The Art of Autonomy: Guiding Students Toward Self-Directed Learning

By Thilini Wijewardana

Students have unique visual, auditory, read/write or kinesthetic learning methods. At the school, teachers attempt to address all types of learners, but it is not always possible. Imagine if students could identify their learning strategies and practice them independently, rather than depending on teachers. Then they can design their own way of learning, that would be more effective for their academic success, personal growth, and future adaptability.

The education approach that empowers learners to lead their own way of learning is known as Self-directed learning. Developing students into self-directed learners is a vital aspect of modern education to foster independence and lifelong learning skills. Teachers can implement different strategies to build students’ independence in learning within the classroom as follows,

Scaffolding Learning: A teaching strategy teacher gradually reduces supporting and giving guidance to students. Encourage them to solve problems independently and give them more responsibility on their learning.

Encouraging teamwork: School is the perfect place to conduct group activities during STEM classes. It facilitates students to learn from others, promotes communication skills and share responsibility for learning outcomes.

Project-based learning: Encourage students to do a project based on a solution to an existing problem to develop their autonomy.

Flipped classroom: Flipped classroom is a strategy that enhances students’ engagement which learning by referring to many resources related to the topic and work on problem solving during the class session. As example before the class students can learn the content of the lesson via online videos, audio lectures or discussions. During the class students apply the knowledge that they gained through group activities with the guidance of the teacher.

Encouraging self-reflection: In self-directed learning, it is essential to be aware of one’s own thought process. To do that at the end of the lesson encourages students to reflect on their learning strategy and their need for improvement. The teacher can ask to fill in the self-assessment checklist, learning journal or conduct a reflection discussion.

Once students become self-directed learners, they can set specific, measurable, achievable, relevant and time-bound (SMART) goals to achieve their learning goals. They become autonomous, taking the lead in their learning. These learners possess strong self-motivation and curiosity, and they actively monitor and evaluate their own learning processes to identify areas for improvement. By engaging in self-reflection, students value feedback and are open to novel ideas.

Self-directed learning in education highlights the need for students to identify and practice their own learning methods beyond teacher dependency. Key strategies for developing self-directed learners include Scaffolding Learning, Encouraging Teamwork, Project-Based Learning, Flipped Classroom and Encouraging Self-Reflection. Finally, as students become self-directed learners, they set SMART goals, exhibit motivation and curiosity, and actively evaluate their learning processes for continuous improvement.