UWA SPOT/SET Project

86)  I have been encouraged to work independently

In any one-to-many teaching situation, encouraging students to work independently, while sometimes difficult to manage, allows considerable flexibility for the learner.

·         One approach to encouraging students to work independently is resource-based learning (RBL).Maier (1999) provides a practical guide to implementing an RBL environment in your course.

·         “Learning Contracts encourage learners to take responsibility for their own learning and become less dependent upon direction from others” - Chapter. 1 Anderson, Boud, & Sampson (1996) is a good place to start learning more about using learning contracts with your students.

·         Christine Hogan’s personal account of ‘Strategies for Democratising Learning’ (Ballantyne, Bain, & Packer, 1997), gives a range of hints on establishing a learning community, constructing learning contracts and encouraging self-directed learning.

Anderson, G., Boud, D., & Sampson, J. (1996). Learning contracts: A practical guide. London: Kogan Page Ltd.

Ballantyne, R., Bain, J., & Packer, J. (1997). Reflecting on university teaching academic's stories. Canberra: Australian Government Publishing Services.

Maier, P. (1999). Getting to grips with resource-based learning: SEDA Special No. 7. Birmingham, United Kingdom: Staff and Educational Development Association.