The Community Change Pedagogy is our educational approach to cultivating autodidactic (self-directed and self-motivated) learners, blending academics, personal interests, and real-world content. The framework of this approach features three key elements: questions for inquiry; references for research and information; and exercises for creative explorations and expressions to deliver an engaging and meaningful learning experience in a variety of settings.
Purpose
The purpose of the Community Change Pedagogy is to cultivate autodidacts—self-directed, self-motivated learners—using questions, references, and exercises to integrate academic content with interest-based learning and real-world issues.
Skill Objectives
Participants will improve the following skills:
- Problem-Solving/Critical Thinking Skills – The ability to identify challenges, analyze options, and apply strategies to reach effective solutions.
- Research Skills – The ability to locate, evaluate, and use information to support decisions and explore opportunities.
- Management/Executive Functioning Skills – The ability to organize time, tasks, and resources efficiently to achieve goals.
Benefits
- Learner Accountability & Engagement – Autodidacts take full responsibility for their learning, selecting topics and pacing themselves. This autonomy fosters deep engagement as students “search for, seize, access, integrate, assimilate, and put to good use” knowledge on their own (Psychology Today, 2021).
- Academic Persistence & Adaptability – Self-directed learners consistently build habits such as goal-setting, adaptability, and persistence. These learners tend to develop growth mindsets that help them persevere through academic challenges across K–12 and higher education (Psychology Today, 2021).
- Intrinsic Motivation & Lifelong Learning – Early cultivation of autodidactic habits has been shown to spark intrinsic motivation and lifelong learning, while also promoting self-confidence—especially in underrepresented communities (Noah Webster Educational Foundation, 2022).
- Greater Academic Self-Efficacy & Performance – Adolescents who engage in self-directed learning strategies show significantly higher academic self-efficacy, better grades, and greater mastery in goal-setting, time management, and independent problem-solving (Edmondson, Boyer & Artis, 2024).
- Enhanced Critical Thinking & Lifelong Learning – Independent learners demonstrate stronger analytical thinking, curiosity, and sustainability of learning, preparing them to adapt to various real-world situations across their lifetime (Guo & Breivik, 2020).
References
- Psychology Today. (2021, March 15). Autodidacts: Habits of highly successful self-learners. Retrieved from https://www.psychologytoday.
com/us/blog/the-blame-game/ 202103/autodidacts-habits-of- highly-successful-self- learners - Noah Webster Educational Foundation. (2022, May 16). The surprising history of autodidacticism. Retrieved from https://nwef.org/2022/05/16/
the-surprising-history-of- autodidacticism/ - Edmondson, D. R., Boyer, S. L., & Artis, A. B. (2024). Self‑directed learning: A meta‑analytic review of adult learning constructs. Contemporary Educational Psychology, 83, 102512. Retrieved from https://ltanditc.mtsu.edu/wp-
content/uploads/sites/41/2024/ 06/OC12058.pdf - Guo, X., & Breivik, P. S. (2020). Sustainable learning in education: Independent learning involves being autodidactic. Sustainability, 13(8), 4250. https://www.mdpi.com/2071-
1050/13/8/4250
