1. Promoting Independent Learning
Kwan Kam-Por
Senior Officer, EDU
Tel: etkpkwan

2. The Potentials Better utilize class-contact time
Promote active student learning
Cater for differential student needs
Help students learn how to learn
Encourage students to take responsibility for their own learning
Prepare students for lifelong learning

3. The dangers Anxiety and worry
Potentially de-motivating if students are not supported
Negative experience of learning
Students lose confidence in self learning
Poor learning outcome
Poor student evaluation
etc.

4. What is independent learning?
Students taking increasing responsibility for:
identifying their own “needs-to-know”
searching for relevant information and gaining knowledge on their own
learning on their own with minimum supervision
actively seeking ways to solve their own problems and difficulties
assessing their own learning to see if their needs-to-know are met

5. A swimming lesson (1)

6. A swimming lesson (2)

7. A swimming lesson (3)

8. A swimming lesson (4)

9. Question for discussion
Refer to the cartoons about teaching students to swim independently
Is the teacher promoting independent learning? Why or why not?
How may the students react to the learning experience?
What conditions are needed to encourage students to learn more independently?

10. Teaching for independent learning Promoting independent learning:
Is Not
simply abandoning “lectures” and telling students to learn on their own
placing the responsibility for learning entirely on the students
Is About
a different way of helping students learn
facilitating and supporting students to learn increasingly on their own

11. Lecturer’s roles in convention teaching
Lecturer as:
A Knowledge-transmitter
The principal source of information
Major instructional decisions:
What content needs to be covered?
How should the content be structured?
What methods of transmission is most effective?
How to assess students’ learning?

12. Lecturer’s roles in promoting independent learning
Lecturer as
A facilitator of learning
A guide to discovery of knowledge
Major instructional decisions
How to motivate students to learn more Independently?
What support is needed to help students in their independent learning?
How to ensure that learning takes place and how to assess it?

13. Barriers: the learners
Resistance or negative attitude to independent learning because of:
Feeling of threat and insecurity
Feeling “cheated” with less “teaching”
Lack of confidence of success
Lack of appropriate prior experience
Lack of independent learning skills
Habits and preferred ways to learn

14. Barriers: the environment
Constraints of the environment:
Lack of a co-operative learning environment
Excessive workload
Extrinsic rather than intrinsic goal structure
Availability of facilities and resources

15. Barriers: instruction
Weaknesses in instructional method:
Insufficient briefing on purpose
Insufficient briefing on what is expected of the learner
Emphasis on “product” rather than “process” of learning
Lack of feedback on progress / reinforcement
Inappropriate assessment method

16. Conditions for independent learning
Goals
Enthusiasm and interest
Confidence of success
Adequate pre-existing knowledge
Skills
Availability of resources
Feedback
Information about course requirements, expectations, learning environment, etc.

17. Question for discussion
Suggest what we may do to encourage student to engage more in independent learning.

18. Motivating students
Convince students of their needs for becoming an independent learner
Emphasize purpose and benefits
Design individual learning tasks that students find meaningful and stimulating:
Relating to professional practice
Requiring application and problem-solving
Allowing choice and autonomy

19. Making students feel ‘safe’
Start small, introduce changes gradually and progressively
Clear instructions on tasks;
What,
How, and
When
Ensure availability of help
Regular feedback on progress

20. Helping students succeed
Prepare students adequately:
Help student acquire independent learning skills
Match tasks with preparedness of students
Develop students’ confidence of success:
Provide positive reinforcements
Show examples of good work by fellow students
Provide encouragement and support

21. Reducing barriers Give specific instructions
Ensure reasonable workload
Develop a friendly and productive relationship and climate
Ensure availability of the needed facilities and resources
Set assessments that emphasise process as well as outcome

22. Teaching approaches for promoting independent learning
Some examples (with varying degree of independent learning):
Guided self-study
Problem-solving exercises in lectures
Student presentations and student-led seminars
Peer teaching
Student-centred assessment
Project work
Learning contracts
Dissertation

23. Planning for moves towards more independent learning
Using the form provided, plan changes that you would like to make in your teaching to promote more independent learning among students in:
your lectures,
your tutorials/seminars,
your workshops and practical sessions,
your assessments.

24. Useful references
Baume, D. Developing learner Autonomy. SEDA Paper 84, SEDA. Nov., 1994.
Baume, C. & Baume, D. “The art of inspiring independent learning.” New Academic, Autumn 1997: 2-6 & Spring 1998: 2-6.