States are increasingly interested in defining and assessing what are often called 21st century skills or deeper-learning competencies. This paper explores the conceptualizations, definitions, and understandings in the research literature on self-directed learning. Key initial questions include: What is self-directed learning? How is self-directed learning related to other success-skill concepts? And how do self-directed learning skills develop over time? This foundational information is then used to examine (a) instructional approaches to promote self-directed learning, (b) benefits of self-directed on valued student outcomes, and (c) ways teachers can collect evidence that reveals the benefits of student self-directed learning outcomes using student artifacts and other appropriate measures.
