How much self-directed education do you do? How do you do it?

[Juliet8080]

One of my steady obsessions is self-directed education. Like a lot of aspies, I've had problems with traditional schooling.

What kinds of things do you like to take on as self-education? What experiences have you had doing this? Is it easier working with a small group when it's self-directed, or do you need to go it alone? How do you know when you've had "enough?"

What have you learned recently that you're excited about? Or what's your current fascinating subject?

I usually do a ton of Internet research and learn whatever I want on my own. I write stories, do abstract art, learn new languages, memorize astronomy constellations and stellar names, and stuff like that.

School is reaaaaally screwed up and I might be taking my English class online soon. I haven't really gotten into it yet, though.

 

[danielcollins]

I've recently started learning German which I've wanted to do for a long time, it's good but i need some clear structure and end goals to stick with anything.

It's all a bit open ended with my teacher so I'm finding it quite hard to motivate myself, but that could be the depression.

After a bad experience at school like most i was very of put by the whole thing. Took me a few years to attempt anything new and further, started their open University but found that very vague and far too self directed.

In recent years I've done some study on and off, in bits and bobs. My attention span and poor word memory restricts my traditional book learning skills (both educationally and for pleasure) so I've found it quite hard.

I've got a test coming up for work soon, which i need to pass.. I'm kind of dreading doing it (although i passed it last time i did it) because i know I'll have to sit and read.

 

[Ericho]

Wasn't home schooled, but I can understand why some people would do it.

 

[marraco]

I have an incredible difficulty concentrating on the things I should be studying. I just can't take my attention out of the things I want to learn.

This may seem contradictory, but at the same time I have great difficulty interacting with other people, but If I work on the same thing, NTs help me to be focused on the thing I need to work.

On occasions, I was forced to study or do some academic homework with other NTs. Then I was far more focused on the work/study, and I tend to have a clearer, deeper and sharper understanding on the matter.
But If I do the same thing in isolation, I cannot focus on it. My mind wanders to any other thing I find interesting.

I had spent lots of time studying things I should not be studying, and neglecting the matters I should be learning.

 

[Effy]

I taught myself HTML, CSS and PHP, as well as how to use computers, how the Internet works, how to blog/be a full-time blogger, photography, etc. I do better when I can get to the point and learn exactly what I'm interested in, whereas traditional-focused learning is more about learning this sort of fluffy spherical-like information, which doesn't help me in understanding anything. By teaching myself, I am able to learn without all the fluff. I favor the idea of "unschooling" more than other ideas of schooling/education.

That said, I do plan on getting certified in Food Safety soon, but that's simply to add a fancy credential to myself. XD

 

[Balkan1996]

I actually love studying new things, it's just that in school I feel like a gorilla in aviary.

Everything new is welcome.
I take out 1 hour a day for listening new music, I love learning new words and I deal with programs for editing mp4.

 

[TragicKingdom]

One of my steady obsessions is self-directed education. Like a lot of aspies, I've had problems with traditional schooling.

What kinds of things do you like to take on as self-education? What experiences have you had doing this? Is it easier working with a small group when it's self-directed, or do you need to go it alone? How do you know when you've had "enough?"

What have you learned recently that you're excited about? Or what's your current fascinating subject?

I am a software engineer by trade, a web developer and a graphic designer - Although I went to school for this I would estimate 90% of what I actually know is from self-learning, not from the schools (Which were inferior in my opinion).

Beyond these examples, I am constantly learning other topics via reading on a daily basis: History, science, theology. This is most important to me and also gives me great pleasure.

 

[TragicKingdom]

I taught myself HTML, CSS and PHP, as well as how to use computers, how the Internet works, how to blog/be a full-time blogger, photography, etc. I do better when I can get to the point and learn exactly what I'm interested in, whereas traditional-focused learning is more about learning this sort of fluffy spherical-like information, which doesn't help me in understanding anything. By teaching myself, I am able to learn without all the fluff. I favor the idea of "unschooling" more than other ideas of schooling/education.

That said, I do plan on getting certified in Food Safety soon, but that's simply to add a fancy credential to myself. XD

I absolutely love PHP and am currently studying it along with MySQL for database development.

 

[danielcollins]

I actually love studying new things, it's just that in school I feel like a gorilla in aviary.

Everything new is welcome.
I take out 1 hour a day for listening new music, I love learning new words and I deal with programs for editing mp4.

Love new music. I used to be properly stuck in my idea of what music I liked, even when I did have a varied taste. One of my new years resolutions this year or last was to make myself listen to new things so I can expand my horizons.

Spotify is amazing, I find it great for finding music that I want to get more into without really knowing much about it.

In other news - I've decided to pick myself up and do something about my self-education, I've got quite a few things on the table at the moment that I want to do and I'm going to do them. Break them down in to manageable goals and hit them this year, the depression has been keeping me down for a while but I now realise I have to push myself.

 

[Aspergirl4hire]

Love new music. I used to be properly stuck in my idea of what music I liked, even when I did have a varied taste. One of my new years resolutions this year or last was to make myself listen to new things so I can expand my horizons.

Spotify is amazing, I find it great for finding music that I want to get more into without really knowing much about it.

In other news - I've decided to pick myself up and do something about my self-education, I've got quite a few things on the table at the moment that I want to do and I'm going to do them. Break them down in to manageable goals and hit them this year, the depression has been keeping me down for a while but I now realise I have to push myself.

One thing I've noticed about myself is that I have to work through the worst of depression to be able to "push through"--on those occasions when I've forced myself, the effort wasn't rewarding and the result wasn't satisfying. If the depression, or the distraction, is deep enough, I may not even be able to form the thoughts that support a push. Music was one of the ways I learned to help that. I could use it to dive, and I could use it to surface, in places where my other passions sometimes could not make a difference.

 

[danielcollins]

One thing I've noticed about myself is that I have to work through the worst of depression to be able to "push through"--on those occasions when I've forced myself, the effort wasn't rewarding and the result wasn't satisfying. If the depression, or the distraction, is deep enough, I may not even be able to form the thoughts that support a push. Music was one of the ways I learned to help that. I could use it to dive, and I could use it to surface, in places where my other passions sometimes could not make a difference.

I know what you mean, pushing at times can be really hard and there is some kind of invisible mental barrier stopping you doing something. When I'm stressed I go to music I know well and gives me a sense of comfort, when I need inspiration I go to something new.

Sometimes it's a total up hill battle and It's like forcing myself to do something about it. The fear of standing still also scares me into movement sometimes.

 

[Tia Maria]

I did have a lot of problems with traditional schooling system. Not just socially but also academically. It was all about getting good grades, but nobody cared about getting students motivated to learn. My mom says that I was soooo much looking forward to going to school because I liked to learn things, and then school killed all the joy of it. When open-minded, caring teacher was appearing, my grades in a magical way were going up, because I loved it and was motivated! Sadly, such teachers never lasted long in a standard system...

So, yeah, when I grew up, I started learning things on my own. Courses were out of picture because of my anxiety. The only course (with people!) I had to endure was Italian one, before moving to Italy, and it was a torture. It would be okay if it was useful at least, but no, it was just a wasted time (and money) - when I came here, I didn't speak to anyone for half of a year out of fear to make a mistake.

It's a wonderful time to live in, from this point of view, you can find so much information on Internet! Well, I didn't learn anything really big, just a few things that I was interested in..
I learned English on my own (well, I had a very basic knowledge from school but it was almost nothing, I was so bad at it...) with help of all the people whose paths I crossed trying to get better at it, I will never forget how one guy on chat told me to throw away my "KGB book" which I was using for studying, hahaha! So many shameful memories about my first attempts in English...
I'm trying to learn Japanese as well but it's not easy at all and I'm still trying to figure out from where to start. I know many words but writing system looks very tough and I don't know if I will be able to do it without help. Well, I will try.

I am teaching myself also photography and editing, as I like very much taking pictures. Over years I learned a few other useful and useless skills. The last technical-ish thing I learned was mounting electrical outlets after I heard how much the electrician wanted for changing all of them (we had to change them when we moved because they were all sparking).

Soon I want to start learning some math and physics, I'm especially curious about it for the last couple of years, but I need to free some space in my head first!

Ellylldan, I am surprised to read here that English is not your first language, because you have mastered it so well! That is quite an accomplishment because many people who don't learn English in early childhood always carry a slight "tell", whether in speaking or writing or both. But you do not at all. I think you should be quite proud of yourself & also very confident in your language skills!

 

[HermanHesse]

I like MOOCs. I've taken courses from MIT, Harvard, Stanford, and currently Berkeley. I like philosophy, physics, and electronics. edX has a four part neuroscience program that I might take next.

Please go on. I could study me some neuroscience.

 

[HermanHesse]

Dear Aspergirl 4 hire,

What are ethnography basics? I listened to one audiobook by Thomas Sowell about ethnography and immediately my entire German family made more sense. I can pick up the Irish culture in country music when I sit in a bar now because of Mr. Sowell. Ethnography basics sound awesome.

 

[Sully]

Please go on. I could study me some neuroscience.

Here is a free neuroscience course from Harvard.
mcb80x

My two favorite MOOC sites are www.edx.org and www.coursera.org

The courses from these two sites are all pretty much free including the excerpts from text books as needed. If you want a verified certificate for a course you have to pay a fee. Some courses may also require materials that need to be purchased. I'm currently taking EE40LX from Berkeley which required about $40 worth of electronics components. I also paid $50 to upgrade to the verified track which just means they verify your ID through a webcam. You just take a picture of your ID and then your face so they can compare them and then you're verified. All the other courses I've taken didn't cost me anything. Keep in mind these courses do NOT count as credits at any institution including the ones that are offering the courses.

 

[Aspergirl4hire]

Dear Aspergirl 4 hire,

What are ethnography basics? I listened to one audiobook by Thomas Sowell about ethnography and immediately my entire German family made more sense. I can pick up the Irish culture in country music when I sit in a bar now because of Mr. Sowell. Ethnography basics sound awesome.

I'm reading your quote as, if you wanted to self-educate on ethnography, what should you use? - correct?

Your best option might be to surf non-profit universities (I like University of Michigan Ann Arbor and MIT, personally) for introductory class texts and surveys on ethnography and cultural anthropology. See whose approach complements where you are. The other option might be to check out library periodicals, find pieces you like, and use the references to find more books. Other people with better education may be of more help. It would be interesting to see a thread start on this topic.

Writing Ethnographic Field Notes was the first book I formally read on ethnography, if that helps.

 

[Ellylldan]

Ellylldan, I am surprised to read here that English is not your first language, because you have mastered it so well! That is quite an accomplishment because many people who don't learn English in early childhood always carry a slight "tell", whether in speaking or writing or both. But you do not at all. I think you should be quite proud of yourself & also very confident in your language skills!

Ohh, thank you, you're very kind! I think you could really tell it's not my first language, if you heard me speaking, hehe! The accent can be a pretty tough thing to get rid of, especially without a possibility to talk to native speakers every day..

 

[Adora]

I can relate to this I like to learn things on my own,I taught myself to draw and enjoyed doing that way since I felt I had more control over what I drew and it is more comfortable for me,I have had people in the past tell me that I should do some art course but never like the idea of that,possibly due to my anxiety or it reminding me of high school.

 

[James Dunn]

I do a lot of self directed study atm in Autism as I prepare this group I am going to start. I know it from my position on the spectrum and how i do things but as it is spectrum no one can know it all. i am interested in Non verbal aspects as a few of the aspies in my area are non verbal and to reach them and communicate as best I can with a mic of new and old methods. Now I have my proper Dx and nothing near retardation I want to improve the life of those with ASD in my area which has no support services for us as all

 

[jayster]

I've always learned skills as I needed and I like to be able to maintain what I own.
The latest thing I have been learning is how to use blender (software)