The Phenomenon of Self-Education: Review of World Research Contexts

Modern education overcomes institutional, age, and spatial limits. It provides each person with the opportunity to lifelong learning, and it also allows managing the learning process. Self- education as a proactive human activity for the purposeful accumulation of experience is becoming a relevant subject of scientific research. The research contexts of self-education in world science are the following concepts: «adult learning», «continuous learning», «continuous professional development», «informal learning», «lifelong learning», «non-formal learning», «self-development», «self-directed learning», «self-education», «workplace learning». A review of the segments of the subject field formed by these concepts was carried out. The main goal was to compare and determine the possibilities of using these concepts for the study of self-education in educational, organizational (professional) and life contexts. The articles indexed in the Scopus database served as the basis for the review. Quantitative indicators characterizing the prevalence of terms and the content of the sought- for concepts in the most cited articles were identified. The results showed that the significant amount of knowledge about self-education is concentrated in the segments related to the concepts of lifelong learning, self- directed learning, informal learning, and workplace learning. The most promising is the study of self-education of students or professionals based on the theories of self-directed and informal learning. The theories of self-directed learning are necessary to consider the initiation, implementation, and control of person’s proactive learning activities. The theories of informal learning are necessary to analyze the spontaneous, but meaningful experience accumulation in the process of various activities. The materials of the review, which describe contexts for the study of self-education, will be useful for scientists to determine the current research perspectives and select an adequate theoretical framework.

1. Bauer, J. J. (2009). Intentional self-development. In J. Lopez (Ed.), The Encyclopedia of positive psychology (pp. 523–527). Malden: Wiley-Blackwell. https://doi.org/10.1002/9781444306002.ch9

2. Berkhout, J. J., Helmich, E., Teunissen, P. W., van der Vleuten, C. P. M., & Jaarsma, A. D. C. (2018). Context matters when striving to promote active and lifelong learning in medical education. Medical Education, 52(1), 34–44. https://doi.org/10.1111/medu.13463

3. Blaschke, L. M. (2012). Heutagogy and lifelong learning: A review of heutagogical practice and self-determined learning. International Review of Research in Open and Distance Learning, 13(1), 56-71. https://doi.org/10.19173/irrodl.v13i1.1076

4. Bolhuis, S. (2003). Towards process-oriented teaching for self-directed lifelong learning: A multidimensional perspective. Learning and Instruction, 13(3), 327–347. https://doi.org/10.1016/S0959-4752(02)00008-7

5. Bryan, R. L., Kreuter, M. W., & Brownson, R. C. (2009). Integrating adult learning principles into training for public health practice. Health Promotion Practice, 10(4), 557–563. https://doi.org/10.1177/1524839907308117

6. Cherrstrom, C. A., Stacey, E. R., & Bixby, J. (2016). 10 years of adult learning: Content analysis of an academic journal. Adult Learning, 28(1), 3–11. https://doi.org/10.1177/1045159516664320

7. Clapper, T. C. (2010). Beyond Knowles: What those conducting simulation need to know about adult learning theory. Clinical Simulation in Nursing, 6(1), e7-e14. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ecns.2009.07.003

8. Dabbagh, N., & Kitsantas, A. (2012). Personal learning environments, social media, and self- regulated learning: A natural formula for connecting formal and informal learning. Internet and Higher Education, 15(1), 3–8. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.iheduc.2011.06.002

9. Decius, J., Knappstein, M., Schaper, N., & Seifert, A. (2021). Investigating the multidimensionality of informal learning: Validation of a short measure for white-collar workers. Human Resource Development Quarterly, 1–30. https://doi.org/10.1002/hrdq.21461

10. Egloffstein, M., & Ifenthaler, D. (2017). Employee Perspectives on MOOCs for Workplace Learning. TechTrends, 61, 65-70. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11528-016-0127-3

11. Garavan, T.N., & McGuire, D. (2001). Competencies and workplace learning: some reflections on the rhetoric and the reality. Journal of Workplace Learning, 13(4), 144–164. https://doi.org/10.1108/13665620110391097

12. Geng, S., Law, K. M. Y., & Niu, B. (2019). Investigating self-directed learning and technology readiness in blending learning environment. International Journal of Educational Technology in Higher Education, 16(1). https://doi.org/10.1186/s41239-019-0147-0

13. Gibson, J. M. E. (1998). Using the Delphi technique to identify the content and context of nurses' continuing professional development needs. Journal of Clinical Nursing, 7(5), 451–459. https://doi.org/10.1046/j.1365-2702.1998.00175.x

14. Gould, D., Drey, N., & Berridge, E. (2007). Nurses' experiences of continuing professional development. Nurse Education Today, 27(6), 602–609. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.nedt.2006.08.021

15. Greenberg, C. C., Ghousseini, H. N., Pavuluri Quamme, S. R., Beasley, H. L., Frasier, L. L., Brys, N. A., Dombrowski, J. C., & Wiegmann, D. A. (2018). A statewide surgical coaching program provides opportunity for continuous professional development. Annals of Surgery, 267(5), 868– 873. https://doi.org/10.1097/SLA.0000000000002341

16. Greenhow, C., & Robelia, B. (2009). Informal learning and identity formation in online social networks. Learning, Media and Technology, 34(2), 119–140. https://doi.org/10.1080/17439880902923580

17. Hodkinson, H. & Hodkinson P. (2005) Improving schoolteachers' workplace learning. Research Papers in Education, 20(2), 109–131. https://doi.org/10.1080/02671520500077921

18. Jeong, S., Han, S. J., Lee, J., Sunalai, S., & Yoon, S. W. (2018). Integrative literature review on informal learning: Antecedents, conceptualizations, and future directions. Human Resource Development Review, 17(2), 128–152. https://doi.org/10.1177/1534484318772242

19. Kennedy, A. (2014). Understanding continuing professional development: The need for theory to impact on policy and practice. Professional Development in Education, 40(5), 688–697. https://doi.org/10.1080/19415257.2014.955122

20. Kicherova, M., Zyuban, E., & Muslimova, E. (2020). Non-formal and informal learning: International recognition practices. Voprosy obrazovaniya – Educational Studies Moscow, 1, 126–158. https://doi.org/10.17323/1814-9545-2020-1-126-158

21. Knowles, M., Holton, E. F., Swanson, R. A., & Robinson, P. A. (2020). The adult learner: The definitive classic in adult education and human resource development. Routledge. https://doi.org/10.4324/9780429299612

22. Kritskaya, A. R. (2013). Some conceptual foundations of students’ self-education. Voprosy Filosofii, 5, 70–74.

23. Lopes, H., & McKay, V. (2020). Adult learning and education as a tool to contain pandemics: The COVID-19 experience. International Review of Education, 66(4), 575–602. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11159-020-09843-0

24. Louws, M. L., Meirink, J. A., van Veen, K., & van Driel, J. H. (2017). Teachers' self-directed learning and teaching experience: What, how, and why teachers want to learn. Teaching and Teacher Education, 66, 171–183. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.tate.2017.04.004

25. Loyens, S. M. M., Magda, J., & Rikers, R. M. J. P. (2008). Self-directed learning in problem-based learning and its relationships with self-regulated learning. Educational Psychology Review, 20(4), 411–427. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10648-008-9082-7

26. Lyz, N., Prima, A., & Opryshko, A. (2020). The role of students’ life course conception in their self-development. International Journal of Cognitive Research in Science, Engineering and Education (IJCRSEE), 8(1), 37–48. https://doi.org/10.5937/IJCRSEE2001037L

27. Madge, C., Meek, J., Wellens, J., & Hooley, T. (2009). Facebook, social integration and informal learning at university: 'it is more for socialising and talking to friends about work than for actually doing work. Learning, Media and Technology, 34(2), 141–155. https://doi.org/10.1080/17439880902923606

28. Mikkonen, S., Pylväs, L., Rintala, H., Nokelainen, P., Postareff, L. (2017). Guiding workplace learning in vocational education and training: a literature review. Empirical Research in Vocational Education and Training 9(1), 9. https://doi.org/10.1186/s40461-017-0053-4

29. Narushima, M., Liu, J., & Diestelkamp, N. (2018). Lifelong learning in active ageing discourse: Its conserving effect on wellbeing, health and vulnerability. Ageing and Society, 38(4), 651–675. doi:10.1017/S0144686X16001136

30. Noe, R. A., Tews, M. J., & Marand, A. D. (2013) Individual differences and informal learning in the workplace, Journal of Vocational Behavior, 83(3), 327–335. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jvb.2013.06.009

31. O'Shea, E. (2003). Self-directed learning in nurse education: A review of the literature. Journal of Advanced Nursing, 43(1), 62–70. https://doi.org/10.1046/j.1365-2648.2003.02673.x

32. Park, K., Li, H., & Luo, N. (2021). Key issues on informal learning in the 21st century: A text mining-based literature review. International Journal of Emerging Technologies in Learning, 16(17), 4–18. https://doi.org/10.3991/ijet.v16i17.23663

33. Pérez-Foguet, A., Lazzarini, B., Giné, R., Velo, E., Boni, A., Sierra, M., Zolezzi, G., Trimingham, R. (2018). Promoting sustainable human development in engineering: Assessment of online courses within continuing professional development strategies. Journal of Cleaner Production, 172, 4286–4302. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jclepro.2017.06.244

34. Raitskaya, L. K., & Tikhonova, E. V. (2020). An Overview of Reviews as a Trend Maker in the Field. Vysshee obrazovanie v Rossii – Higher Education in Russia, 29(3), 37–57. https://doi.org/10.31992/0869-3617-2020-29-3-37-57

35. Rashid, T., & Asghar, H. M. (2016). Technology use, self-directed learning, student engagement and academic performance: Examining the interrelations. Computers in Human Behavior, 63, 604–612. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.chb.2016.05.084

36. Roberts, T., Jackson, C., Mohr-Schroeder, M. J., Bush, S. B., Maiorca, C., Cavalcanti, M., Schroeder, D. C., Delaney, A., Putnam, L., & Cremeans, C. (2018). Students’ perceptions of STEM learning after participating in a summer informal learning experience. International Journal of STEM Education, 5(1). https://doi.org/10.1186/s40594-018-0133-4

37. Sharples, M. (2000). The design of personal mobile technologies for lifelong learning. Computers and Education, 34(3-4), 177–193. https://doi.org/10.1016/s0360-1315(99)00044-5

38. Shchukina, M. A. (2018). Heuristics of the subject approach in the psychological consciousness of personal self-development. Psikhologicheskii Zhurnal, 39(2), 48–57. https://doi.org/10.7868/S0205959218020058

39. Tekkol, I. A., & Demirel, M. (2018). An investigation of self-directed learning skills of undergraduate students. Frontiers in Psychology, 9. https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyg.2018.02324

40. Tews, M. J., Michel, J. W., & Noe, R. A. (2017). Does fun promote learning? the relationship between fun in the workplace and informal learning. Journal of Vocational Behavior, 98, 46–55. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jvb.2016.09.006

41. Tynjälä, P. (2013). Toward a 3-P model of workplace learning: A literature review. Vocations and Learning, 6, 11-36. doi:10.1007/s12186-012-9091-z

42. Walker, J. (2017). Shame and transformation in the theory and practice of adult learning and education. Journal of Transformative Education, 15(4), 357–374. https://doi.org/10.1177/1541344617699591

43. Whitton, N. (2011). Game engagement theory and adult learning. Simulation and Gaming, 42(5), 596–609. https://doi.org/10.1177/1046878110378587

44. Zhou, Q., Li, Q., & Gong, S. (2019). How job autonomy promotes employee's sustainable development? A moderated mediation model. Sustainability (Switzerland), 11(22). https://doi.org/10.3390/su11226445