A Shangri-La for Self-Learners

Autonomy, independent learning, self-directed learning… these concepts have been buzzing education for the last decade. More and more people dissatisfied with traditional schooling and high tuition rates, armed with their insatiable passion for knowledge and an IPad, choose to acquire education on their own terms transcending the boundaries of the traditional classroom. In just the last week I received over a dozen inquiries from both students and teachers about online resources for such self-motivated and curious individuals. The problem is that while self-learning is in vogue, there have been just a few attempts to provide a unified, structured and organic setting for independent learning… And so, many self-learners are still wandering through the cyberspace looking for their Shangri-La.

In the video below (click here if you don’t see the link) I would like to introduce you to a great resource for self-learners. This resource can also be valuable for organizations and individual teachers who want to offer their services for free or for a fee. Please watch this 3 minute episode where Costas Vasiliou talks about SchooX, an Academy for self-learners.

What is schooX

In 5 Words

An Academy for Self-Learners!

In 25 Words

A place where everyone can bookmark, create, share and socialize information in any format, from websites to online courses and use it efficiently to learn.

In 125 Words

SchooX offers a pleasant way to discover and transform information to knowledge. It offers a social environment where anyone can discover, collect and review knowledge resources of any kind. Users who know what’s what can even create online courses and promote them. By using resources of different kinds (web pages, videos, blogs, wikis, online books, documents, online courses) users can knuckle down to any subject they want and even certify their knowledge. On SchooX different kinds of resources are supported with special features according to their format. Online courses, for example, are supported by an internal Learning Management Module capable of maintaining the users learning process. SchooX is great and is for everyone! On schooX everyone can be a Discoverer, Collector, Reviewer, Learner or Instructor.

And by the way, we have just launched and are on beta … so don’t be austere, a lot of features and improvements are in the pipeline.

Why schooX

Everyday hundreds of millions of Internet users find, collect, manage and absorb information of any kind from different sources like web pages, videos, blogs, wikis, images, online books, documents and even online courses. Different kinds of information processing serve different needs or aspects of our lives. Just reading news, for example, serves our need to be informed about what happens around us. Whereas organizing, socializing and verifying information serves our intrinsic need to transform information to knowledge and understand better the world. Finally, knowledge certification serves our need for social acknowledgement, a better job and a better life.

Based on these facts there are two different needs.

First, users must be able to find or create, filter, collect and organize the best pieces of information related to a subject. The shelf life of information is now so short that knowing where to find information is sometimes more valuable than knowing any particular piece of information.
Secondly, users need a flexible system to manage and efficiently use this information regarding its format (web site, blog, wiki, document, video, online course) and its purpose (informing, entertaining, learning, “certificating”).

It is clear that the fields of social networking, information management, online learning and knowledge sharing are converging rapidly. Because of this evolution we need a new and innovative approach which simulates the natural way we gather information and learn. SchooXhas been built upon those principles.

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8 thoughts on “A Shangri-La for Self-Learners”

Sherry Markle on July 18, 2012 at 4:47 pm said:

I LOVE this! It is not only a fantastic idea for getting the education and educating we need and desire, it also builds a portfolio for us! My concern that you might have addressed, is what about accreditation? Do you think this will affect how schools and employers view this type of knowledge acquisition?

Reply ↓
- Marina Kostina on July 18, 2012 at 5:20 pm said:
  
  Sherry,
  Thanks for your comment. I am glad you liked the idea. I will pass this to Costas so he can asnwer your question, ok? Thanks again!
  
  Reply ↓
  - Costas Vasiliou on July 22, 2012 at 6:44 am said:
    
    Sherry,
    I’m really glad you liked our concept.
    Life-long learning as a self-learner is not an option anymore. It is a necessity. What we want to achieve is to enable self-learners to build a degree-similar ePortfolio with qualifications where badges, certificates and credits are issued from several providers. Even though we consider University credits essentials, especially if someone wants to go for a degree, but not necessarily the exclusive provider of knowledge credits. In real life people need a combination of academic background, working experience and life-experience. Based on this we want to build an accreditation system which supplements the existing one and not replace it.
    
    Reply ↓
    - Marina Kostina on July 22, 2012 at 2:01 pm said:
      
      Costas, it is a great concept and I do not really know of anyone who does it these days.
      
      Reply ↓
Darryl Jones on July 20, 2012 at 2:09 am said:

It appears as if SchooX is a platform which inculcates differentiated instruction amid a similar type of learning environment. As you know, differentiated instructional strategies, in conjunction with validation of differentiated learning styles, proliferates the probability of high-end student learning outcomes with transference. Thanks for sharing another pearl of wisdom!

Reply ↓
- Marina Kostina on July 20, 2012 at 12:26 pm said:
  
  Darryl, as usual, words of wisdom! Thanks so much for your contribution into our discussion!
  
  Reply ↓
Konadu-Yiadom Emmanuel on July 20, 2012 at 1:15 pm said:

Kostina,
Iam excited about your work in the development of e-learning.I am looking forward to you for assistance,as I hope to
start a career in the field of e-learning soon.Can you assist me?

Reply ↓
- Marina Kostina on July 20, 2012 at 1:16 pm said:
  
  Sure, Emmanuel. Let me know how I can help you!
  
  Reply ↓