learner can leave a course before completing it and come back at a later stage, when they’re ready to learn more.

2. Learner-friendly

An easy-to-use solution ensures learners spend their time learning instead of wasting it trying to figure out how to use the LMS. This increases engagement and enables them to get the most out of the training.

3. Self-directed

Create catalogs from which learners can self-select the courses they wish to complete. This enables them to take control by choosing the topics or subjects that way want to find out more about.