Learning without a Teacher: Self-Directed Language Learning in the Digital Wilds

Self-Directed Learning (SDL) has been the focus of attention on the part of scholars for at least four decades. However, it is with the advent of technology and the possibilities offered by the Internet that researchers and practitioners have begun to look more closely at what students do autonomously to support their own learning outside of the classroom. A group of language learners, from which it is possible to observe autonomous, user-driven practices, is the polyglot community -- individuals interested in learning languages for their own sake, who willingly share their language learning strategies, resources, and experiences, acting as inspirational guides for other learners. This chapter describes one example of a user-driven, group-initiated practice where independent learners get together at regular intervals to study a language for three months. This is followed by a discussion of the benefits and potential drawbacks of SDL within a networked online community. [For the complete volume, see ED612143.]