Autodidacticism, also called self-education, is the practice of learning a subject through self-study rather than under the guidance of a teacher or a formal institution. An autodidact is a self-taught person, and the practice may complement formal education or serve as an alternative to it. The term comes from the Ancient Greek autos, self, and didaktikos, teaching, and sits alongside related concepts such as heutagogy, self-directed learning and andragogy. Figures often cited as autodidacts include the architect Tadao Ando and business leaders such as Henry Ford, Steve Jobs and Bill Gates.
Facts
Core ClaimAutodidacticism is the practice of directing personal education and study without the guidance of teachers or a formal institution, with the autodidact choosing what, when and how to learn. 2 Classification
Education Level FAQs
Does being an autodidact mean a person never had any formal schooling?
The label describes how a subject was learned. It does not say the person never attended school.
Not necessarily. Dictionary definitions describe an autodidact as a person who has learned a subject without the benefit of a teacher or formal education. The definition is tied to a subject, so the word describes how a particular body of knowledge was learned, not whether the person ever attended school. Someone can be self-taught in one field and formally trained in another.
Sources
1. Autodidacticism (Wikipedia)
the practice of education without the guidance of teachers...may involve, complement, or be an alternative to formal educationView the Source 2. Wikipedia: Autodidacticism
Wikimedia FoundationWikipedia Autodidacticism, lead paragraph, sentence 1Quote, Wikipedia Autodidacticism, lead paragraph, sentence 1
Autodidacticism (also autodidactism) or self-education (also self-learning, self-study, and self-teaching) is the practice of education without the guidance of teachers.
Autodidacticism (Wikipedia)
WikipediaIn Group: Adult Education and Lifelong Learning Concepts, LeadQuote, In Group: Adult Education and Lifelong Learning Concepts, Lead
Autodidacticism (also autodidactism) or self-education (also self-learning, self-study, and self-teaching) is the practice of education without the guidance of teachers.
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