Do you believe in learning on your own?

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Self-teaching is a great method imo, or it works for me at least. I've taught myself all sorts of extra-curricular subjects, mainly when I was younger. But just reading up on things on the internet works great.

I wouldn't rely on self-teaching for things I'm genuinely NOT interested in though lol.

You should do both!

There are many benefits of having a professor:

1. Hopefully someone with life experiences and stories.
2. Someone that can synthesize and interpret information.
3. Someone that knows a lot about a subject as well as knowing important topics in the field, seminal work and important authors.
4. Someone that can challenge you.
5. Someone that can change your perspective on the topic.
6. Someone who can tell you what information is important and what is not.
7. Someone that can be useful for networking and helping you find relative experiences.
8. Opportunities for social learning.
9. Someone that can organize relevant information for you.

Of course, you will find self-teaching something you succeed in. This is true of many people, but many people struggle with the concept of student-centered learning and find mastering a whole course of study daunting. Unless of course you are on the spectrum...

I think in these terms when I learn: Generally, I need to be exposed to something 5 times to learn it. That means I do the self-education first. Then, I go to class. Then I talk to a tutor or classmate. Then I review my notes. Then I problem solve/quiz/categorize the knowledge (that is, I do something with the knowledge that is not reading or note taking). This usually works quite well. Some of the learning is not that good (see social learning), but it is still a learning experience.

The best method of learning is experiential. It is unfortunate how our schooling and higher education is set up. It is more about a tepid attempt to transfer large amounts of knowledge instead of master teachers who have a vision for what they want their students to be

Wow, this is interesting. I've heard and read about these correspondence programs, individual studying and what not, but I have never looked into it. In my country there are courses in economics, computer science etc. available, and I suppose also psychology degrees.

I was going to write a list of reasons why hands-on education is better, to me, but I can't even think of ways to put it. To me, that list is endless. I think many on this topic already gave enough answers. Being autodidactic and advancing your studies by researching and reading up on things by yourself aside from your education can only help you along, I find. But I wouldn't choose it as a core education.

If I may be so blunt, why did your family suggest that? Is it perhaps because you are better on your own? I keep wondering about this. I hope you'll let me know!

Well I'm an easy learner and have an awesome memory so I COULD learn on my own. While in College we skipped some chapters in the Psychology book and I read them anyway to learn more.

Most all learning is done on your own.

In all my years of college, few teachers actually "taught" me anything. It was all about reading assignments, doing the projects, etc. A quality textbook will communicate concepts to you well enough as it is. The teacher (at most) bridges the gap when you need extra help comprehending the material.

In most all lecture courses, all the teacher did was cover what would be on the exam.

I far prefer to learn on my own, that's why I spend hours learning stuff from Wikipedia and teaching myself how to program.

Put it this way, most of us know lots about our obsessions. But I don't see any obsessions lesson in school.

I'm one of those guys who always does everything on my own. I can learn much better doing things on my own then in hands on group work. I hate group work because of my bad social skills and when I'm forced to work with others, I don't get anything done.

personally i don't talk to or listen to my teachers at all. i sit on my own, read the textbook and answer the questions. simple. no need to restrict my learning to how fast the teacher can speak while still being understood. it is how i prefer learning.

I much prefer learning on my own and find I do better at it. Maybe that's just because I am free to follow the subjects I want in my own way though? I am doing a degree through the open university and finding it great. I work on my own at my own pace, however and wherever I want.

Wonder if there's a test you can take to get a PhD in mathematics and theoretical physics...

Oh wait, publish a proof that closes the gaps in modern physics in a mathematically elegant form!

Self teaching, if you're driven to do it, is a wonderful gift, abuse the hell out of it... I should have used it to ace every exam ever in school for a free ride into college, but I was too damn smart to see how dumb I was.

I found, over the years, that in a lot of areas I knew more about a subject than my teachers. That was awkward. I have read voraciously since I was able to walk. Once you get into the more advanced studies, graduate school, you will need someone who is highly competent to bounce ideas off of and to serve as devil's advocate. Also, someone at that level will have studied for years and should be an expert in their field. They will be able to present concepts to you that you may not have run across on your own, as well as a differing viewpoint from whatever you've managed to assemble.

Until you get to that point, you can do it yourself if you have enough discipline.

In my field, graphic arts for film and television, I can get away with a lot of learning on my own. You don't need a credential, you just need to deliver. So most of what I know was self taught. And I keep at it. I'm always trying to learn more. Mostly it's on my own, but sometimes I take classes.

Teachers can be very useful in that they can direct you toward more useful paths of study. A good teacher doesn't so much give you a pile of information to learn, but instead helps guide you through the labyrinth of information toward useful skills and away from fruitless paths and lets you do the learning on your own.

In some subjects in school I have/had to leran on my own, because the teachers suck.
Last year it was latin, I am very good at it, had the best possible mark in every exam and test, but in the lessons I never listened or even cared about what the teacher was saying, she is a bit crazy and her teaching was really bad, I could have done much better.
So I did nothing in the lessons and had to learn all the stuff at home, but I did it pretty well. But if you don´t understand something you are stranded. I could never teach myself maths, I like maths and I do it well, but I need more time that the others to understand a new topic and people have to explain it to me at least 3 times oftener than the others.
This year I teach myself in spanish and english, my spanish teacher is my old latin teacher, and her spanish-lessons are even worse that the old ones. My last english teacher is ill for ages, but I like english so i studied alone.
My new teacher thinks I am retarted, lazy and stupid and that I am cheating or cribbing in the exams, because they are always the best.
So, I am not very interested in listening to her, so I learn everything at home.

In my opinion a mixture of both is the best, you always need a person to ask, if you don´t understand something, but teachers are not necessary for studying, for many people it works better alone, if they have got the discipline that is necessary for it.