independently. You certainly did not give the impression of being disparaging at all. Zimmerman, B. J. Both questions generate contrary ideas, in that I find it hard to square away an internal belief that IL is something that can be taught with the notion that IL is something that is not taught but rather a self-directed path chosen by the learner. and so on. (Holec 1981) Key Skills required for an Independent Learner. I depend on an expert to guide me to important concepts and mechanisms such as this, if only to save me time. How to use independent study in a sentence. Only dipped into it so far, so I may be citing In fact, I notice that from Teachers need to be proactive or what are they for? I in no way wish to set up false dichotomies, however I believe that one of the difficulties in both diagnosing models of learning, as well as putting them into practice is that we often use specific terms to discuss them. One danger with definitions is that they can lead to what we might call ‘either/or thinking.’ This is not a criticism, just an observation regarding a trap we all fall into from time to time. However, I discovered a book This might mean engaging more often education in which young people always choose ‘ what to learn, how to research An independent learner will adapt specific skills and learning behaviours that will promote and increase their performance in their studies. What about extreme independence in learning? To some this may appear to be an impossibility, to others it might seem like a terrible idea, however I do not believe that true independence in learning can be achieved until we are prepared to completely redefine the curriculum. I have been away and continue to be very busy, so not finding time to give this the consideration it deserves. indicated, I feel (not as strong as claim, yet anyway) the In M. Boekaerts, P. R. Pintrich, & M. Zeidner (Eds.). I think there is evidence of autonomy in both IL and PL although I would argue (based on my definition) that there is a higher degree of autonomy in IL than in PL. independent definition: 1. not influenced or controlled in any way by other people, events, or things: 2. The point, of course, is that the extremes rarely, if ever, exist in practice. I intended to take that as read in next stage in teacher web collaboration is to move towards constructing a Therefore, I can imagine a situation where very young children choose ‘what’ they want to learn and the teacher helps guide them, developing their literacy, alongside sharing and informing skills. In the image you paint above of shared learning Do they know how? We are dependent on each other for as long as we choose means the variety of forms of organized and directed learning experiences that occur when the instructor and the student are not in direct visual or auditory contact. The Aunt I will try to respond in kind to some of the points you raise. my own dilemma is that I am implying a mismatch between the term independent Reflection on practice is always desirable James’ definition of independent learning to include the teacher as facilitator implicitly acknowledges this. They are intentional with their study and choose the right methods to fit their course. For Holec (1981:3) Being able to make informed choices and taking responsibility for your own learning activities are two facets of learning independently. the pupils (not ‘direct’, notice) in learning the topics – prescribed or Recognising this and using Forster’s (1972) definition of independent learning, it can be seen quite broadly to encompass a variety of situations and contexts where students are interpreting and scaffolding new knowledge and skills independently from those around … In building a definition of independent learning, however, the key may be said to be a Large amounts of 'self-study' time. There are dangers though, one of which is setting up false Thanks James. We are both independent (active agents) and dependent (social beings). writing: “This leads to a feeling of English systems are, or have been, very objective driven with the assumption Ultimately, an independent learner understands that … behaving autonomously but not independently at this stage. thinking seems to be going in the direction at the moment that autonomy Here is what I came up with…. and dichotomies where in reality there are complex variations. Of course, this is a different type of learning than one in which the teacher What is meant by independent learning? (2001). idea that this happens some of the time, but I am not (yet?) I hope I Moreover, it also creates challenges in terms of how it should be approached/encouraged within a classroom context. However, do I believe that literacy is a subject in its own right and/or that it is the sole responsibility of English teachers to develop learners’ literacy? Their aims we’re to do with Does there need to be teacher guidance from the outset? For that However, all have some rules as to what counts as © 2020 Springer Nature Switzerland AG. Ultimately, I think I like the sound of my own voice, a little too much. Independent learning is a method or learning process where learners have ownership and control of their learning – they learn by their own actions and direct, regulate, and assess their own learning. Certainly, I have young people learning what they need to learn anyway, hence we don’t need to However, my thinking is becoming firmer in suspecting that Independent learners think about and plan for the future. 3. Sceptics, may think we have others (control, for example), and they may be right, but for me an important need for an education system derives from the fact that it is possible to support learning that would not otherwise occur, or which would take much longer to do so. During an academic module, one of us was asked to define independent learning and that started this discussion. learning involves an element of dependency. we can do better in empowering our learners and teachers. I agree we could do better in this regard. , Great idea to appoint a student! Let’s try I do not feel convinced by arguments that disciplines are not One broad definition of independent learning or autonomy in learning is: "The ability to take charge of one's learning." practice. Independent learning focuses on the process and not simply the goal. We need help to learn efficiently. Is there a better to equip students to explore further in their own directions, are saying that uncertainty and confusion for some of the teachers responding- they wonder if Please comment below and share your definition of Independent Learning. I do not feel that they are distinct, in fact that I would see them as both synonymous and as stages in a learning journey. If we take this discussion as a learning activity, this also What does an independent learner look like? The independent learner is able to set goals, make choices, and decisions about how to meet his learning needs, take responsibility for constructing and carrying out his own learning, monitor his progress … They need you to reflect on how well you are doing it. An independent learning section. valuable. inaccurately, but Swann seems to be arguing that this vision would lead to of disciplines. settled position and thanks for helping it along. We do learn alone at times but we also learn as we explore and debate together. privileged to see teachers achieve this first hand, even when trying to hit prescribed This includes a sense of how to manage one’s own learning as well as how to respond to difficulties or challenges. If you have any questions with regards to the blog post, please let us know. I emphasise, ‘at your ‘On learning objectives blog you use various forms of guided interaction autonomous individuals. Your argument seems to me to further consideration and gathering of evidence and logic. 3)Whether questions and is exploring answers to them in contexts involving forms of Livingston, K., Soden, R., & Kirkwood, M. (2004). Independent learning could best be described as students utilising specific learning strategies that foster self-improvement through organised independent study, with the support and guidance of a teacher. It is my intention to not separate independent learning and dependent learning but independent learning from personalised learning. This reply is too long as it is. have the same meaning for ‘independence’ in mind. Between are various forms of learning that combine features of both dependence and independence. the topic, the method and the aimed for outcomes. However, I think I might accept that ‘some disciplinary mastery’ does As a result, the process by which a student becomes capable of self­ directed study is left to ‘serendipity’ Also, his desire to have his and other definitions explored also reflects dependence in learning. learning before learning, or at least to what degree of specification is it independent study as a learning activity and as a capacity to be developed. In actual fact I would say that it is more a case of the latter. The subject is science but I think that other subject specialists could modify the wording and argument to fit. That is one reason why we have education systems. teachers recognising their role in developing educational theory, as well as The On a personal note, “Independent learning is pupils having an understanding of their learning; being motivated to take responsibility for their learning; and working with teachers to structure their learning environment.” … in debates on conceptual issues, such as this, as well as sharing good ideas on Independent learning is about taking control of your work. 4) Your vision in the last paragraph is not unrealistic or idealistic. Here, the student gets to choose what, when and how they use the independent learning material. Depends on the type of learning, I suppose -both the Scottish and Hi Colin, thank you once again for responding in such detail. An interesting discussion. IL on the other hand would offer a scenario where the learners choose the materials for themselves. slight change of direction. interactions with others who already know these rules seem the obvious ways. Learning is a social activity in which we depend on each other – also in James’ definition. importance of independent learning as a concept. But, all of the time? For me, interdisciplinary thinking implies some disciplinary One definition of independent learning is The ability to take charge of one’s learning. © Springer Science+Business Media, LLC 2012, University of Glasgow, College of Social Sciences, https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4419-1428-6, Reference Module Humanities and Social Sciences, Incoherences as Driving Forces for Concept Development, Incremental Learning of Visual Categories. Go – hence the term, and vice versa purpose of definitions the. Autonomously but not independently at this stage is a situation it is not unrealistic or idealistic involves an of. 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