| Summary: | Higher education tries to comply with a societal need for lifelong, self-directed learners, for which suitable learning formats are needed. Here, we consider Open Space Technology (OST) as a format for self-directed learning in medical education. It involves a voluntary meeting in which students explore topics of their own interest, related to the overall course theme, and divide themselves over small groups accordingly. After having studied for almost two years in a curriculum with a fixed course format comprising daily mandatory group meetings, OST provided a new education environment. We used qualitative methods to investigate how students experience a transition to OST. We coded audio transcripts of student group discussions and short interviews with teachers. This led to a final set of 30 codes further categorized into 6 themes. While increased autonomy motivated students and gave them a sense of freedom, having to structure their own learning brought about initial insecurities. Relatedness to teachers, a positive atmosphere and interaction with peers helped students deal with these insecurities and use them as a starting point for critical thinking. We conclude that OST is a valuable aid in the development of self-directed learning.
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