Musings on Independent Learning

My experience of online learning thus far has certainly challenged my view of what education could and should look like. However, one of the espoused benefits of the virtual classroom is the promotion of independent learning as students are given greater autonomy over when and where to complete their assigned tasks. Independent learning is probably one of the most common aims in school development plans, it is a central tenet of the IB learner profile and most educators aim to see students leaving school with a robust ability to self-regulate, to plan and see through long-term projects and a developed ability to cope with challenge and adversity. Indeed, one of the central aims of IMPACT is to provide students with relatively unstructured time to achieve measurable goals so they can practice the skills of self-management and self-regulation. Yet when answering the question “What does independent learning look like”? I believe the role of the teacher is central, particularly at the beginning of the learning cycle. If we try to make our students more independent by forcing them to work without instruction then we are more likely to make them dependent. My experience of the online classroom as both a teacher and parent has served to reinforce this belief. If we really want our students to be independent then we should start by explaining a new concept, the related vocabulary and how it links to prior learning. The teacher should then provide a scafolded medium through which the students can apply this new knowledge and begin to manipulate it. When students have achieved a minimum standard of control over these processes, students can then practice independently using feedback and clear guidance to assist them. Therefore, independent learning is potentially a misnomer as it underplays just how dependent the student is on the teacher to achieve this academic independence.