Thoughts on Independent Learning

A common whinge when I was at school, was; ‘why am I learning this? I am
never going to use it after I’ve left school’. What my friends and I didn’t fully
understand was that learning how to think and learning how to learn is the
most important knowledge a child can acquire at school. With the tools to
acquire knowledge, a pupil has the chance of a fulfilling future beyond school,
and it is as important to promote these skills as to teach to curriculum goals.

There are two ways in which pupils can learn independently. ‘Interactionist
independence’ refers to pupils who are motivated, creative and enjoy cooperating
with their peers on classroom tasks without constantly seeking adult
approval. ‘Isolationist independence’ refers to children who are able to work
on their own and think for themselves, perform tasks and solve problems
without reference to others.

From a teacher’s point of view, pupils who are able to learn independently
allow the teacher to plan differentiated lessons, and to concentrate on
teaching and learning over organisation.

Mayer et al’s 2008 literature review showed several benefits to the pupil:
• improved academic performance;
• increased motivation and confidence;
• greater awareness of their limitations and their ability to manage them;
• enabling teachers to provide differentiated tasks for pupils.

Jill Williams’ teacher survey identified a wide range of intrinsic benefits to the
child. Teachers believe that independent learners “further own learning by
using their own ideas to form opinions and have the confidence to test them
out”. Williams, 2003. This validates the learner’s own experiences as a source
of knowledge, which must increase self-confidence.

Independence of any type involves understanding the consequences of one’s
actions and taking responsibility for them. Independent children have a sense
of well-being that comes from the intrinsic life skills that taking responsibility
for one’s own learning can bring. Taking responsibility for one’s own learning
and that of one’s peers fosters greater social abilities, self-discipline and
mutual respect for peers and teachers which creates a richer learning
environment.

Motivation is fundamental to learning to learn independently and it is important
to motivate students to enjoy the learning process – this effect will last beyond
the pupils’ school career and stand them in good stead as economically active
adults. It is suggested that over-reliance on top-down teaching methods can
de-motivate pupils and that “teachers should not assume that because they
are teaching, pupils are learning”. (Williams, 2003). Part of independent
learning is learning how to think, and it is important to teach in a way that
develops analytical and systematic cognitive and meta-cognitive skills for the
pupil to be able to approach problem solving throughout life.

Meyer et al discovered that independent children work to a higher standard;
this effect may result from developing thinking skills that encourage creativity
in thinking. Creative thinking enables pupils to take ownership of their work,
which might provide an intrinsic motivation to do more than the minimum.
Both interactionist and isolationist independence are useful skills, but the
more rounded individual is able to work in both ways, and in our society, the
ability to work in collaboration with others is highly valued. Promoting a love of
learning, and imparting the tools for acquiring knowledge gives each pupil the
ability to shape their own life in an active sense.

What lesson could be more important than that?

References:
DFeS Teachernet web site
http://www.teachernet.gov.uk/teachingandlearning/onetoone/tutors/
accessed 20/11/10
Every Child a Chance Trust web site
http://www.everychildachancetrust.org/WhatWeDo/index.cfm
accessed 20/11/10
Joanna Budden - Role-play
http://www.teachingenglish.org.uk/think/articles/role-play

J Wilson