We live in the age of do-it-yourself (DIY). From applying make-up that meets Hollywood standards to learning how to tile your own bathroom, DIY videos and tutorials flood websites like YouTube, and are available all over the internet.
Click start to play today’s Word Search where you can find handy tools that are needed for any DIY project.
According to a study by US-based digital marketing firm Venveo, 50 per cent of DIY-ers are between 24 and 44 years old, and the numbers are just growing. It speaks to the rising interest in self-learning, without the need to fork out exorbitant amounts for university degrees.
If you remember a time before the internet, DIY instructions came in the form of books that usually began with “How to…” or ended with “…for Dummies”. Although informative, such books could never have replaced formal education in the field – they didn’t take into consideration the wider ramifications of specific skills or processes, and provided superficial learning at best.
But with the internet, everything has changed. Now, you can sign up for a Masterclass with experts in their fields – from musicians and writers to potters. And you can have a first-class classroom education through platforms like Khan Academy, which hosts mini-videos with a broad curriculum of subjects, from kindergarten through to grade 12.
With Coursera, edX and a host of language learning apps, the scale of online learning options has enabled people to learn as they like, at a time they prefer, for however long they need to. With low costs, easy access and great quality, DIY is in demand like never before.
According to the Global Learners Survey 2020 by US-based Pearson and Harris Insights and Analytics, the upheavals in employees’ and students’ lives during the pandemic have only led to people bolstering their digital skills and turning towards practical education, like vocational training. Their June 2020 survey, which was completed by 7,038 people worldwide, aged between 16 to 70 years old, revealed that DIY reskilling and upskilling is most prevalent in developing countries. In places like China, Brazil and India, over two-thirds of learners are actively pursuing DIY education, compared to only 31 per cent of Americans and 24 per cent of British learners.
There’s even a term for the study and practice of self-determined learning: heutagogy. And it’s becoming a force to contend with.
Do you think the future of education could incorporate heutagogy? Play today’s Word Search and let us know at games@gulfnews.com.