Self-Directed Learning Centres

• To encourage and motivate individuals to learn (acquire new knowledge, consolidate old knowledge and spread the importance of lifelong learning);
• To meet the needs of adult learners (accessibility, free choice of content and sources, free choice of schedule and speed of learning), while paying special attention to those who are prevented from joining organised forms of learning due to physical or time barriers, who are better suited to independent learning using ICT technologies and who cannot access other forms of learning due to financial barriers;
• To prepare learning material and materials for independent learning and to constantly improve educational programmes.

The SIAE started developing organised self-learning in 1993 with the aim of establishing and spreading the culture of organised self-learning in Slovenia. Today, the SDLCs can be found all across Slovenia. In 2020, 40 centres and 2 branches at the AEC Velenje (in Nazarje and Šoštanj) were part of the SDLC network, allowing participants to consolidate and acquire knowledge independently and for free through the support of professional SDLC staff.

The Slovenian Institute for Adult Education provides professional support to the SDLC network, maintains and updates the SDLC portal and monitors SDLC operation using the SDLC computer application. The activities of the SDLCs who reach the criteria set in Rules on norms and standards for funding and provision of public service in adult education (Uradni list RS, št. 180/20) are co-financed by the Ministry of Education, Science and Sport.

With regard to guidance in self-directed learning, the adult education counsellor offers adults professional and guidance support within the framework of organised self-directed learning. Professional and guidance support encompasses (Guidelines for implementing adult education guidance as a public Service, 2020):

• identifying the interests, learning needs and level of prior knowledge of adults in a particular content or area;
• planning and monitoring the individual learning of adults in self-directed learning;
• motivating, encouraging and empowering adults for self-directed learning;
• using materials, educational resources and technology in self-directed learning;
• sharing knowledge about learning and the methods and techniques of learning;
• guiding the learning process;
• monitoring the learning progress of adults.

• Planning, development, updating and implementation of the basic training and improvement programmes;
• Development and editing of learning materials, the portal, the application, joint documentation and databases on SDLC operation and the activities within organised self-learning.