And five months later? Share this: Share this Story gapi.plusone.go(); Tweet […], […] and let students create projects or presentations on the topic, forcing them to learn on their own. They must also learn how to deal with distraction effectively. Also, it encourages … The officials weren’t sure. In a classroom with a facilitator, he or she sets up a learning environment and largely gives the students the ability to learn on their own. Patents 8,984,405 and and 10,001,904, The edTPA trademarks are owned by The Board of Trustees of the Leland Stanford Junior University. Independent learning requires the student to develop other secondary skills like planning and making priority lists and deadlines to achieve their goals. Students can self-critique more effectively. Let’s bring this around to the classroom and look more closely at the role of a teacher or facilitator in education. MIT Technology Review in October discussed a bold experiment conducted by the One Laptop Per Child Organization. Would they even open the boxes? It is important to remember that one of the key aims of assessment for learning is to enable pupils to become increasingly independent. What good is genius locked up inside of someone who has no idea how to communicate to others? For example, Kim’s students already knew how to work in Google Classroom and create slide decks in a collaborative manner. It represents a shift … and […], […] Many parents are baffled about how to get clear or detailed answers about what and how they’re learning in school. The benefits of self-learning are well documented. Not only as a Educational worker and student but as a person. Now what is the first thing that comes to mind when someone uses the word, “teacher”? Oftentimes it is a messy walk in the woods with a lot of detours. ‘Independent learning’ often just means discovery learning or unguided […]. For instance, a practical way to personalize learning is through classroom activities. Children in a remote Ethiopian village wake up one morning and find a large set of boxes outside. Top students often go beyond what they’ve been asked to do when it comes to producing extended pieces of work, especially if given the chance to conduct research. These include: Motivation; Independence; Initiative; Time management; Organisation and multi-tasking; Strong reading and writing skills; How can I become an independent learner? We help educators stay up to date with the latest in EdTech and beyond with thought leadership in online vocational education. Then she has them explain why they choose this topic and what they learned from their research. To walk-through the mechanics of the activity, an emoji is shown. The review found some evidence of the benefits of independent learning, including: improved academic performance; Just like food nourishes our bodies, information and continued learning nourishes our minds. The importance of children’s independent exploration and creation of texts is supported by the Victorian Early Years Learning and Development Framework (VEYLDF, 2016): They become aware of the relationships between oral and visual representations, and recognise patterns and relationships. Here’s the new emoji generator.). Why play is key to developing independent learning in the early years. Cultivating Independent Learners Inspire student motivation for learning: Motivation to learn is key to success in school, after graduation in the global job market, and for life in a world of constant changes in technology. If you are a human, do not fill in this field. Here is what I came up with… Independent Learning is learning that is self-directed. Learning is not always a straight path. Tweet. When they know that you are there for them and they are there for each other, there is a magical interdependence that happens because of that.”. All teachers want to develop their students into independent learners. Five different and random emoji are used to inspire students to create five different sentences. Home › Blog › Why Learning to Learn is More Important than Ever! Internal factors are the skills that individual students have to … teachers creating cellphone “how-to-teach” lessons for parents at home! The role of the teacher is to facilitate learning. 3. The teacher stands in the way of the student’s natural curiosity. It’s a virtuous circle, helping students become top students and then because they are top students they continue to learn independently as that is now their new ‘normal’ expectation. This 30-minute session explores using video feedback to support teacher observation during Covid-19. Independent learning is especially relevant when preparing students for exams. Below, here are the five strategies that Kim shared with her students. Independent learners are ready and capable of navigating the process whereas pupils that are fed information from the teacher will get discouraged when they venture out on their own. Share this. Creating a sense of community and building relationships with students is essential. If you give them deadline with which to work, they will learn how to manage their time, how to overcome distractions, and things like planning and prioritizing. In the absence of technology for every student, districts are leaning on the two P’s of teaching: packets…, © 2011-20 R3 Collaboratives Privacy Policy Terms of Use U.S. Passion and curiosity cement learning. When students know their teacher and peers are counting on them, they won’t want to let them down. Independence is a valuable end goal of education – whereas ‘independent learning’ is something that is developed through the expert guidance of a teacher. Why is experiential learning important? This process continues four more times until the students have written a five-sentence paragraph. Self-directed learning has inspired students to be more creative and to take risks. Then she let each student choose one of their peer’s paragraphs to revise. This also means that you will have … With online learning, independent learners bloom. Teacher or Facilitator: Is it just semantics? Independence is important for organisms to function effectively in the world. Independent learning is about pupils being active rather than passive. ‍ Today's world is dynamic and ever-changing. The problem is even trickier when students are in younger grades, don’t have computing devices, or maybe both. Kim also creates distance learning assignments that ask students to choose their own topic to research at home. Kim used an EduProtocol called Random Emoji Generator Power Paragraph to get her students excited about writing. Independent learning is rooted in effective questioning and dialogue. Personalized Learning in Classroom Activities. Online Learning Without Laptops: Record Short, How-to Videos for Mobile Phones, A Note to Our Community of Educators and Partners, Feeding Forward with Video for Teacher Professional Learning. Then students write a sentence with a main idea that is based on the emoji—Kim uses Socrative as a way to capture this student feedback. Why is independent learning so important? Depth … Being independent therefore means that you will be more likely to try out new things that you want, rather than what or how you are expected to. The students enjoyed setting their own pace and holding themselves accountable. Educators (experts) may act as facilitators or guides. Use of Studies show that teaching is the highest form of learning. Why is independent learning important? Just look at all the advantages an independent learner takes away from their own education. On the other hand, lack of independence means relying on others to get things done. After the writing is complete, students will read everyone’s work and vote for a favorite. However, the intention of this paper, therefore is to analyse the meaning of ‘independent learning’ and the important influence it has on a student’s academic performance. We want our students to be active rather than passive learners. This is why Kim’s process of allowing her students to become educators is so beneficial. Use the power of your relationship with students to show a passion for learning. 10 Reasons Why Educators Should Step Out of the Way and Encourage Independ…. Independent Learning is important because it develops creativity and intellectual curiosity. The children in Ethiopia may have many many more disadvantages than our wealthy school systems, but they do have one advantage: There was no fear of failure, an abundance of innate curiosity, and a serious drive to learn and teach themselves for their own sense of satisfaction and pleasure. Facilitators are often used more in adult settings where it’s thought that adults can handle independent learning more readily. Failure is not an option for many of the students who are terrified of a less than perfect report card. 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. A facilitator in the classroom can oversee the environment so that each student can work at their own pace and timing. Check out a recent article in this series about teachers creating cellphone “how-to-teach” lessons for parents at home! She provided a spreadsheet to her students that showed each other’s written paragraphs. You need to be independent in order to survive in the world. This naturally creates flexibility for students with different learning styles and cognitive level. The question is, how do we make our teachers excellent facilitators that promote independent learning? Words like coach, disciplinarian, faculty, instructor, lecturer, and trainer come to mind. Instead of waiting to be told what to do, students can take ownership of their own learning. The students are engaged because they are choosing how they will approach their learning. Questioning and independent learning. Independent people are able to handle things on their own, and this increases their confidence. However, it's a fact that not all students (or people for that matter) are independent learners. However, there can often be something of a gap between our stated intentions and what we do on a day-to-day basis. […], […] what Julie DeNeen does in this compelling piece arguing the merits of independent learning for every child, very little of which is currently […], […] This is a cross post with OpenColleges.edu.au. The feedback from parents was positive due to the fact that the students were challenged but able to complete the work on their own. Talk about this with your students, and practice how they might answer if an adult asks about an […], […] not all about vocabulary-building. 5. Perhaps you think of words like planner, coordinator, promoter, developer, or designer. https://t.co/HKAKLdIfHz https://t.co/mu3D57f1qg, Women In Leadership: What's the Status? It is about them working out the answers rather than being told them. Overall, independent learning is a critical skill for students to develop because it promotes creativity and intellectual curiously. 9. What were the benefits of independent learning for students? This writing exercise generally happens once per week. The students chose any topic that was school-appropriate and created activities for their peers to complete. Creating an inclusive learning environment is an extremely important aspect of modern education, which, according to Gravells (2008: p18), ensures that “[…] all learners are entitled to be treated with respect and dignity. Lifelong learning is an indispensable tool for every career and … Open Colleges Pty Ltd ABN 61 000 011 692 Provider Number 90796 | Integrated Care & Management Training Pty Ltd ABN 82 003 899 527 Provider Number 90197 | YourLife Health & Learning Inc t/a Open Colleges School of Health ABN 39 742 730 429 RTO 40049 CRICOS Provider 03733E. A weakness is only as dangerous as the level of ignorance the person has about it. Advertising You have a infinite number of resources and information on the Internet that … Can you imagine the difference in motivation if you allowed a student to research a topic that truly piqued his or her interest? Independent people naturally tend to be a little more confident on handling issues affecting their lives. 4. Benefits of Independent Learning for Students. By teaching students how to think independently during this time of distance learning, we are setting them up for future success as life-long learners when they are outside of the classroom. For example, try: She spent several years working for a local Connecticut school at the district level, implementing new technologies to help students and teachers in the classroom. The Importance Of Independent Learning. When the process is part of the goal, failure isn’t quite so scary. External factors involve the creation of a strong relationship between teachers and students and the establishment of an ‘enabling environment’ in which ICT can be an important element. They feel they are able to contribute to the world and social life surrounding them whether in reception or school. © Open Colleges 2020-2026. In his article, Five Strategies For Independent Learning, Dennis Pierce shares how fifth-grade-teacher Kim Voge empowered her students for success in a traditional school and distance learning settings. They must also learn how to deal with distraction effectively. Created using mysimpleshow - Sign up at http://www.mysimpleshow.com and create your own simpleshow video for free Being independent implies having the ability to make decisions. In a classroom with a traditional teacher, the students are relying on the educator to feed them the proper instruction, principles, and training. Can I Use Covid-19 Teaching Videos for Meaningful Teacher Observations? The Importance of Independent Reading. In becoming independent, the child also gains a sense of importance and belonging. But is this really true? She also taught workshops to teachers about the importance of digital student management software, designed to keep students, parents, and teachers connected to the learning process. During the pandemic, it has become essential for students to be self-directed learners. 14th July 2012. In so doing, they hope that the pupils in their charge can take control of their own learning – both inside the classroom and beyond. With no prior experience using technology, the English language, or any printed materials, within days these children were actively playing on average 47 apps a day. Independent learning is also important in developing as well as improving organizational skills. During a traditional school day, Kim would choose a paragraph for students to revise. We can learn from famous inventors whose failure in the process became the seed for amazing success down the road. In Kim’s experience, when students are writing for their peers, they are more motivated to produce their best work than if they are writing an assignment only for their teacher. And, depending upon your industry, continuous learning could be vital to your employability. 2. Many people are sceptical of the benefits of play, but one teacher argues that it is the best way to ensure that children are learners for life . They’ve never seen a written word anywhere- no street signs, printed books, or even cardboard packaging. We need to dig down to the specific learning strategies and establish some practical working principles to ensure that students can do it well. Kim focuses on the EduProtocols model developed by Corippo and Marlena Hebern. Independent learning allows students to apply their own unique learning style (visual, verbal, auditory, etc.) RESOURCE: Teachers or Facilitators? Learning to support yourself is fundamental for any success you ever hope to achieve. What High Achieving Students Have In Common : InformED, New Study Demonstrates How iPads Improve Learning - InformED. Vocational Education vs Short Courses: Which Path Should You Take? InformED is an Open Colleges blog all about education. This is mainly because they are more prepared to take actions and do things without having to wait for support or permission from someone else. As pointed out in this article, in the United States education budgets have grown 350% after inflation since 1970, but education outcomes have not improved. Governments are spending larger and larger portions of their budgets on education. Student Ownership and Responsibility Are Key to Academic Success Finds New Research - InformED : Putting Students in the Driver's Seat: An Interview with Kim Cofino - InformED : 21 Myths That Undermine Educational Effectiveness - InformED : Giving Student Feedback: 20 Tips To Do It Right, Free Online Courses: Top 50 Sites to Get Educated for Free, 21 Ways to Check for Student Understanding, 30 Things You Can Do To Promote Creativity, How Peer Teaching Improves Student Learning and 10 Ways To Encourage It. Standardized testing is the benchmark for funding, and teachers are instructed to teach “to the test” to ensure good marks. Overall, independent learning is a critical skill for students to develop because it promotes creativity and intellectual curiously. To gain a clear sense of the importance of personalized learning, it helps to envision how personalized learning can take shape in the classroom. 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