INDEPENDENT LEARNING: WHY YOU SHOULD BECOME ONE

WHAT IS INDEPENDENT LEARNING ?

Independent learning is when an individual is able to think, act and pursue their own studies autonomously, without the same levels of support you receive from a teacher at school. In other words, you need to be able to do your own research instead of expecting a teacher to give you all the background material you might need. To become a good independent learner, you need to be:

1. Motivated 

2. Resilient, to overcome challenges 

3. An excellent time manager

 

WHY IS INDEPENDENT LEARNING IMPORTANT ?

Independent learning is not just important to become a good student. The skills you gain are transferrable to most jobs. These include: 

1. Motivation 

2. Independence 

3. Initiative 

4. Time management 

5. Organisation and multi-tasking

6. Strong reading and writing skills  

 

HOW CAN I BECOME IN INDEPENDENT LEARNER ?

1. Read actively: You will need to be an active reader, paying close attention to the words you are reading and their meaning. 

2. Skim read: Speed read or skim material before reading it in detail and then summarising the text in your notes. 

3. Go solo: Practice working on your own for long periods of time without seeking the help of an adult. 

4. Different sources: When doing research, try to draw from a variety of different sources. 

5. Be persistent: If a task is challenging, don’t give up. Keep at it until you understand what you need to do. 

6. Seek help where necessary: Asking for support and advice is an important part of independent learning. Unlike school, you are unlikely to be spoon-fed all the information you need in work or at university. If you need help, ask for it!  

7. Discussions: If you want to expand an argument but are stuck for ideas, get a debate going with friends or peers. This could help you think about an element you hadn’t considered before. 

8. Set goals: A good way to keep your motivation up is to think what you want to get out of your work and remind yourself next time you’re flagging. 

9. Effective time management: In work or uni studies, you’re more than likely to have several pieces of work to juggle at any one time. Break each project down into the relevant tasks, work out how long you will need to spend on each part, then allocate time in your diary in order or priority.

DOES INDEPENDENT LEARNING MEAN WORKING ON YOUR OWN ? 

1. No, independent learning does not mean working on your own. You may well find that you share a problem with another student on your course or even in another discipline. Working with someone else, encouraging each other and talking through difficulties may be the most effective way of working independently. If you have a problem, explaining it to someone else can help to clarify issues for you. Explaining a concept to someone without shared background knowledge is a very good way of making sure you understand the full implications of the concept. 

2. If you are lucky enough to have PASS (Peer Assisted Study Sessions) timetabled in your subject area then you have a ready-made opportunity for working independently with your peers. PASS enables you to talk through difficulties and share knowledge so that you understand the material more deeply (and can remember it more when it comes to exams). Even without PASS you can meet up with classmates yourself to do the same thing. 

3. Being able to work independently is a skill highly valued by employers so it may ultimately help you in securing a job. In the short term, it may help you to feel more "in control" of what you are doing. Some elements of independent learning are: setting your own goals and deadlines; organising yourself, your work and your time; evaluating your use of time and your work. These can have immediate benefits in enabling you to become more efficient and effective. 

4. Weaknesses in any of the skills given in the activity below will mean that you are not working as effectively as you might. Devoting some time to improving study skills will be helpful. It may be better for you to work on these skills with someone else, rather than on your own.