Dependent learning to Independent learning
When I went through Primary then Secondary School my learning was dependent on the teacher and getting all my knowledge from them. Although, when i went up in the yeara through school this did change. It also depended on the teacher and their teaching style.Since I started university straight after school I fell into shock when I met more independent learning, especially in ICT. Now I am in my second year of university this has stepped up again in ICT. I am more independent in my learning and I love it.
We are told what we need to achieve, come up with a plan to do it and then go off and do it. Last lecture, we just experimented with technology for our lesson plans that we have to take into school and I had a blast coming up with my own ideas. My question is if a ‘newbie’ at this type of learning can do it, why cant children in primary and secondary schools? It allows them to work out their own problems and then solve them and, to me, that is what life is about. This is what jobs want; children can become management, leaders and freethinkers. I believe that flexible teaching and independent learning is becoming more common in todays society.
I hope this will get people talking and would love to hear your thoughts.
You are exactly right – that is what jobs want! I work in L&D for an insurance company and we are struggling to get people to move from dependent to independent learning. They are used to choosing a course from a list and being told what to do by managers instead of just figuring out what they need to learn and looking for opportunities. I think this is partly corporate culture and partly because it’s all most of them have ever known since their first days at primary school. If you can help to change that…
I would love to help change it. I think core aspect of it as well is the realisation that they can choose how they can do a task, for example, what materials they can use (the internet, books etc). Although, I do believe they need to be set targets in which they have to achieve in a time limit, but how they achieve them can be flexible. I would discuss with the children how to achieve this target but as long as the activity can be concluded and what is needed to be achieved is achieved, this way is fine. It makes it more fun for the children and allows them to become more independent.
My question is if a ‘newbie’ at this type of learning can do it, why cant children in primary and secondary schools?
And your task, as a NQT is to forget all about this independent learning and conform to ‘the way things are done’.
Sad isn’t it?
I think it is one of the things that could make me and break me as a teacher as I am really passionate to independent learning especially through technology. I would like to be able to say your learning objectives are: a, b, c then be able to say “I want you to do this task today. You have an hour to do it. Go.” and then not look at me like I am crazy! My role in this as the teacher would be to guide and support then round up and conclude the lesson.
Is this what happens in your class?
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Hi Charlotte; like Sam I’m in workplace learning and development but am a governor at 2 academies – a junior and a secondary.
The junior school embraced the creative curriculum and gave learners much more independence. Set a BHAG for a topic, establish the lower level objectives grouped by ability and let them go. It became a academy as a result of this approach; parents, staff and governors recognised that the school would be constrained by a return to traditional values.
In my workplace it’s about creating the opportunity for learners to ‘pull’ the learning they need, not have it ‘pushed’ by me and my team. In most cases, the content requirement is very small and learners need context. I see my role as providing opportunities for that practice to be done safely. That means a move away from classroom based learning and much more informal practice.
I’d suggest having a look at 70:20:10 model:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/70/20/10_Model
It relates to workplace learning but would be an interesting concept applied to education. It is attracting criticism, but this piece from Charles Jennings is excellent. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t6WX11iqmg0