Being an Independent Learner Being an Independent Learner

Description of this Guide

In this guide we shall discuss what it means to be an independent learner and the value
this has in later life as a lifelong learner. You will see the role motivation plays, how
good you are at setting goals, managing your time and reflecting. These activities that
will reveal to you how you currently stand with regard to independent learning.
Understanding the importance of these issues and implementing them will determine
your attitude to work now and later.
Learning Outcomes
. !istinguish the characteristics of an independent learner
". #ecognise the value of reflective practice in self improvement
$. %valuate how independent you are as a learner
Contents
.& 'ow motivated are you to study(
. Being responsible for your own learning
." )etting goals
.$ Leaving things to the last minute
.* #eflecting+.
".& 'ow are you managing your time(
". ,anaging the big picture
"." ,anaging lots of things
".$ Using your time effectively - understand how you learn
".* Taking stock
$.& #eflecting on your learning
$. 'elping you to reflect
$." .ays to record your reflections
$.$ Using feedback to aid your learning
*.& /ver to You
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Skills
Being an Independent Learner
The material in this guide is copyright 1 "&&$ the University of )outhampton. 2ermission is given for it to be
copied for use within the University of )outhampton. 3ll other rights are reserved.
"
Being an Independent Learner Being an Independent Learner
Your attitude to your studies will colour your e4perience of university life and affect the
grades you get. In order to get the most out of your time at university, it is worth
thinking about how you can become an independent and assertive learner - 5ualities that
will be invaluable to you now, to your employer later and throughout your career.
Independent learners
If you are an independent learner you will 6a7 be motivated to learn8 6b7 manage your
own learning8 and 6c7 reflect on your learning. These attributes will enable you to
become a successful learner and9or provide you with some insight into your learning
achievements that will enhance your motivation to continue learning. The responsibility
for this is yours.
$
1.
Motivated
to learn
This is influenced
by strategies of
achievement:
Being responsible
for your own
learning.
You set
challenging but
attainable goals.
You deal with
procrastination.
2.
Manage
your time
You actively
identify what is
important to you
in your studies.
You balance
your studies and
social life.
You use your
time effectively
and know where
resources are.
You understand
how you learn
best
3.
eflect on
your
learning
You develop your
ability to reflect
on your progress
You record how
you are
developing a
wide range of
skills
You know what
feedback you
need from tutors
and peers and
how to use it


Skills
Being an Independent Learner
1.!"o# Motivated are you to $tudy%
3s you are probably aware from previous e4perience, success and the feeling of
achievement is very motivating. It is important therefore to identify what achievement
strategies for success you already have in place as well as find some new ones.
1.1 &eing responsi'le for your o#n learning
The first strategy of achievement is to recognise that you are responsible for your own
learning. The table below indicates some of the features that characterise dependent
and independent learning and as you can see the ;independent learner< shows a greater
responsibility for their own learning.
Your learning !ependent Learner Independent Learner
,otivation to
learn
You predominantly respond to the
pressures of the system through
deadlines, penalties = marks.
You respond to the e4ternal pressures, but
you are also seeking personal satisfaction
and what to learn as much as you can.
.hat you learn The content and resources are
determined by your tutors
3lthough your tutors have given guidance
on resources you need, you happily seek
out your own resources.
,anaging your
learning
You follow your tutors instructions to
letter and don<t go much beyond it.
You find it sufficient.
You are keen to develop personal
strategies for learning.
#eflection on
your learning
You find little opportunity in your
studies to do this and you may not be
encouraged to do it either.
You are keen to reflect on what and how
you learn.
(our tutors can only do so much. It is up to you to 'e prepared to ta)e full
advantage of #hat is on offer.
Tick the strategies you use now and indicate which ones you intend
to do:
tick
. I have checked out9will check out the Library, >omputing )ervices, !epartmental
Libraries and the !epartmental .ebsite.
". I have fi4ed a time to see9have already seen my personal tutor.
$. I have read9will read the student handbook.
*. I<m not afraid9will not be afraid to ask 5uestions in or out of class regarding a
topic.
?. I generally organise my notes so I can keep on top of a sub@ect.
A. I generally work with others and not alone whenever possible or appropriate.
If you ticked 1-3 you are familiarising yourself with the resources
available at University that are there to help you. Do this as early on in
*
your studies as possible and keep abreast of how these resources develop.
This shows how proactive you are.
If you ticked you are aware that you need to develop self confidence in
order to become an independent learner! this is really important.
If you ticked " #$ you are managing your own learning by being organised
which makes it easier for you to keep an overview of your studies and
identify parts you are having problems with. %orking with others let&s
you see how they think about particular topics. 'ou can get support and
learn how to discuss your sub(ect in a non-threatening way.
#emember to always reflect on how things are going and what you need to do to improve.
1.2 $etting goals
The second strategy of achievement refers to you setting challenging, but attainable
goals, and breaking down tasks into manageable, bite siBe chunks. In your studies, your
assignment goals are set by the tutor, but you have the control on '/. to break the
task down into manageable sub goals. 3re you doing this(
tick
. I have found most of my studies 6here or elsewhere7 very easy.
". ,ost of my studies I find challenging, but ;doCable<.
$. Before I start an assignment, I think I<ll never be able to manage
it, but I do.
*. Before I start an assignment, I get very panicky and this prevents
me from working properly.
If you ticked )1& then either you are doing a grand (ob with your studies*
or you are doing the minimum and getting (ust +, or poor grades. If the
latter* consider how you could put in more effort to raise your grades.
Decide which category you fall into.
If you ticked )-& then you are getting a lot out of your studies- you find it
challenging enough* but you are not overwhelmed by it. 'ou have obviously
developed strategies to cope with challenging work* which will stand you in
good stead for the future. .an you articulate what these strategies are/
If you ticked )3& you are capable of doing the work and probably getting
good marks* but you lack some confidence. 'ou have probably developed
0uite good strategies for chunking a large task. 1e2t time you do this*
reflect on how you do it so you confidently use these strategies in other
work. %hy don&t you compare your strategies with others 3 you may learn
some new ways.
?


Skills
Being an Independent Learner
If you ticked )& you are capable of doing the work but your confidence
and )nerves& are getting the better of you. 4nalyse the task 5with a
friend or your tutor6 and break it down into attainable sub goals. Tackle
each small segment and feel confident with yourself as you check them
off. 7inally* read through your work in its entirety 5aloud or get a friend
to do this if appropriate6 and ensure it really answers the 0uestion asked
and that it is coherent.
1.3 Leaving things to the last minute
.hen you are having difficulty with assignments you will probably find yourself
procrastinating regularly, if this happens, then you need to think why you are doing this
how you can overcome it. It might be, as indicated above, because you don<t chunk
assignments or e4ercises into smaller bits and create sub goals. 'aving a large
assignment as the only goal would be a very daunting task indeed. There may of course
be other reasons for procrastination. 'ave a look at the statements below and tick the
one6s7 that refer to you.
!o you put your assignments off until the last minute(
Dre5uently )ometimes Eever
If you answered fre*uently or sometimes then tick the reasons
you might be doing this:
tick
. I don<t en@oy the sub@ect.
". I<m not sure what I have to do.
$. I @ust have difficulty getting started.
*. I feel you haven<t read enough.
?. I need the adrenaline rush of the ;last minute<
'ou ticked )1& . If this applies to all sub(ects within your programme* then
you should consider changing your degree as it may (ust be wrong for you.
If it relates to one or two sub(ects within the degree* and you find they
bore you* try and find some aspect or good te2t book that could make it
more interesting even though it may never be your favourite sub(ect. If
you find you (ust don&t understand the sub(ect* then go and talk to a
friend* the sub(ect tutor* your personal tutor* or a post graduate
assistant who might be taking some classes. Try and isolate which parts
you are having difficulties with.
'ou ticked )-&. 8ead the directions through carefully and isolate the part
you are having difficulties with then talk to your friends and see how
they interpret the instructions. 'ou might check with your tutor by
sending a 0uick email for clarification.
A
'ou ticked )3&. Is this connected with writing/ If so* check out the
guide9 Writing Effectively. 'ou may (ust need some writing techni0ues so
you can overcome this initial )getting started& barrier. :aybe it&s not
about writing* but about motivating yourself to get going. ;ome people
find it helps to )strike a deal& with yourself9 for e2ample* you can promise
yourself that once you&ve bullet-pointed a brief plan* or written the first
two sentences of the assignment* you&ll let yourself go and do something
else you really want to do. +nce you have the beginnings of a plan* or the
start of the written assignment* it&s much easier to carry on. 4nything
that gets you over that )blank page& feeling will help.
'ou ticked )&. It is generally difficult to feel completely ready before
starting an assignment* but you have a time limit and at some stage you
have to get started. <reak the task down and answer parts you feel
confident about first. Think positively about your ability.
'ou ticked )"&. ;ome people do work better under this condition and
actually en(oy it. Do you really en(oy this approach* or does your
procrastination leave you no choice/ 8emember* the )last minuter& has
little time to reflect on the work they&ve done or edit it.
If you answered )1ever& I suggest you share your secret with your
friends=
If you (ust feel you can&t get organised* then look at ;ection -.> below on
managing your time.
1.+ eflecting,..
The third strategy for achievement refers to your active involvement in your learning and
if you are using at least half of the above strategies then you are well on your way to
being actively engaged in your learning. 3 very important aspect of active learning is
your ability to reflect on your work 6be this University work or e4traCcurricular7.
Eow think about how responsible you feel you are for your own learning, how good you
are at identifying and setting achievable goals and being an active learner. .hich of
these do you think you need to work on most and which are you most happy with(
3ctions C I intend to : 6If you have a personal development planner, you may want to use it.7
F


Skills
Being an Independent Learner
2.!"o# are you Managing your -ime%
This section is essentially a health warning for section - bear in mind that you need to
see your study commitment as a manageable part of your life as a whole.
2.1 Managing the 'ig picture
Time management entails an analysis of the @obs we have to do within a given time
period. To do this effectively we need to plan our activities and in order not to forget we
may create prioritised ;to do< lists. 'owever, time management is more than @ust
identifying tasks and planning how to carry them out. .e also need to make room for our
wider goals in life, relationships, friends and family - we need a balance. Gust planning
and prioritising the tasks we have been given can be rather reactive and in order to
account for all aspects of our life that are important to us, we also need to be proactive
and ensure we work at them too. .e need to make sure we can plan, create and fit in
all things that are important to us. /ur use of time has been characterised across four
5uadrants by 6>ovey, ,errill et al. HH*7.
.uadrant I is where we need to ;manage our time<, actually produce and meet the
challenges set. It is for 5uadrant I that we need to develop strategies and ensure that
we don<t procrastinate in order to keep on top of the tasks demanded of us. If we are
not careful however, we could spend most of our time in 5uadrant I @ust reacting to
pressures. This is where we can easily feel ;stressed out<.
.uadrant II is where we deal with important issues such as planning 6to keep 5uadrant
I in check7, creating new ideas and working towards our goals for both university and life
outside. Ieeping fit, doing e4ercise, broadening our mind, making intellectual leaps in
our studies, charity work, reading, helping friends and family, and developing meaningful
relationships are all part of 5uadrant II. In this 5uadrant we feel empowered. .e need
to spend a good deal of our time here for our own fulfilment.
J
I
>rises
2ressing problems
3ssignment deadlines
2reparations
Lectures, seminars etc
II
2reparation
2revention
>larifying values
2lanning
#elationship building
>reating
III
Interruptions, e.g. phone
calls, some emails
)ome meetings
)ome pressing matters
,any popular activities
IM/O-01-
2G31-
1O-
IM/O-01-
1O- 2G31-
IV
Trivia, busywork
Gunk mail
)ome phone calls
Time wasters
;escape< activities
.uadrant III is where we operate on an urgency basis, with things that are not
important for us. You may find you are reacting to other people<s priorities at the
e4pense of your - try and keep a balance.
.uadrant I4 is where we generally waste our time. .e might slump in front of the
television, read trashy novels etc. .e are all in this 5uadrant from time to time, but try
to limit how much time you spend here. Kery often when you procrastinate you will find
yourself in this 5uadrant.
)top now and think of all the things you are doing in your life at present and try
putting them into a *C5uadrant bo4.
. 'ow balanced are your activities(
". Is there a long list of things to do in 5uadrant I ( 3re you happy about managing
this( If not, see section ".".
$. 'ow developed is 5uadrant II for you ( This is where your life<s goals are, where
you create and reflect on activities. You reCgenerate yourself here.
*. .hat about 5uadrants III and IK( If your activities are predominantly here you
might be faced with others saying that you are irresponsible
?. ;)tand< in each 5uadrant and see how you feel. >an you feel the different 5uality
each of these 5uadrants bring(
A. !o you want to reCbalance your activities, or are you happy with the way things
are(
2.2 Managing lots of things
.e all have to deal with the pressures of life and the demands made upon us. 'owever,
you can take charge of how you allocate your time to all the activities you are involved
in.
)tart by drawing up a timetable of your commitments.
>heck out odd times that could be used for personal study time - giving you time to
reflect on your studies and have a deeper understanding 65uadrant II7.
Be realistic and try to develop a pattern of activities as you eventually @ust go with
the flow of your own timetable. ,aking lots of changes gives you the opportunity to
dither and then not do things.
!on<t forget to timetable in your social events and ;keep fit< times.
3ppro4
,on
Tues .ed Thurs Dri )at )un
H


Skills
Being an Independent Learner
times
A.&&C
J.&&am
)leep )leep )leep )leep )leep )leep )leep
J.&&C
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H.&&C&.&&
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up with
sleep
&.&&C".&&
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&C.&&
)eminar C ".&&
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2aid work >atching
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sleep
".&&C
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2aid work )eeing
friends
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*.&&pm $/O- "C$.&&
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2.3 2sing your time effectively 5 understand ho# you learn
In order to utilise 5uadrant II better, you need to understand yourself and the
environment you are in.
Understanding how you learn is one step. .hat kind of learner are you, how do you
learn best and what aspect of your studies do you prefer( Dor e4ample, you may prefer
to learn through listening, through reading alone, through working with others or through
accessing visual aids. Your motivation towards your studies may also affect the kind of
learner you are.
&
Type of learner
,otivation )trategies
$urface
You are mainly studying to get the
degree
You do what is re5uired of you in
order to complete the task.
You rely on memorising
information for assessments. You
limit your reading to core te4ts.
$trategic
You want to get good grades as
you know you will need them for
later.
You want to get good grades. You
find out what the lecturer wants
and follow up all re5uired reading.
You organise your time efficiently
and to greatest effect. You use
previous e4am papers to predict
5uestions. You have kept a good
set of notes which guide your
studies. You pick on cues about
marking schemes and you are
aware of where you can get the
help you need.
Deep
You are e4cited by learning and
may be interested in taking it
further.
You are e4cited by the topic and
strive to understand it well. You
read widely and see links between
ideas. You can come to your own
conclusions and relate ideas to
your own e4perience. You are an
analytical thinker.

Adapted from Entwistle (1987).
.here does your motivation lie - where would you place yourself on the chart above(
Dind out more about your own learning styles and strategies by looking at the6
Understanding your learning styles Guide.
You need to know how you learn best, the strategies you use and the resources you have
available to help you. )ee Appendi 1 for an e4ample of a set of resources that might be
available to you. 3lter this to suit your own situation. Be smart, use your time effectively
and identify the resources you can use. .hy not pin up 3ppendi4 to remind youL
)tudy skills website at: !ttp"##www.studyskills.soton.a$.uk#
>atherine Gester 0 Learning $tyle $urvey for College, !iablo Kalley >ollege
This is an online 5uestionnaire to see what learning style you have. It looks at:
the Kisual9 Kerbal Learning )tyle, the Kisual9 Eonverbal Learning )tyle, the
Tactile9 Iinesthetic Learning )tyle, the 3uditory9 Kerbal Learning )tyle with
learning strategies for each of these styles.
!ttp"##www.metamat!.$om##multiple#multiple%$!oi$e%&uestions.$gi

Skills
Being an Independent Learner
2.+ -a)ing stoc),
In this guide we have looked at the factors that help you become an independent learner
- a skill that will serve you for life. )ome of the factors you need to develop this are:
Be motivated to study - take responsibility, set reasonable goals, be active and
reflect on your learning
,anage your time effectively and understand how you learn best.
3fter having worked through some of this material and your e4perience of being a
learner what do you think you need to do at this moment to take things forward(
3ctions: I intend to: 6If you have a personal development planner, you may want to use it.7
3.!eflecting on your Learning
'ere we shall look at:
some key 5uestions you can ask yourself to adopt a reflective approach to any
aspect of your learning
some specific types of assignments or activities in which you may be asked to
reflect on your own learning.
using feedback to aid your learning
"
'(et)s
t!ink*'
If you can reflect on what you do at each stage in
your programme of study, and learn from it, you
will make much better progress than if you @ust do
something, forget about it, and then move on to
the ne4t activity.
3.1 "elping you to reflect
)elect scenario and reflect on it+. tick
I got an essay back with lower marks than I was e4pecting, and with comments from my
tutor about my lack of background reading and muddled argument.
3s a group we missed a deadline for our pro@ect plan.
/n my first day at the work placement I felt unclear about what was e4pected of me.
3 seminar presentation I led went much better than I had e4pected and I was surprised
to find that I felt very confident and enthusiastic about my topic.
3dd your own here.
Drom your selection6s7 above consider :
You may be asked to reflect on the skills you are developing during your studies and this
activity may even be part of your assessment.
>onsider the following 5uestions that could help you hone your reflective skills - i.e.
learning how to learn.
$
. 'ow you felt
". .hat you did about it or what you could have done about it
$. 'ow it helped you move on
*. 'ow it didn<t help you move on and why not
?. .hat you learned from the e4perience
. .hat resources 6people or materials7 have you ever drawn on, and
did they meet your needs(
". 'ow have you used feedback given to you by your tutor or your
friends(
$. .hat have you learned about your strengths and weaknesses as a
learner, a researcher or a professional(
*. .hat could you do to learn or act more effectively ne4t time(


Skills
Being an Independent Learner
)ome of the common faults with reflective assignments such as logs and selfCevaluation
reports are:
Being too descriptive and not evaluative enough 6not commenting on the good or
bad things and the ;whys< of the situation7
Eot following up the implications of your own thoughts and comments
Eot reflecting on why you made certain decisions or encountered particular
problems
Eot referring to what you have learned about yourself, your own views and
values, as well as about approaches to the sub@ect.
Eot commenting on what you might do differently ne4t time, and why.
3.2 7ays to record your reflections
In 'igher %ducation, there are many types of assignments and activities designed to
promote your ability to reflect on your own learning. This allows you to benefit
knowingly from your own e4perience. These may include:
#eading and responding to your lecturers< feedback on your assignments
Ieeping a learning log
.riting reflectively as part of an activity such as a pro@ect, group work
assignment, oral presentation, work e4perience or work placement
,aking notes in preparation for a meeting, for e4ample with your personal tutor, a
careers adviser, a mentor or supervisor
Ieeping a /ersonal Development /lanner 62!27, or similar personal file,
designed to give you opportunities to reflect, record and plan your learning and
workCrelated activities appropriately.
Dor the first three types of activity, your lecturer or tutor may give you guidelines about
what is e4pected. ,ake sure that you read these carefully, ask for clarification if you
need it, and refer to the 5uestions in section $. when ;writing reflectively<.
You may be asked to complete a /ersonal Development /lanner 8/D/9 Dile while at
university. %4actly how this document will look depends on your )chool, but you should
be able to:
record the skills you are developing at university
keep a record of your personal details and 5ualifications
keep of record of your studies with marks and comments,
note the skills you are developing from casual employment
record your final grade.
You may wish to keep a record like this even if this is not re5uested by your tutors. If
you do this, you will be able to compile your >K easily and be aware of all the skills you
are learning. This is ideal for the @ob application letter and interview.
3sk the >areers 3dvisory )ervice for advice about this.
3.3 2sing feed'ac) to aid your learning
Deedback is a mechanism that allows you to reflect on your behaviour. .e all learn
through feedback. This can be through learning from fumbling attempts at a new skill,
observing how your behaviour affects others, even if nothing directly is said, through
your friends and family who tell you what they think even if you don<t want to hear it,
through friends at university who you have asked for feedback and from your tutors. 3
great deal of the feedback we receive we process subconsciously. 'owever, if you are to
become a responsible, reflective and independent learner, you need to use consciously
*
"o# do you deal #ith feed'ac) %
the feedback given to you by your tutors so you can create opportunities for
improvement.
,ost students are interested in feedback as well as the grade, but very often don<t 5uite
know how to use the feedback they get.
Deedback from your tutors can come in a many guises:
In #ritten comments on your #or). )ince the number of students in
'igher %ducation is increasingly beyond the number of tutors that are
employed, giving and receiving written comments from your tutor tends to be
the main source of feedback you will receive, so it is important to make the
most of it. These can be free comments in the margin as the work is being
read with or without some summary feedback at the end.
7ritten feed'ac) on a proforma sheet. .here preCdefined categories are
listed with comments under those headings. This feedback allows you to see
over various assignments if you are having a consistent problem and make
you aware of it.
:ace to face feed'ac). .ith the pressures of current 'igher %ducation this
is becoming a rare commodity and if you get the chance of this, then do take
it. You can obtain feedback from your personal tutor 6if this is available to you7
or during your lecturers< office hours. Dind out when a tutor<s office hours are
and book yourself in. 3 tutor may also say they are available for face to face
feedback after an assignment. You may also find you can have some feedback
from research students who may be attached to your unit. !o take these
opportunities if you can.
Generic feed'ac) to the #hole class. Tutors will be able to identify key
issues that came up during an assignment. %ven though this is not tailored to
your assignment, you can gain a great deal of insight into what the tutor is
looking for and why you make generic mistakes.
3mail. You may be able to field a direct 5uestion to your tutor. If you do
this, try and be specific and don<t assume they can remember your essay and
the e4act comment they gave you. )o, conte4tualise your 5uestion and state
clearly what you want information on. !on<t overdo this option as your tutors
could be getting hundreds of emails per dayL
/ur ability to respond effectively to feedback needs to be developed and once developed
it is a skill to be nurtured, both for giving and receiving feedback. 'ow do you feel about
receiving feedback(
Use: M generally me " M sometimes me $ M generally not me.
Take some time to think about how you generally react to feedback and @ot something
down. It may be good to come back to this in a year<s time and see if it is different.
?


Skills
Being an Independent Learner
)tatement 3nd you (
," or $
'ow do you generally react to
feedback (
3.
I get marked down a lot, even
though I think I am doing a good
@ob.
.
B.
I get marked down a lot and I
know I have problems, but I don<t
know how to improve.
>.
I tend to get good marks, but I
don<t know why.
!.
I tend to get good marks and I
know how I manage to do it.
Deedback for the area6s7 that applies to you generally 67+.
If you selected 4 you may find you have problems receiving feedback as you
feel that what you do is fine. %hen you receive feedback* try not to be
defensive about it* (ust listen or read the comments and try to stand back and
digest what is being said. Try to imagine in the beginning it is not your work
that is being discussed. Take on board the feedback* accept some and re(ect
other comments. Try to establish an action plan where you can put the
feedback you have accepted into practice.
If you selected < you may find you get disheartened by the feedback you get.
'ou may feel mortified if it is only critical 3 you really need feedback to be
constructive. 'ou also need the feedback to be precise enough so you can do
something with it. ?ague critical comments (ust make you feel worse. If you
are e2periencing this* discuss the feedback you are getting with your tutor
and he or she will be able to help you.
If you selected . you are obviously doing very well and sailing through* but are
you getting the most out of your studies/ 'ou may not be challenged enough
and you may not know e2actly how to improve. It may be worth finding out
from your tutor what makes your work good so you can transfer these skills to
a different task and also ask how your tutor thinks you could improve. If your
tutor is giving you this precise feedback* then do use it.
If you selected D you are obviously doing very well and you know why. This is
the ideal combination. This means you know what works and can work on it to
improvements. 'ou are using the feedback you get to your advantage. If some
of your feedback falls short of the mark* you know how to 0uestion your tutor
for more precise comments.
A
Eow look at some tutor feedback comments. 3re you able to use these comments -
what could you get out of them( If you find them useless, can you identify why and
what you need to make them effective - your tutor may be interested to know how you
perceived his9her feedback.
'ow do you use tutors comments
%4ample comments from tutor
feedback
.hat points could you take
from this comment(
6you may enter ;none<7
If you needed more
information, what would it be(
/O$I-I43 $-0-3M31-$
It is easy to read
I like the theoretical discussion
%4cellent use of sources and good
referencing
2lenty of evidence for and against
with criti5ue
3 good essay
13G0-I43 $-0-3M31-$
You could improve the linking
between sections and include
criti5ue in conclusions.
Your work is unstructured.
.eak conclusions
Ieep to the point
F


Skills
Being an Independent Learner
Eow identify the type of feedback that best suits your learning - this will help you
articulate what you want from feedback. /nce you know this you should be able to
identify feedback comments that allow you to think of ways of changing your current
work. Drom each feedback you get, make a notes of things you need to work on. 3lso,
once you become proficient at knowing what feedback suits you and how you can use it,
you become an e4cellent ;feedback giver< - see the Guide6 7or)ing in Groups, section
$.". ;'elping a friend - coaching<.
I learn from feedback that is+.. I don<t learn from feedback that is..
!o take advantage of any piece of work your tutor suggests you do, even if it is not
formally assessed. This is your chance to get feedback and see how you are doing.
!on<t let it slip away.
+.!Over to (ou,
Being a true learner can be a rewarding and frustrating e4perience. In order to truly
learn you will probably go through a very uneasy stage of not understanding, feeling
inade5uate, frustrated and overwhelmed. This is usually a sign that you are learning -
although you don<t want these negative feelings to go too far, so you need to develop
strategies to get through this. To do this you need to:
J
<e motivated
set modest goals that
you can achieve
manage your time
effectively
reflect on what you
learn.
You will then e4perience that buBB of learning something new - it will be worth it. 3ll this
makes you a responsible and independent learner - a set of skills that will remain with
you for life.
Drom the activities in this guide, what does your ;independent learner< profile look like(
No back and collect your answers. Eow draw a mind map, or make notes on the key
issues that are pertinent to you and that you will address this semester. .ould you
regard yourself as an independent learner( If not, how can you achieve this(
eferences
%ntwistle, E. 6HJF7. 3 model of the teachingClearning process. In G. T. %. #ichardson, ,.
.. %ysenck, and !. .arren 2iper 6%ds7, Student (earning" +esear$! in Edu$ation and
,ogniti-e .sy$!ology 6pp. $C"J7. ,ilton Ieynes: )#'%8 /pen University 2ress.
>ovey, )., #., #. ,errill, 3., et al. 6HH*7. Dirst Things Dirst: >oping with the everC
decreasing demands of the workplace.
H
3n independent
learner is+.
:eed'ac)
Utilise feedback from all sources9
non-assessed # assessed work* and
peers - enables reflection of own
abilities and how to progress.
Learning Outcomes
<e aware what this means for
your study! @how is your learning
progressing towards these
outcomes! @where can you get
help! @ what do you need to
improve on/ @8eflect on gaining
competence at key skills and
intellectual skills.
$tudy $)ills
;kills to empower your own 0uality of
learning. 4void plagiarism. .heck out9
http://www.academic-skills.soton.ac.uk
esearch $)ills
'ou&ll need basic research skills for
essays and more comple2 ones for 3
rd

year pro(ects. Ansure you have
information management skills*
understand research methodology and
information handling skills.
.heck out9
http://www.library.soton.ac.uk/infoskills/
index.shtml
$elf ; /eer 0ssessment
4ssess your own and a friend&s work to
develop your ability to reflect on the
0uality of ownBpeer work and application
of criteria. 4void collusion.
-eaching Methods
Understand the importance of9 @engaging
in class activities 5develops your critical
thinking6* @preparing for class activities
5makes the session worthwhile for all6*
@group work* @individual pro(ects*
@leading discussions* @on line seminars.
Ground ules
If you are working in a group make
sure you set ground rules that
encourage responsibility within
the group to contribute fairly to
the work.
Managing your o#n Learning
This is a vital key skill so get
organised. :ake a record sheet for
class work* assignments and group
meetings for pro(ects and devise a
working plan.
Learning esources
.heck out all resources available to you9
@ support materials 5%eb/6
@ library 5key te2ts* ref material etc6
@ 0uiet work spaces
@ C.s 5I;;* your ;chool/6
@ computer based training
@ staff and friends.
Taking responsibility for managing your own
learning.
Computer $)ills
Assential skills for all work9 .heck
out the induction zone at9
http://www.iss.soton.ac.uk/i-zone/
first_steps.html
0ppendi< 1
"