The Self-Directed Learning Handbook: Challenging Adolescent Students to Excel. The Jossey-Bass Education Series

The Self-Directed Learning Handbook offers teachers and principals an innovative program for customizing schooling to the learning needs of individual students-- and for motivating them to take increasing responsibility for deciding what and how they should learn. Whether the students are struggling or proficient, the program is designed to nurture their natural passion for learning and mastery, challenging them to go beyond the easy and familiar so they can truly excel. The program can be introduced in stages in any middle or high school classroom and enables students of diverse abilities to design and pursue independent course work, special projects, or even artistic presentations, community field work or apprenticeships. Using this approach, the students take on an increasingly autonomous, self-directed role as they progress. The heart of the program is the action contract (or learning agreement) whereby the student sets challenging yet attainable goals, commits to a path for achieving them, and evaluates the results. Special emphasis is placed on developing skills and competencies that can serve the student well in his or her academic and career endeavors. The Self-Directed Learning Handbook......Page 5 Contents......Page 11 Preface......Page 15 Acknowledgments......Page 19 1 The Case for Self-Directed Learning......Page 23 What Is Self-Directed Learning?......Page 24 How Does Research Support SDL?......Page 28 The Major Principles of an SDL Program......Page 31 The Essential Elements of SDL......Page 33 Approaching SDL in Stages......Page 35 2 A Framework for Teaching SDL......Page 36 Defining the Course......Page 37 Expanding Learning Options and Environments......Page 38 Building Independent Thinking Skills......Page 40 Negotiating Student Learning Agreements......Page 42 Establishing Assessment Processes......Page 43 Essential Planning Steps......Page 45 Understanding the Stages of SDL......Page 46 Linking the Stages to Grade Levels......Page 50 Designating Course Outcomes......Page 51 Developing Self-Managed Course Units......Page 56 Student-Planned Coursework and Projects......Page 60 Focusing on Competencies and Challenges......Page 61 Principles for Planning Lessons......Page 65 Designing Learning Episodes......Page 68 Creating Experiences......Page 69 Promoting Study......Page 71 Encouraging Productivity......Page 73 Involving Students in Project Planning......Page 74 5 Teaching Independent Thinking......Page 79 Inviting Inquiry and Initiative......Page 80 Developing Problem-Solving Skills......Page 86 Using Process Frameworks: Investigation and Action......Page 87 Cultivating Process Thinking and Attitudes......Page 90 The Learning Agreement or Contract......Page 95 The Elements of a Contract......Page 96 Negotiating Contract Agreements......Page 103 Sample Contracts......Page 109 Tracking Student Progress......Page 112 Encouraging Students to Pursue SDL......Page 115 Motivating Students to Motivate Themselves......Page 117 The Working Journal as a Motivational Tool......Page 121 Dealing with the SDL Crisis......Page 123 Working with Difficult Students......Page 128 8 Assessing Student Achievement......Page 132 Promoting Student Self-Assessment......Page 133 Assessing Coursework......Page 135 Evaluating Projects and Assignments......Page 141 Portfolios for Personal Learning......Page 143 Passage and Graduation Criteria......Page 144 Demonstrations, Celebrations, and Conferences......Page 148 The Teacher Is the Key Person......Page 154 Making a Difference to the Student......Page 157 Starting an SDL School......Page 159 Administrative Support for SDL......Page 160 Creating a Shared Vision......Page 162 Resource A: How Much SDL Are You Teaching Now?......Page 164 Resource B: How Self-Directing Are You? A Self-Assessment Instrument......Page 166 Resource C: The Passage Process......Page 170 Resource D: The Integrated SDL Unit: The Kinds of Activities Involved......Page 174 Resource E: Inner States for SDL......Page 176 Resource F: Sample Process Templates......Page 179 Resource G: Guidelines, Traps, and Boosters......Page 181 Resource H: The Support Group or Triad......Page 185 Resource I: Samples from a Student’s Working Journal......Page 188 Resource J: Some of the Many Ways Students Can Learn......Page 192 Bibliography......Page 194 Index......Page 199 The Author......Page 205 This publication offers teachers and principals a program for customizing schooling to individual students' learning needs and motivating them to take increased responsibility for deciding what and how to learn. It presents a comprehensive framework for introducing self-directed learning (SDL) approaches in the classroom. Nine chapters include: (1) "The Case for Self-Directed Learning" (e.g., how research supports SDL and the major principles of SDL programs); (2) "A Framework for Teaching SDL" (e.g. defining the course and building independent thinking skills); (3) "Rethinking Student Coursework" (e.g., essential planning steps and understanding the stages of SDL); (4) "Planning Lessons and Projects" (e.g., principles for planning lessons, creating experiences, and promoting study); (5) "Teaching Independent Thinking" (e.g. inviting inquiry and initiative and developing problem-solving skills); (6) "Negotiating Student Learning Agreements" (e.g., the learning agreement or contract and contract elements); (7) "Motivating and Empowering Students" (e.g., encouraging students to pursue SDL and working with difficult students); (8) "Assessing Student Achievement" (e.g., assessing general skills and coursework); and (9) "Pursuing a Path of Excellence" (e.g., starting an SDL school and creating a shared vision). Ten resources present support materials. (Contains 75 bibliographic references.) (SM)