Interest and Self-Sustained Learning as Catalysts of Development: A Learning Ecology Perspective

Item

Title

Interest and Self-Sustained Learning as Catalysts of Development: A Learning Ecology Perspective

Abstract/Description

Adolescents often pursue learning opportunities both in and outside school once they become interested in a topic. In this paper, a learning ecology framework and an associated empirical research agenda are described. This framework highlights the need to better understand how learning outside school relates to learning within schools or other formal organizations, and how learning in school can lead to learning activities outside school. Three portraits of adolescent learners are shared to illustrate different pathways to interest development. Five types of self-initiated learning processes are identified across these case portraits. These include the seeking out of text-based informational sources, the creation of new interactive activity contexts such as projects, the pursuit of structured learning opportunities such as courses, the exploration of media, and the development of mentoring or knowledge-sharing relationships. Implications for theories of human development and ideas for research are discussed.

Author/creator

Barron, Brigid J.S.

Date

2006

In publication

Human Development

Volume

49

Issue

4

Pages

193-224

Resource type

en Research/Scholarly Media

Resource status/form

en Published Text

Scholarship genre

en Empirical

Language

english

Open access/full-text available

en Yes

Peer reviewed

en Yes

ISSN

0018-716X, 1423-0054

DOI

10.1159/000094368

URL

Official Publisher's Webpage (Karger)

Open Access PDF (LIFE Center)

Citation

Barron, B. (2006). Interest and Self-Sustained Learning as Catalysts of Development: A Learning Ecology Perspective. Human Development, 49(4), 193–224. https://doi.org/10.1159/000094368

Cited in

Equitable Learning

Abbreviation

HDE

Item sets

Open Access Resource (IRE)

Handbook Chapter 3 Citations

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