Creating a Personal Curriculum

Like many of you, I love learning new things! When something catches my interest, I start looking it up online, digging deeper, and before long, I’ve discovered a new hyperfixation to explore. After graduating from university, that curiosity continued, but in a more informal way. 

This summer, while scrolling on TikTok, I came across a creator named Elizabeth Jean who shared a video about her personal curriculum. She was creating a series of courses for herself to study the topics that interested her! It seemed fun, but I wasn’t so sure about setting up a full curriculum for myself. Between work and everything else, it felt like a lot to take on, so I scrolled on.

Except Elizabeth Jean wasn’t the only creator talking about personal curriculae. Soon, my feed was full of people designing their own personal curriculum and sharing what they were choosing to study. Others were creating videos on how to find sources and ideas for their own programs of study. This trend got so much attention that it was featured on many news sites!

Eventually, curiosity got better of me, and I decided to give it a try. When I started planning my personal curriculum, I was stumped. What did I actually want to learn, and how could I focus without overwhelming myself? I chose topics that balanced my professional interests and personal well-being, including workshop design, rhetoric study, strategic conversations, and yoga—because what is a curriculum without a little physical education?

After choosing my subjects, I gathered resources. I picked up books (some I bought, others I borrowed from the library), listened to podcasts, watched YouTube videos, and even read a new zine on Strategic Conversations! Once I got started, I realized that building a personal curriculum isn’t as hard as it sounds, especially when you have the right tools.

Some of those tools include exploring a massive open online course (MOOC) to see what is available for free or reviewing the course syllabus from a university to see what topics will be covered and which sources will be used. You can also use websites like JSTOR to find academic sources and papers, or visit your library and ask the librarian to recommend books related to what you want to learn.

One of my favourite new tools to recommend is the PD Success Pathways. It’s designed for CALP staff, instructors, volunteers, board members, and people working with adult foundational learners, helping you develop the skills necessary for your role. There’s a handy dandy self-assessment survey to help you reflect on your strengths and identify areas for improvement. At the end, you’ll receive a list of e-learnings, resources, and training, most of which you can complete at your own pace—just like your own personal curriculum.

I’ve learned that, like anything worth doing, learning takes time. Whether it’s personal curiosity or professional development, making space each week for self-study helps us keep learning, growing, and staying curious.