http://research.goo.ne.jp/database/data/001050/

"Between the 15th and 18th of May 2009 1,050 members of the goo Research consumer monitor group completed a private internet-based questionnaire. 50.4% of the sample were female, 20.3% in their teens, 19.7% in their twenties, 19.6% in their thirties, 20.2% in their forties, and 20.2% aged fifty or older."

Q1: Have you ever done any personal studying? (Sample size=1,050)
Yes (to SQs) 57.0%
No 43.0%

There's a long text advertisement for some kind of learning site subscription, then the translated survey, so here's the link straight to it: http://whatjapanthinks.com/2009/08/31/pe...pan/#Q1SQ1

　I feel there is something weird with this study... When I think of pesronal learning, I think of growing as a person, doing what you like, not what you're told to do, feeling better with yourself, acquiring skills that will be useful for your life, etc... Nevertheless, most -or all- the answers refer to external factors:

Quote:Q1SQ1: What was the motivation behind doing personal studying? (Sample size=598, multiple answer)
Word of mouth, recommendation, encourgement from friends, family 42.1%
Newspaper, magazine, book 35.5%
Television, radio 18.2%

What about "I study because I want to learn something", or "because I want to acquire new skills", or "because I want to expand my mind or my view of the world", etc... ?

Quote:Q1SQ3: What encouraged/encourages you to continue studying? (Sample size=598, multiple answer)
Word of mouth, recommendation, encourgement from friends, family 48.5%
Description of experiences on blog, SNS, etc 25.9%
Newspaper, magazine, book 21.7%

Same as above.

Quote:Q1SQ4: Which of the following do you think is necessary in order to continue studying? (Sample size=598, multiple answer)
Understanding from family 46.0%
Help with fees, etc 40.3%
Teacher to communicate with face-to-face 32.4%

Family, external help, teacher... again, all comes from the outside...

Quote:Q2: What factors would motivate you in your personal studying? (Sample size=1,050, multiple answer)
Other students’ test results 41.0%
Student ranking 36.8%
Service provider’s response to questions 34.8%

WHAAAAAT?!

Yeah, I know some competition can be motivating, but the main motivation should come from enjoing the rewards of your newly acquired skills, not from standardized tests...

Am I the only one that feels that people answering this got it totally backwards?

Does seem a little odd, So all this proves is when people think of personal learning they still think it requires a tutor and class time. Hence why when you mention you study something by yourself, as most of us do you get the odd looks. I don't think it occurs to some people just to pick up a book, read a website, do whatever just learn, my workmate hasn't read a book since he left school 30 years ago... ( if you don't count the tv guide) I mean.. wtf. It seems a lot of people once finished with school, that is it. They have there lot in life and aren't willing to change it.

This kinda shows that people still have a very old fashioned view of learning and the way you should learn/ be taught.

That old-fashioned scholastic mentality does seem rather prevalent. I never had it, so I've always approached autodidacticism with a certain perspective that couldn't fathom requiring external validation for support (outside my heterophenomenological life partner, 暗記).