Why Self-Paced? The Power of Choice in Professional Learning
(Seeds of Knowledge: The Seeds Story Series — Article 6)
One of the most common questions I receive about Seeds of Knowledge and The Box is this:
“Why offer these as self-paced experiences, instead of formal school-sponsored workshops?”
The answer lies in both personal experience, and educational philosophy. Like many educators, I have spent countless hours in mandatory professional development. I’ve sat in rooms where the content was scripted, the pacing was fixed, and the outcomes were predefined. I’ve listened to speakers I did not choose, on topics that didn’t align with my current needs, and like many of you, I have often found my mind wandering.
It’s not that the content was poor, or the intentions misguided. It’s that learning doesn’t flourish when it is forced. It flourishes when it is owned. This is where the philosophy of heutagogy, or self-determined learning, comes in.
Unlike pedagogy (teaching children) or andragogy (teaching adults), heutagogy recognises that true learning happens when individuals take ownership of their learning journey. They choose what to explore, when to engage, and how to apply what they’ve learned. They are not passive recipients, they are active, curious, empowered learners.
This is precisely the spirit I wanted to honour with Seeds of Knowledge, and with The Box.
By offering The Box as a self-paced experience, educators can engage with the ideas when they are ready. They can pause, reflect, revisit, without the pressure of keeping pace with a scheduled session. They can explore in solitude, or choose to connect with others if and when they wish. This freedom is not a side benefit, it is central to the learning experience.
After all, how can we encourage curiosity, agency, and adaptability in our students if we do not model the same for ourselves as educators?
By stepping away from the traditional “workshop model”, often sponsored, often compulsory, and into a space of self-chosen exploration, Seeds of Knowledge seeks to honour the professionalism of educators. To say …. “You are trusted to chart your own learning path.” To invite reflection, not compliance, and here is what I have found, when learning is invited, not imposed, when it is self-determined, not system-driven, the seeds planted grow deeper roots.
Educators engage more fully. They reflect more honestly, and they begin to own the transformation, not because it was required, but because it was meaningful.
In this way, Seeds of Knowledge remains true to its name, it is about planting seeds, not delivering mandates.
As for The Box, it will remain open to all who wish to explore it, in their own time, in their own way, because sometimes, the most powerful learning happens when no one is watching, when curiosity, not compliance, leads the way.
