1. Independent Learning

2. “Independent learning is a process, a method and a philosophy of education whereby a learner acquires knowledge by his or her own efforts and develops the ability for enquiry and critical evaluation”

3. Essentially true independent learning unshackles the learner from being tied down to very specific learning experiences and will allow them to direct themselves a lot more in determining exactly what they will learn about and how.

4. Surely the teacher is redundant?

5. Teacher as facilitator, mentor, coach and guide:
Providing learners with resource materials
Whetting learners appetites to learn
Providing learners with opportunities to test out
their learning
Giving learners feedback on their progress and
Helping learners to make sense of what they have
learned

6. What’s so great about Independent Learning anyway?
Independent learners have abilities that will stand them in good stead both during and beyond their education such as their ability to:
Acquire and deploy information
Communicate effectively using different media
Organise themselves
Solve problems and
Relate to others

7. What this means in real terms:
In practice, most learning involves independent elements such as:
Finding and collecting information
Making decisions about what to study and when
Carrying out investigations or projects
Learners learning at their own pace using ICT or
VLEs
Completing homework, extension work or
coursework assignments

8. How to promote Independent Learning:
Giving pupils choices so they can reflect on their own
interests and preferences
Encouraging group work so that learners can learn from
each other
Collaborate with pupils to set shared learning goals
Involve pupils in lesson planning
Encourage pupils to reflect and plan in learner diaries
Encourage self and peer editing before work is handed in

9. Students:
Its easier with many brains
We all do things in different ways
Rich talk during discussions
Working in a group fosters independence

10. There are fewer ‘units’ to supervise
Teachers:
There are fewer ‘units’ to supervise
(instead of 30 students , you have 7 groups)
You can spend more time observing the students and assessing them.

11. Assessment
Informal observation
Formal observation (recorded)
Self assessment
Peer assessment

13. THANK YOU