ABSTRACT
Profound changes of various types throughout the world have caused profound thinking regarding the role that education must play in helping people enhance the quality of their lives. This chapter presents some reflections and understandings regarding the universality of self-directed learning principles and approaches. It is important to the success with adults as learners to take a more global approach in understandings about self-direction in learning. There are many countries that should be examined in terms of their self-directed practices, activities, or philosophies. Scandinavian countries have a long history of adult education. The United Kingdom is perhaps most well-known in the area of self-directed education for its pioneering work with the open university concept. Japan’s progress in industrialization since the Second World War, coupled with its more recent emergence as a world leader in various ways, has prompted a variety of changes within the country. The concept of self-direction in learning is referred to in the Soviet Union as self-education.
