Autodidacticism (also autodidactism) or self-education is the act of learning about a subject or subjects in which one has had little to no formal education. Many notable contributions have been made by autodidacts. "In its broadest meaning, self-directed learning describes a process in which individuals take the initiative, with or without the help of others, in diagnosing their learning needs, formulating learning goals, identifying human and material resources for learning, choosing and implementing appropriate learning strategies, and evaluating learning outcomes." (Knowles, 1975, p. 18)