To guarantee high-quality services, health professionals are required to successfully maintain their extensive knowledge base. Health professionals are forced to consistently stay up-to-date in their field in which new knowledge is evolving continuously. There is a need for understanding the SDL processes in order to effective support them during their lifelong self-directed, learning processes.

We investigate the SDL processes from different perspectives:

• the view of work and organisational psychology (models and effects on individuals and systems),
• elements of the SDL learning process, needs and expereinces of health professionals in their daily lifes,
• elaborating technical tools supporting the learning process and needed features and functionalities.

Prof. Dr. med. Andreas Raabe, University clinic for neurosurgery, Insel-Hospital Bern
Prof. Dr. phil. Achim Elfering, Institute of Psychology, Department of Work and Organisational Psychology, University of Bern
Dr. phil. Jodie Freeman, Institute für Sozial und Präventivmedizin, University of Bern
Linda Christa, Schulpsychologin Ebikon
Noa Lindner

Prof. Dr. phil. Sissel Guttormsen
Dr. phil. Felix Schmitz
Dr. med. Benny Wohlfahrt
Dr. med Joana Berger-Estilita

Berger-Estilia, J., Krista, L., Gogollari, A., Schmitz, F., Elfering, A., Guttormsen, S. (in print). Self-Directed Learning in Health Professions: a Mixed-methods Systematic Review of the Literature. Plos One

Freeman, J., Raabe, A., Schmitz, F., Guttormsen, S. (2024). How neurosurgeons maintain and update their professional knowledge in a self-directed learning context. BMC Med Educ 24, 763 (2024). https://doi.org/10.1186/s12909-024-05692-9

Wohlfahrt B., Linder N., Schmitz F.M., Hari R., Elfering, A., Guttormsen, S. (2024). 
Self-directed learning among general practitioners in the German-speaking part of Switzerland: a qualitative study using semi-structured interviews: Did habits change under recent technological shifts? Swiss Medical Weekly, 154, 7, 154:3436.
https://smw.ch/index.php/smw/article/view/3436

Freeman, Jodie; Raabe, Andreas; Schmitz, Felix; Guttormsen, Sissel (2019). Lifelong self-directed learning in the digital age: an orientation of current software tools supporting experts in maintaining and updating their knowledge. In: Sampson, Demetrios G.; Ifenthaler, Dirk; Isaías, Pedro; Mascia, Maria Lidia (eds.) CELDA 2019. 16th International Conference on Cognition and Exploratory Learning in Digital Age. Proceedings (pp. 443-446). Cagliari, Italy: IADIS Press, ISBN 978-989-8533-93-7

Master-Thesis psychology: Noa Miranda Linder (2022).
Selbstgesteuertes Lernen bei Hausärzt:innen in der COVID-19 Pandemie
Thesis Advisor: Prof. Sissel Guttormsen, Dr. Felix Schmitz, IML, Universität Bern
Submitted to: Prof. Achim Elfering, Institut für Psychologie, Abteilung für Arbeits- und Organisationspsychologie, Universität Bern

Master-Thesis psychology: Linda Krista (2021).
Self-Directed Learning in Health Professions: a Systematic PRISMA Review
Thesis Advisor: Prof. Sissel Guttormsen, Dr. Felix Schmitz, IML, Universität Bern
Submitted to: Prof. Achim Elfering, Institut für Psychologie, Abteilung für Arbeits- und Organisationspsychologie, Universität Bern