Activities To Promote Independent Learning

The question arises what is Independent learning all about? Why are some students more independent than others and how can we as educators breed a culture of independence within our schools and classes? What are some activities to promote independent learning?

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Independent Learning Theory

Independent study involves processing, methodology and philosophy of education whereby a learner acquires knowledge and develops the ability for enquiry and critical evaluation.

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HOW TO DEVELOP INDEPENDENT LEARNING SKILLS

IMPORTANCE OF TIME MANAGEMENT

IMPORTANCE OF TIME MANAGEMENT

Time in some way needs to have a value to use. How much during the week do you spend time worrying about specific tasks and stressing out over them? You need to figure out why your time is important and what you can gain from time management.
Time is limited:


There are only 24 hours in a day. This applies to all humans no matter how busy they are. Time is also limited for those that get a lot done. You need to look at your limited time and develop a plan to manage it.
Accomplish more with less work:


In order to take control of time, you need to improve your focus. With increased focus comes higher productivity. You get can task done without a problem.
Improve decision making:


You need to look at how you are going to make decisions. This can be done with a list of other methods. When you feel like you do not have enough time to consider all options you will often make a quick decision. This can lead to poor outcomes.
Learning is Everywhere:


The more you know, the better off you are. There are opportunities for learning all around us. When you are able to be more efficient you will be able to get more done. This will allow you have a moment take the time to learn from new places. You can use this time to get involved in the project of another person or to volunteer. You will be surprised at the skills you acquire in these new activities.
Reduce Stress:


When you do not have control of your tasks you can get worried and stress. You may worry about how you are going to get that task done. Once you are able to take control of your time, you will have less stress. This is good for your health and you will know where your time is going. You will be able to meet deadlines as well.
Free Time is important:


Everyone needs some time to relax. Many people do not have enough free time. There is work, family, duties, chores, housework, and other demands that make it hard to sit for even 10 minutes. Having time management will help you find some free time. You can relax and even get more sleep. You need some time to enjoy yourself and you will be able to reward yourself for all of the hard work that you do.
Self Discipline is needed:


When you have good time management you do not have the option to procrastinate. This is where many people have trouble. They want to do enjoyable activities when they know they have work to do. The better you get at managing your time the better your self-discipline will become. These skills will be needed in all areas of your life. You will have no reason not to meet your goal.

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EFFECTIVE TIME MANAGEMENT STRATEGIES TO ACHIEVE GOALS

EFFECTIVE TIME MANAGEMENT STRATEGIES

Time management is an important part of independent learning. To achieve your goals you will need to find ways to use your time effectively. Using these effective time management strategies can offer you time to complete tasks while offering you the chance to take a break or do something that you enjoy.


You need to find ways to keep your mind and your motivation active. This is essential if things are going to take some time to accomplish. You need to find ways to keep your mind engaged in your activities.


Do not use passive behaviour. You need to work in an active manner, go for your goals, develop achievements, and reward yourself when you complete small tasks.
Top Time Management Tips
Getting Started:


Look at your week and make sure you set aside enough time to do everything. If a task is large, break it into smaller segments. Make sure you are clear about the task and what you need to do. Having clear goals you can reach will help keep you motivated.


Set a deadline for when you know you will finish the task Set a clear reward you will give yourself for completing the task.


If you there are some things you do not like to do, try to put them at the beginning. Get them over and done with so you can enjoy the rewards. Do not put them at the end of the list of they will not get done.
Keep on going:


Add some variety into the tasks you need to do. Do not do the same task for hours. You will get bored and will get less done. Break up the activity with a reward or even reviewing your tasks. Use some natural breaks. For example, after you finish a chapter takes a couple of minutes to exercise. This will help keep you motivated.


If you are having trouble with concentration, review the activities you need to do. Your goals may not be clear and your mind may be worrying. Do not stop the tasks. You are wasting time and energy.
Taking a Break:


If you need to, take a short break. If you are losing concentration or have been looking at the computer screen for a long period, take a short break. Do not use the TV or other forms of entertainment for your break. Keep your mind focused on the tasks and get back to work as soon as you can.
Know when to stop:


Once you have completed the task, stop working. Allow yourself to feel accomplished before going onto the next things. If you know you will not finish something or will be too tired to focus, put it at a better time. If you have some free time find something interesting to do but something that does not have a deadline.
Know your challenges:


There are many reasons why people avoid completing a certain task. It can be due to:
Lack of motivation
Lack of concentration
A noisy environment


Try to find ways to put a stop to them. You may want to begin the less interesting tasks first so you can reward yourself with something interesting once you complete it.

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HOW TO TEACH INDEPENDENT LEARNING

HOW TO TEACH INDEPENDENT LEARNING

There is a big difference between ‘teaching’ and ‘educating’. ‘Teaching’ is when you force feed facts and information at students and tell them they have to learn it. Whereas ‘educating’ is when you encourage your students to seek out information for themselves and to challenge them.


Educating helps children build better problem-solving skills and helps them make important connections on their own. It is the teacher’s job to teach the techniques that will allow students to reach these conclusions.


Many educators have become focused on independent learning and rather than force feed information, teachers have been asked to challenge students instead. Rather than simply give the students the answers, teachers were asked to allow the students to find the answers themselves.


This new way of teaching encourages the student to develop problem-solving skills that are important to develop, as they will be necessary later on in life. As parents, it is important for us to understand that a good education, will challenge students and it will not always be easy. That being said, you may see a drop in your students’ grade, but it is not necessarily bad.


Students will not always receive A’s all of the time, but that does not mean that they are not learning or not being challenged. Parents can help by encouraging their children to push themselves and strive for more, to take responsibility for their own work and actions, encourage them to take risks, and most importantly, teach them to learn from their mistakes.






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WHY SHOULD TEACHERS PROMOTE INDEPENDENT LEARNING?

WHY SHOULD TEACHERS PROMOTE INDEPENDENT LEARNING?

As a teacher, it is important to teach your students to be able to work on some assignments alone, especially if you are absent. By encouraging students to form groups and having them participate throughout the entire lesson, you are teaching them to be able to handle assignments in your absence.


The best way to get your students to want to participate is by developing a lesson plan based on what topics you believe your students understood most and develop questions for the students to answer on their own.


The best way to get your students to want to participate is by developing a lesson plan based on what topics you believe your students understood most and develop questions for the students to answer on their own.


Additionally, students with good independent learning skills are more likely to work on their learning when alone, at home, or with their siblings. Allowing students to come up with a schedule. With a schedule in place, the students will not feel pressured or forced into doing school work.


This is an important aspect when it comes to helping children become good independent learners: you do not want them to feel forced into doing something.
WHY IT’S IMPORTANT


First, independent learning encourages independence, creativity, and encourages curiosity. It encourages students to be proactive, rather than being stagnant. And most importantly, independent learning encourages students to seek out answers for themselves, rather than relying on someone else to find the answer for them.




Through this, students change their way of thinking. Rather than studying because they don’t want to fail, they will start to study because they want to learn more.




Second, independent learning helps students learn to collaborate and work together. When working with others, students are able to learn from their peers, instead of just their teacher.


It is also important for teachers to allow students to help with the lesson plan, this allows them to form a sense of responsibility for their learning. Becoming an independent learner is not easy, but with encouragement and positive feedback, parents and teachers can help their children achieve this.
WHAT ARE THE KEY ELEMENTS OF INDEPENDENT LEARNING?


The key aspect of independent learning is teaching students to take responsibility for their own learning rather than relying on the teacher. This requires students to be motivated to learn and work with others, particularly their teacher.


It is important to understand that teachers play a key role in independent learning. Teachers must encourage their students as well as allow them to be involved in the learning process. Independent learning has been organised into four basic groups:
Planning
Self-monitoring
Controlling the pace of and the direction of the work
Evaluation.


Of course, there is a lot more that goes into creating a good environment to encourage students to become independent learners.


For example, evaluation is important because it keeps track of how the students feel and allows teachers to determine what they can do differently. It is also important for teachers to develop a strong bond with their students.


Next, teachers need to develop an ‘enabling environment’. In this environment, students are given adequate time to work on certain tasks. These tasks can include group work or independent work. In order for this environment to work, teachers must fully understand what they are teaching.


Trust plays a very important role in the “enabling environment’. Trust allows the students and teachers to develop a strong bond, and this bond creates a responsibility for learning amongst the students and teacher. Of course, it is not just the relationship with the teacher that plays a role in helping students become good independent learners. They must also have a good bond with the local community and at home with their family.

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WHY IS INDEPENDENT LEARNING IMPORTANT?

Every teacher wants to see their students learn and excel, both academically and on a personal level. However, many teachers have a heavy workload that prevents them from being able to interact with their students as thoroughly as they would like. This is where independent learning comes into play.


Independent learning is an important tool for students to master because it allows them to learn at their own pace and without the help of a teacher. Independent learning can be applied at school or at home and teaches the child to be responsible.

WHAT ARE THE BENEFITS OF INDEPENDENT LEARNING FOR STUDENTS?

Perform better academically
Students develop an increase in motivation and confidence, not only in school but in other activities they may pursue
The students become aware of where they need to improve
Independent study also allows teachers to personalise what each student does, so they find it more interesting


Furthermore, independent learning helps students develop social skills that will help interact with others.


Teachers and parents can help encourage students and their independent learning by providing positive feedback and helping the student keep track of their progress. This is especially important for children who struggle academically. Children who are good independent learners work at higher levels and have more motivation when it comes to school work.


Through independent learning, children are able to form and voice their own opinions, do better at problem-solving, and are capable of using a broad range of strategies when it comes to school work.


In addition to benefiting children, independent learning also benefits the teacher.


By using independent learning, teachers can allow students to work in large groups, or individually. They can also focus more on teaching, rather than organisation or correcting other children’s behaviours.

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TIME MANAGEMENT FOR STUDENTS

TIME MANAGEMENT FOR STUDENTS

Proper planning is needed for the organisation of student life. You need to look at your future obligations and make sure you schedule enough to complete the task. This will allow you to have a purpose.
Five steps needed for planning
1. Plan Ahead


To do this you need to:
Look at what you need to get done
The date that you will need to get this completed by
How long the tasks will take to complete


If you are in college you may want to read the course outline and information that is related to the course. This will give you an idea of how much time it will take. You need to look at how the different activities are going to relate to each other. This will help you develop a plan to organise your time.

2. Making the Plan


Once you know what needs to get done you should add it to your calendar. You can plan this out by semesters.
Using a wall chart will make it easy to plan your time.
You will be able to see the entire semester and plan accordingly.
You can see how close the deadlines are to each other.
You can remind yourself of your work when you are planning out your semester.


If you already have a calendar it can be used as a visual reminder of what needs to get one. This makes it easy to review. You can use this calendar to plan out your activities. You can add colours and images so you can sort them into categories. The deadlines can be in red and the starting date can be in green. You can use warning signs and other marks if you are not sure when you need to begin something.


You should always review your plan and add additional information as you find it out.

3. Break up your time


To have a handle of your time you will need to break it up into segments. You should follow some of these tips for planning your time on a weekly basis.


How to plan a week:
Your study time during the week can be divided into two parts
The time you will attend lectures, labs, and other courses
The time you will study on your own and complete assignments


You can make a table for the week and divide that into hours. You can then fill in the time you will be attending the lessons. This will show you how much time you have remaining and how much time you have to plan around.


Look at the other things that you need to do. Do not put all your studying into a long session. You should be creative on how you use your time. For example:
Take the evening to plan out your essay
Use some time between classes to go to the library
Use the 10-minute bus ride to review your notes from the class


You need to find a time frame that fits best for you. Do not try to plan out a major project at the end of your day if you are tired. You should do this when you are awake and alert and will do your best. If you are getting tired do something less strenuous such as putting your lecture notes in order.

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TIME MANAGEMENT DEFINITION

TIME MANAGEMENT DEFINITION

People that are high achievers are able to carefully plan out their time. They use time management techniques to use their time wisely even with tight deadlines.




Having good time management will help you transition between activities. If you are busy that does not mean you are using time effectively. Often you spend time worrying and waste important time.




If you are always running around you will get less done. Too many tasks are not helpful. You need to use your time smarter so you will not have to work harder.




Time management is organising and dividing your time between tasks. Good time management will allow you to work wisely and get more done in less time. If you do not manage your time well you will feel stressed out.

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MANAGING TIME AT UNIVERSITY

Making the most out of your time is a personal challenge that can improve the results that you get from your time at university. You will need to plan your life so you get everything done and still have time to enjoy yourself. You may find that the use of lists, plans or diagram will help you manage the way you work more effectively.

    You should reflect upon your planning methods often. You need to find a system that will work out for your personal needs and lifestyle.

    You need to be clear what you need to accomplish and when it needs to be completed by
    A term planner can help you track yourself over time
    A week planner will help you plan your week
    A to-do list will help you know what you need to get done on that day
    You need to develop realistic goals so you can plan out your time accordingly


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HOW TO DEVELOP INDEPENDENT LEARNING SKILLS 

 

When students are taught to be in control of their own learning, they carry that with them through high school and beyond. Independence is one of the best skills a student can master. This article will discuss ways to develop independent learning skills.

    As a society, we encourage independence, so it is important to prepare students for the demands of the world. While traditional teaching methods may be best for showing that children are making progress, teachers can teach children to be independent learners without seeing the progress slip away.
But in order to achieve this, students and teachers must change their way of thinking.

HOW TO ENCOURAGE STUDENTS TO BECOME INDEPENDENT LEARNERS

    Provide students with time to self-monitor. Students can be encouraged to self-monitor by teaching them skills that will help them reach their academic goals, and by teaching them to use self and peer assessment.

    Use questions to help steer students toward independent learning. The transfer of academic responsibility from teacher to student does not have to happen overnight. It can be achieved by asking open-ended questions, developing classroom discourse, asking for a higher order, by answering students’ questions in ways that encourage them to think, solve problems on their own, and develop a deeper understanding of the material being studied.

    Be a model for your students. Encourage your students to act like you. Be something they can emulate and learn from.

    Develop communication that focuses on learning. Talk to your students about the different ways of learning. Help them find their own way of learning. After all, everyone learns differently.

    Provide feedback on classwork and homework. This feedback can be oral or written down on paper. Rather than grading based on how many answers on correct, consider grading on the effort the student put into the assignment.

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