LEARNING HOW TO LEARN

          NOTES ON

                                    LEARNING HOW TO LEARN

REASOURSES

                         1.SELF DIRECTED LEARNING

BY

MALCOLM KNOWLES

2.                 AN ORIENTATION TO ADULT-SELF DIRECTED LEARNING AT A DISTANCE

BY

 STEVE LOWE AND MARY LOWE

What is self directed learning?

Self directed learning, describes a process in which individuals take the initiative with or without help of others, in diagnosing their learning needs, formulating learning goals, identifying human and material resources for learning, choosing and implementing appropriate learning strategies, and evaluating learning outcomes With new technological revolution, the view of distance learning as inferior has changed and is becoming more popular

Two approaches to education

The full meaning of self- directed learning can be made clearer by comparing it with its opposite which is teacher- directed learning;

1.Teacher- directed learning assumes the learner is essentially a dependent personality and that the teacher has the responsibility of deciding what and how the learner should be taught; whereas in self directed learning, the learner is increasingly self directed organism.

2.In teacher- directed learning, the experience of the learner is to build on more than used. Whereas in self directed learning, it’s a rich resource for learning.

3. In teacher directed learning, readiness to learn varies with levels of maturation and in self-directed learning it develops from life tasks and problems.

4.In teacher directed learning, orientation to learning is subject centred whereas in self –directed learning is task or problem centred

5.In teacher directed learning motivation is through external rewards and punishments, whereas in self-directed learning is through incentives, curiosity.

WHY SELF DIRECTED LEARNING?

There are both immediate and long run reasons why most of us only know how to be taught and haven’t learned how to learn;

(a)   Immediate reasons

1.There is convincing evidence that people who take the initiative in learning (proactive learners) learn more things and learn better, than do people who sit at the feet of teachers passively waiting to be taught (reactive learners).

2. Self directed learning is more in tune with our natural process of psychological development. When we are born we are totally dependent personalities.

3. Many of the new developments in education, the new curriculum, open classrooms, non-graded schools, learning resource centres, independent study, non traditional study programs, external degree programs, universities without walls, and the like- put a heavy responsibility on the learners to take a good deal of initiative in their own learning.

(B) Long-run reasons

The simple truth is that we are entering into a strange new world in which rapid change will be the only stable characteristic. And this simple truth has several radical implications for education and learning.

BECOMING A SELF –DIRECTED ADULT LEARNER.

A self- directed learner is one who is able to plan, implement ad evaluate his/ her learning experiences with or without the direction of others. Self-directedness could be significant component whether an adult’s learning takes place in a traditional institution or non- traditional one. The precepts and principles of the self-direction literature provide an important conceptual and skill base from which to consider the unique demands on the adult learner in non-traditional distance education settings.

Suggestions about becoming a self –directed learner:

1.Change your learner self- concept-

 One should have a deep psychological need to be generally self –directed.

11.Attritions in distance education

There is a higher rate of attrition in non-traditional education than traditional counterparts;

(a) This is because adult learners are given little if any assistance in developing the essential skills of learning at a distance. Adults with low academic self-confidences and adults with inflated notions of over-confidence in their academic abilities tend to drop out of distance learning experiences.

Suggestions for facilitating a change in your learner self concept that will enable you to begin acquire the requisite skills necessary for success in a non-traditional delivery system;

1.choose to erase from your conscious frame of reference the view of yourself as a passive, other-directed learner, dependent upon some system of academic support for a success as a student.

11.Choose to replace your old learner identity with anew one more congruent with who you are as a mature, able competent and self- directing adult.

111.Decide to act as though you are certain to learn. Do not attribute to yourself failures that may have been the result of the way you were taught.

1v.Set realistic and attainable goals for yourself.

v. Affirm the value of your own background and experiences. Your experiences can provide you with additional insight in learning of new material.

V1.Recognise the expertise you have acquired as a result of your vast experiences.

THE COMPETENCIES REQUIRED FOR SELF-DIRECTED LEARNING.

 The following list is a descriptive of some of the essential skills or competencies required for academic success in distance education:

(a) Motivation.

Adult learners should have significant levels of intrinsic motivation.

(b) Self discipline. Here are some practical suggestions for how you can go about the task of becoming more disciplined;

1.     Make a decision of faith to be self disciplined

11.Erect a scaffolding of discipline;

-         Organize your environment

-         Control your time

-         Impose a calendar on yourself

-         Make yourself accountable to another person

111.Avoid procrastination

Simply set a deadline for yourself, without establishing clear intervening action, steps, only permits one prone to procrastination to put off taking action until the last possible minute. Timetable keeps you honest in the interval.

1v.Organise your learning materials.

Deflate the seemingly overwhelming tasks into manageable chunks

(c) Self- assessment

This include taking inventory of our learning style or cognitive style preferences

(d) Organize your learning.

Not only must yourself be organized for learning, but also you must become the organizer of your own learning process. The general rule of thumb for organizing learning activities is to do so in harmony with your own learning style preference and strengths.

(e) Identify and locate learning resources

The resources you need to augment your prescribed learning from an institution may be human, material or experimental in nature.

(f) Avoid procrastination.

This will prevent us from feeling pressured to entertain and act undesirable and inappropriate alternatives. The basic issue that must be overcome is fear. Guidelines to help you overcome the pitfalls of procrastination and get started immediately on course materials you have received:

1.set specific behavioural goals

A behavioural goal should be one that can be observed by yourself and others. It should be specific and concrete. It should be broken down into discrete steps.

11.Learn how to tell time.

111.Make yourself accountable.

Accountability to another person will prove to be a powerful incentive for beginning and finishing what you planned.

Self directed learning requires the following competencies;

1.     An understanding of the differences in assumptions about learners and the skills required for learning under teacher-directed learning and self-directed learning, and the ability to explain these differences to others.

2.     A concept of the learner being a non-dependent and a self-directing person.

3.     The ability of the learner to relate to peers collaboratively, to see them as resources for diagnosing needs, planning his learning, and learning; and to give help to them and receive help from them.

4.     The ability for the learner to diagnose his own learning needs realistically, with help from teachers and peers.

5.     The ability for the learner to translate learning needs into learning objectives in a form that makes it possible for their accomplishment to be assessed.

6.     The ability for the learner to relate to the teacher as facilitators, helpers, or consultants, and to take the initiative in making use of their resources.

7.     The ability for the learner to identify human and material resources appropriate to different kinds of learning objectives.

8.     The ability for the learner to select effective strategies for making use of learning resources and to perform these strategies skilfully and with initiative.

9.     The ability for the learner to collect and validate evidence of the accomplishment of various kids of learning objectives.

LEARNING HOW TO LEARN IN DISTANCE EDUCATION

Learning how to learn refers to the process of acquiring or enhancing the abilities and skills essential to successful learning, no matter what the instructional setting.

DESIGNING ALEARNING PLAN

There are a variety of ways one can go about designing a plan for learning. A more elaborate and rigorous format is “a learning contract”.

A contract is usually defined as “a binding agreement between two or more persons or parties.” In self –directed learning, the learner contracts with himself .The contract will specify how the learner will go about it and how he will know when he is there.

Suggestions for building learning contract in self –directed learning.

1.Your contract should be build on the basis of the following pillars.

(A)            Learning objectives

These are any objectives that you feel it be useful for you to work forward

(B)            Learning resources and strategies

One should identify one or more learning resources and strategies that you think will help you accomplish that objective.

(C)            Evidence of accomplishment.

Specify for each objective what evidence you will collect to help you measure the degree to which you have accomplished that objective. And

(D)           Criteria and means of validating evidence.

 Indicate what criteria you will use for judging the evidence, and what means you will use to convince yourself of the validity of the evidence.

2. Check out your learning contract with a teacher or groups of peers who will be a position of commenting and giving suggestions to your learning contract.

3.You may modify your contract, on the basis of the responses you get from the people you consulted.

Understanding how your brain contributes to learning.

The clear result of many decades of brain research in relation to adult learners is that no matter how old you are, you are still capable of learning. Your brain, like any muscle responds well to use. Those who continue to learn throughout life revitalize and renew brain cells and facilitate the brains continued growth.

Recognize your learning style:

There exists a personal learning equation that distinguishes one learner from the next.

Learning style (sometimes called a cognitive style modality strength) is away of accounting for individual learning differences and preferences among learners.

The learning circle, as propounded by Dr Knolb, consists of four stages:

1.All learning begins in the experience of the learner

11.These experiences need to be observed and reflected upon.

111.Through observation and reflection one is able to formulate theories and proposals.

1v. The theory, proposal or idea needs to be applied or tested in a concrete situation

According to Knolb. A learner must know how to learn passively, actively

Concretely and abstractly. The four learning skills or types of learning are:

-         Concrete experience (CE) or learning by feeling

-         Reflective observation (RO) learning by watching

-         Abstract conceptualisation (AC) or learning

-         Active experimentation (A E) or learning by doing

From his research Knolb identified four learning styles:

1.Diverger- a person who blends R O and CE

2.Assimilater –a person who blends RO AND AC learning dimensions.

3.Converger-Aperson who blends Ac and AE learning dimensions.

4.Accommodator- a person who blends AE and CE learning dimensions.

IDENTIFY YOUR LEARNING ORIENTATION.

A learning orientation is defined as adults expressed reason why he/she participates in voluntary learning experiences. Cyril Houle identified three basic orientations:

1.     Goal oriented learners- engage in voluntary learning experiences because they wish to achieve some goal either personal or imposed,

11.Activity-oriented learners: participate in instructional events because they have a strong motivation to learn as much as they can.

111.Activity –oriented learners: participate in learning activities because they enjoy meeting people and keeping busy.

GRASP THE BASICS OF ADULT LEARNING.

1. Adult learning   must be paced according to the physical, psychological, and intellectual realties of adult aging.

11.Material to be learned must be presented in an organised fashion using visual cues and mnemonic devices.

111.Material to be learned by adults must be meaningful and have prima facie evidence of applicability. Adults need to know why they need to learn something before understanding to learn it.

1v.The-learning environment must be supportive and stress free. Reducing the perceived threat of the learning experience will go a long way in improving an adults learning ability.

V. Appropriate and regular feedback assists the learning of most adults. Especially helpful are alternative approaches to problem solving situations.

V1.Adults are motivated to learn as they experience needs and interests that learning will satisfy. Motivation in adulthood is always linked to some aspect of the adult’s life.

V11. Adults orientation to learning is life-centred. Adults, therefore, become ready to learn those things they need to know and be able to do in order to cope affectionately with real life.

1X.Experience is the richest resource of adults’ learning. The reason experience is such a powerful force in adult learning is that our sense of identity is so closely linked to it.

X. Adults learn through dialogue and discussion. Most adults choose to be in learning situations in which they are encouraged to participate verbally and mentally.

X1. Adults have a deep psychological need to be self-directing and usually seek out ways to create their own learning projects on subjects in which they are interested.

X11. The learning environment must be comfortable physically and psychologically.

XIII. The more learning and education an adult receives the more he/she wants. The best single predictor of whether an adult will participate in learning activity is prior level of educational attainment.

ENHANCE YOUR LEARNING

The following information helps in facilitating your own learning:

1.Clarifying the desired outcomes always enhances learning.

 Before you begin a course, ask yourself the following questions:

     -What are my objectives of this course?

     -What am I curious about?

     -What are my wonderments?

      -How will I know when I have obtained what I hoped to get?

11.Preparing the learning equipment enhances learning.

You must know how to prime your brain to receive and interact with the stimuli it will encounter when you do your studies.

111.Learning is enhanced by warm up exercises.

 Music can be used to prepare your brain for learning.

1V.Learning is enhanced by cool down exercises.

After you have stayed on task and have completed your planed learning session, listen to music again that employs adagio, larghetto, and largo movements. Let your mind interact and react to what you have heard and read.

Having a positive attitude enhances V. Learning.

Brain research has discovered that negative emotions constrict brain dendrites and restrict the flow of information between neurons

Building in multi-modal sensory data regarding content enhances V1.Learning.

For example by exposing the right side of our brain to sensory data of amore non-verbal, intuitive form. we enhance our ability to learn and encourage the two sides of our brain to communicate with each other, thereby enhancing our ability to see relationships and think holistically.

V11.Learning is enhanced by the use of advanced organizers (learning set)

The best advance organizers are ones with which the learner is already familiar, a kin to the use of analogies or parables

Identifying learning as it occurs enhances VIII. Learning.

Monitor your learning as it takes place.

Your learning is your responsibility. No one else can learn for you, and no one else is primarily responsible for arranging your learning environment. As an adult learner, it is time for you to take responsibility for your own learning.

CHAPTER 4.

ADULT LEARNING ACROSS THE LIFESPAN

Learning does not take place in a vacuum. This is especially true of the adult learner. Adults cannot separate their learning from themselves as persons who continue to grow and develop beyond puberty. This development takes place across a life span of; on the average, seventy years .The lifespan and life cycle can both be divided to typical periods, associated with normal life experiences and human development.

1.Beginning family

2.Child bearing family

3.pre-school family

4 school- age family

5.Teenage family

6.Lauching family

7.Empty nest family

8. Retirement family.

DEVELOPMENTAL STAGES AND TRANSITIONS.

Adults progress through predictable stages of development that are age-related. The general transitions and stages are:

1. Older adulthood ages 71+

2.Late adult hood ages 67-70

3.Late life adult transition ages 55-62

4.Middle adult hood ages 45-55

5.Midlife transition ages 38-45

6.Young adulthood ages 30-38

7.Young adult transition ages 223-30.

Each adult stage has distinct characteristics that mark it off from those that precede and follow. Stages are described as protracted periods of stability and tranquillity. The quintessential transitional period is known as the “Mid-life crisis”. A transition produces a change in priorities, focus, goals, roles, relationship and routines.

1.Lifespan triggers

There are certain events that can trigger or prompt a change in one life situation and lead to participate in education. Triggers usually lead to a transition and are thus respect inter related.

1.Beginning family

2.Child bearing family

3.pre-school family

4 school- age family

5.Teenage family

6.Lauching family

7.Empty nest family

8. Retirement family.

DEVELOPMENTAL STAGES AND TRANSITIONS.

Adults progress through predictable stages of development that are age-related. The general transitions and stages are:

1. Older adulthood ages 71+

2.Late adult hood ages 67-70

3.Late life adult transition ages 55-62

4.Middle adult hood ages 45-55

5.Midlife transition ages 38-45

6.Young adulthood ages 30-38

7.Young adult transition ages 223-30.

Each adult stage has distinct characteristics that mark it off from those that precede and follow. Stages are described as protracted periods of stability and tranquillity. The quintessential transitional period is known as the “Mid-life crisis”. A transition produces a change in priorities, focus, goals, roles, relationship and routines.

1.Lifespan triggers

There are certain events that can trigger or prompt a change in one life situation and lead to participate in education. Triggers usually lead to a transition and are thus respect inter related.

Typical life –cycle triggers are:

Getting hired                                    

Getting fired

Getting married

Getting divorced

Getting remarried

Having first child

Having last child leave home (empty nest)

Major move

Serious illness

Death of family member

 Job promotion

Job demotion

Career change.

2.Life span tasks.

The relevant tasks of each period of adulthood, identified by Havighust are:

1.Early adulthood-

Selecting mate, learning to live with a marriage partner, starting a family, rearing children, managing home, getting started in an occupation, taking of civic responsibilities.

2.Middle adulthood.

Achieving adult and civic responsibilities, establishing and maintaining an economic standard of living, assisting teenage children to become responsible and happy adults, developing adult leisure-time activities, relating to one’s spouse as person, accepting and adjusting to the physiological changes of middle age, adjusting to aging parents.

3.Later adulthood

Adjusting to decreasing physical strength and health, adjustment to retirement and reduced income, adjusting to death of spouse, establishing an explicit affiliation with one’s age group, meeting social and civic obligations, establishing satisfactory physical living arrangements.

4.Life-span trajectories

Beginning at about middle age the trajectory of men becomes more warm, caring nurturing, and affiliates. They find their tender feminine side and begin to display amore pronounced interest in family and mentoring relationships. By contrast, the trajectory of women becomes more assertive, dominant, aggressive, and career oriented. The changes are due in part to psychosocial and role reversals that take pace across the life span.

5. Lifespan transformations.

When the constellation of events and circumstances is such that there is an alignment of internal      psychological changes and external social pressure (stress), followed by a period of intense introspection leading to a major shift in one’s attitude, values, beliefs or behaviour, then we have a whole person transformation. These existential moments happen to greater or lesser degree with all adults. Seismic transformations of a person often get our attention and become legendary.

6.Adult development

The most critical relationship between adult development and learning in distance education mode has to do with the impact of major life events on adult’s decision to continue learning. For example, the death of a spouse, a serious illness in the family, the loss of employment and other similar events, can dilute the physical, emotional and financial resources of a family, prompting a decision to dropout of degree programs.

7.Middle age and learning.

The following are the relationship between the unique demands of middle age and learning:

Time factors

Prior to middle age, there is viewed as ‘time since birth’ during the following middle age, time is viewed as ‘time left to live’.

The significant change in time orientation, which occurs at this time of the life cycle, has at profound impact on an adult’s motivation to want to finish an education that was started earlier or start an education that had been postponed due to the demands of adulthood in general parenthood in particular.

PYSIOLOGICAL FACTORS:

Significant physiological changes take place at middle age that begins to affect the rate at which an adult can learn new material. The combination of reduced hearing abilities reduced visual acuity, slower eye-hand coordination, and a slight loss of short-term memory function all collaborate to affect adversely the learning efficiency of the adult learner.

TEACHERS.

Let us explore the implications for teachers of having self-directed learners as students.

(a)             The role of a teacher in self-directed learning.

A teacher in self –directed learning should be able to accomplish the following seven elements of an andragogical process design.

1.Climate setting.

The role of a teacher is to get learners to be come acquainted with one another, help them to understand the concept of self –directed learning. To set the climate to be conducive for self-directed learning for the learners.

2. Planning.

The teacher should decide what procedures to use, what mechanism to propose to the learners for involving them in decision making process

3.Diagnosing needs for learning.

The role of the teacher is to see how he will construct a model of the competencies (or content objectives, if you prefer) this particular learning experience should be constructed with. This to be done with full participation of the learners.

4.Setting goals.

The teacher to help the learner translate diagnosed needs into learning objectives that are clear, feasible at appropriate levels of specificity or generality, personally meaningful, and measurable as to accomplishment.

5.Designing a learning plan.

The teacher to help in giving the learners guide lines for designing a learning plan, by giving optional model plans and suggest mechanisms to facilitate their helping one another.

6. Engaging in learning activities.

The teacher be able to engage the learners in activities which meet objectives that are common to all of their learning plans, in sub groups and individual inquiry projects.

7.Evaluating learning outcomes.

The role of the teacher is to feed data to the learners regarding his perceptions of the accomplishment of their learning objectives. This judgements to be presented in such away that they will enhance the learners’ self-concepts as self- directed persons.

DEVELOPING SELF- DIRECTED LEARNERS

The first responsibility of a facilitator of learning is to help students develop competence as self- directed learners. This can be done through:

1.To encourage students to do projects on their own and let them come to you only when they want help and later let them analyse their experience and raise unresolved issues or unanswered questions.

2.Team the students up into small groups of from two to five and ask them to pursue inquiry projects independently, coming to you only when   they need help.

3.Involve all of given group of students in an intensive two –day workshop on self –directed learning which will follow the following setting;

1.Climate setting

11.Diagnosis of needs for learning (about self- directed)

111.Designing a learning plan.

1v. Conducting learning activities

v. Evaluating learning outcomes.

4.Students should be provided with at least an introductory orientation to the concept and skills of self- directed learning through the following design of four activities:

1.Development of a cognitive map

Ii Relationship- building exercises

iii. A proactive reading exercise, and

iv. An exercise in utilization of peer resources.

IMPLEMENTING THE ROLE OF FACILITATOR

The following is an example of a process a teacher can use as a facilitator and resource to self-directed learners:

1. Orientation, climate setting, and relationship building.

2. Diagnosis of needs for learning and formulating objectives.

3. Designing learning plans.

4. Contract revision and team planning.

5. Teamwork.

6. Presentation of learning experiences.

7. Completion of contract evidence.

8. Course evaluation.

DEVELOPING DISTANCE LEARNING SKILLS:

Skills are acquired abilities that are learned by practice and use. Certain academic skills are needed to complement that you are becoming. Anyone, regardless of prior academic performance, can learn these skills and become abetter student. Six learning skills are:

1.     Reading

2.     Writing

3.     Listening

4.     Critical thinking

5.     Note-taking and

6.     Essay test taking.

These skills are essential for one to be successful in a non- traditional delivery system.

1.Reading

There are many reading techniques in the learning skills literature.

Proactive Reading: It requires that you switch from being a passive learner to an active, self –directing one who engages in an interactive fashion with the material you are required to read.

1.     Look over the book and read any of the promotional comments printed on the jacket, inside pocket, or on the back of the book.

2.     Read all you can about the authors’ background and expertise to write the book.

3.     Read all of the introductory materials (foreword, preface, introduction etc). Seek to identify the authors’ purpose for writing the book.

4.     Leaf through the table of contents and index to get a feel for the major topics that will be addressed in the book’s contents.

5.     Scan the book noting chapter headings, sub headings, special, appendices or excursus, and any charts, diagrams or photos.

6.     Scan each chapter before reading it in detail.

7.     While reading a chapter you may wish to make written notations or make marks that highlight what you think are significant or important statements. .

8.     Write down the main idea presented on the chapter and identify at least three thrust points that indicate how this main idea was supported.

9.     Critically reflect upon what you have read and respond to it verbally or in writing, depending upon your learning style preference.

10.                        Decide how you are going to incorporate and use what you have learned in the chapter with course assignments / modules.

2 Writing:

Every piece you write must contain three essential elements, which form the ‘bare bones’ of any written structure:

1.     Introduction;

Should begin with a general statement or question, sometimes called the ‘thesis statement or thesis question followed by quick narrowing down for the main theme to be developed in the body.

11.Body (argument).

The body of a written piece is where you elaborate, defend, and expand the thesis introduced in the first section. The body should support your main contention with supporting evidence and possible objections. The writing of the body of any piece best includes the following three components:

(a) Elaboration: Spell out the details by defining, clarifying and adding relevant, pertinent information.

(b) Illustration-Paint a verbal picture that helps makes or clarifies your points.

(c)  Argumentation- Give the reasons, justifications, and rationales for the position or view you have taken in the introduction.
111. Conclusion.

Normally a single paragraph, brief and concise, will suffice. The purpose of the conclusion is to leave the reader with idea or thought that captures the essence of the body while provoking further reflection and consideration.

3 LISTENING SKILLS.

We acquire listening skills either by imitation of good listeners or by learning them deliberately as we are doing here. If you are not now a good listener, you can become a better one by applying a few simple rules.

I.                   Listening is a learned behaviour/skill.

II.                Listening requires our full attention

III.             Listen actively by interacting

IV.            Active listeners are made, not born.

4. NOTE-TAKING SKILLS.

One of the most important factors in the success of students in any class is the ability to take proper notes. Should be done in an organized and clear fashion, using abbreviations, symbols and charts. The best system for note taking is known as the “Cornell system” of note taking.

5.CRITICAL THINKING SKILLS.

Critical thinking refers to the ability to consider logically, react, and process information or data in a sophisticated manner. Her are some critical thinking skills that can be employed just at the thinking level or incorporated into one’s writing assignments:

a.     Probing-

Critical reasoning is inquiry and discovery through probing strategies that enlighten and inform. In short the questions, what, why and why not? Form the query base of solid critical thinking and reasoning in academic setting.

b.     Plausibility

c.      Refers to the believability or credibility of ideas and thoughts. Plausibility or believability runs along a continuum from ‘strong’ to not strong depending upon the available evidence and the source of the evidence.

C. Reasoning

Two polar modes of thinking are:

i.                   Inductive and deductive reasoning: Inductive refers to a method of reasoning that examines particulars and deduces generalisations. Deduction is the ability to examine a generalisation and from this to identify particulars that are consistent with the generalization.

ii.                 Transductive reasoning: refers to the egocentrically limited thinking produced by children who cannot think inductively, deductively, or addictively.

iii.              Adductive reasoning:

Consists in studying the facts or particulars and then devise a theory or model to explain them.

iv.               Deductive reasoning:

Usually founded upon some assumption or premise. If the foundation is the, then one’s inferences or conclusion may be valid.

v. Inductive reasoning.

Leads from evidentiary facts to inferences that are plausible or probable but not necessary.

6.ESSAY TEST TAKING SKILLS.

The best advice anyone can give you from receiving a high grade on an essay exam is to be sure your answer is well organised. A well-organised essay begins with a short outline of major thrust points you wish to include in your answer. Write this outline at the top of the sheet of paper you plan to use.

i.                   Begin your answer with a brief introduction or background that conveys the intent and direction of your answer.

ii.                 Follow your outline as you build the body of your essay.

iii.              Finish off your answer with a summary statement or conclusion that packs a wallop. Let your conclusion be short and to the point.

iv.               Pay attention to the key verbs (compare, contrast, explain etc) in the question because they will tell you how to approach the topic.

v.                  If there is a time limit, be sure to pay attention to point values and spend the bulk of your time writing on those questions that have the highest point value.

LEARNING RESOURCES

The following resources are designed to enhance the inquiry of both self-directed learners and facilitators of self –directed learning into the ideas and skills required for performing these respective roles:

1.     A comparison of assumptions and processes of Teacher-directed (pedagogical) learning and self- directed (andragogical) learning.

2.     Competencies of self- directed learning, a self-rating instrument.

3.     Learning contract

The self –concept of a self-directing person

One can develop a self –concept by:

a. Having a clear picture of what it means.

b. Being able to visualize how you would feel.

C. How you would think.

d. And what you would do if you were completely self- directing.

According to Cyril O. Houle, continuing learners profited by seven key principles;

1.     Act as though you are certain to learn.  Adults can learn most things better than children, though it may take them longer to do so.

2.     Set realistic goals- and measure their accomplishment.

3.     Remember the strength of your own point of view. Your learning is strongly influenced by the point of view you bring to it.

4.     Actively fit new ideas and new facts into context.

5.     Seek help and support when you need it.

6.     Learn beyond the point necessary for immediate recall.

7.     Use psychological as well as logical practices.

RELATIONSHIP- BUILDING EXERCISES

Self-directed learning can flourish only when learners and teachers see one another as mutually helpful human beings with resources to share.

Students typically enter into any activity labelled` education` with the notion that the appropriate relationship for them to establish with fellow students is that of competitor, and that they should relate to a teacher as an authority figure. Self-directed learning can flourish only when learners and teachers see one another as mutually helpful human beings with resources to share.

Relationship building exercises are to help learners:

.1. Begin to experience other learners as collaborators rather than as competitors, as human beings rather than as things; and

2. Begin to identify the resources each learner needs from, and can provide to other learners for their mutual learning.

Which exercise you select will depend upon which one you feel most comfortable with and which you feel will fit best into the time limitations and the learner’s moods.

CONSULTATION SKILL- PRACTICE EXERCISE

One of the characteristics of self- directed learning is that learners give help to and receive help from, one another. One kind of help that is exchanged is straight information giving and skill training, which is the kind of help we all have had most experience with.

Another kind of help is what has come to be called “consultation”. Its purpose is to assist individuals to think through problems for themselves and to make their own decisions. It consists of guiding the process of problem-solving and therefore is called “process consultation” .It is an educational activity more than a problem solving activity, although the individual usually comes out with a better solution to the particular problem on which he is being consulted.

Objectives of these exercises.

The objectives of these exercises are to provide the learner with.

1. Some guidelines for performing the role of consultant.

11.Some practice in performing this role, with feedback from an observer and a helper.

111.some practice in making use of a consultant; and

1v.Some practice in performing the role of observer.

SELF –ASSESSMENT EXERCISE

Self-directed learning starts with learners becoming aware of some need for learning. T he clearer that learners are about their needs for learning in a particular situation, the more efficiently can they plan their learning.

Objectives of this exercise

1. To help learners gain an understanding of the self-diagnostic process; and

2. Have an exploratory experience in practicing this process.

The self-diagnostic process

This process involves three steps:

1.The development of a model of desired behaviours or required competencies.

2.The assessment of the present level of performance by the individual in each of these behaviours or competences; and

3.The assessment of the gaps between the model and the present performance.

1.DEVELOPiNIG COMPETNCY MODELS.

Models of desired behaviour or required competence can be developed in several ways;

a.     Through research.

b.     Through the judgement of experts.

c.      Through task analysis.

d.     Through group participation.

Any contemporary model developed early in an activity, must of course, be seen a being preliminary and tentative the model be reviewed periodically during the activity.

11.ASSESSING THE PRESENT LEVEL OF PERFORMANCE

Different kinds o f performance call for different kinds of assessment procedures.

1.     Performance assessment in the area of knowledge requires the participant to demonstrate in some way what he knows or at least can recall. Tests may help a participant to asses his present level of performance.

2.     Performance assessment in the area of understanding and insight requires that a participant demonstrate his ability to size up situations, see patterns, etc.

3.     Performance assessment in the area of skills requires the participant do the action in question and has his proficiency rated in some way.

4.     Performance assessment in the area of attitudes, interests, and values, is much more difficult and even less precise, than in the area of knowledge, understanding and skills.

111. ASSESSMENT OF LEARNING NEEDS

The final step in the self-diagnostic process is for the individual to access the gaps that exist between his model of desired behaviours and his present level of performance.

SOME GUIDELINES FOR STATING OBJECTIVES

Learning objectives are stated in many ways:

1.Objectives are sometimes stated in the form of lists of topics, concepts, or other content elements to be covered in an activity.

2. Objectives stated in the form of content elements may help students choose between activities, but they are not satisfactory learning objectives since they do not specify what the students are to do with the elements.

3.Objectives are often stated in the form of generalised patterns of behaviour without the content area to which the behaviour applies being specified.

Programmed instruction: is geared to a concept of” terminal behaviour” objectives, wth terminal behaviour defined as the behaviour you would like learner to be able to demonstrate at the time your influence over him ends. The specifications for this type of objective are summarised as follows:

1.Astatment of instructional objectives is a collection of words or symbols describing one of your educational intents.

11.An objective will communicate your intent to the degree you have described what the learner will be doing when demonstrating his achievement and how you will know when he is doing it.

111.To describe terminal behaviour (what the learner will be doing):

a.     Identify the name of the overall behaviour act.

b.     Define the important conditions under which the behaviour is to occur (given and/ or restriction and limitations.

c.      Define he criterion of acceptance performance.

1v.write separate statement for each objective; the more statements you have, the better chance you have of making clear your intent.

v. If you give each learner a copy of your objective, you may not have to do much else.

QUESITIONING STRATEGIES AND TECHNIQUES.

Self-directed learning means learners engaging in inquiry. Inquiry means getting answers to questions through the collection and analysis of data. The prerequisite skill of inquiry, therefore, is the ability to formulate questions that can be answered by data.

Designing a plan of inquiry

1.What is the question you want to get an answer to?

2.What data are required to answer this question?

3.What are the sources of the required data?

4.What means will be used to collect the data?

5.How will the data be analysed so as to answer the question you are asking?

6.How will the answer to the question be presented?

SOME SKILL PRACTICE IN QUESTIONING TECHNIQUES

Students can have periods of time designated for focusing on their process of inquiry or problem- solving. Such focus would naturally deal with questions. Here students can analyse the types of questions they have been asking. Are they satisfied with their questions? Have they considered their questions productive in directing them to designated goals? What is the type of question they most commonly formulate?

Students also should have time for practising at writing various types of questions, and for judging the questions of others. Related to writing diverse questions is being able to identify questions in written materials.