The importance of independent learning

Independent learning, also known as ‘self-directed learning’ or ‘autonomous learning’, is vital for academic success and employability. Dr Graham Gardner, Librarian and EPQ coordinator at Abingdon, discusses the importance of independent learning for young people, how it can help prepare them for life beyond school and how the library supports it.

What is independent learning?

For me, independent learning happens when a student purposefully takes key aspects of the learning process into their own hands. Self-motivation and self-organisation are examples of independent learning, as is a willingness to experiment, break out of a comfort zone and risk failure. A fully independent learner formulates appropriate questions about a topic or issue of interest; investigates that issue systematically, utilising appropriate resources and methods; reaches conclusions underpinned by sound reasoning and evidence; and communicates their findings effectively to an appropriate audience. Independent learners will also practise ‘metacognition’: reviewing and reflecting on their own planning, problem-solving techniques, wider approaches to learning and their own academic performance, in order to self-evaluate and implement changes where appropriate.

Equally, however, independent learning does not mean working alone and with no help; it includes working collaboratively with peers and seeking out appropriate sources of support and advice.

Why is it important?

Independent learning is associated with a range of benefits, ranging from higher academic performance to greater self-confidence, creativity, flexibility, resilience and awareness of core strengths and important limitations. All of these benefits help students realise their potential, whether that’s in an exam, a job, or a relationship; forge their own path in life; and contribute effectively to the society and communities of which they are part.

From a more expansive perspective, independent learning is vital for enabling our students to thrive in a future that cannot be known in advance. As an ideal, education is not simply about the transfer of factual information from one person to another; it is about empowering students to make sense of the world, to think critically and creatively, to adopt different perspectives, to solve problems, to behave ethically and to collaborate in the service of shared goals. This empowerment requires independent learning. Dutifully memorising facts and waiting for directions is not enough.

Where does teaching fit into all of this?

Some educationalists confuse independent learning with minimal guidance and support from teachers. There is a substantial body of evidence to counter this view, and it’s certainly not the approach we take at Abingdon. I am not suggesting for a moment that young people do not need substantial direction from the adults in their lives, nor that teachers should not be imparting important knowledge. Core subject knowledge, taught explicitly, is the foundation of effective education.

Equally, however, our teachers want their students to become independent learners, and do everything they can to realise this goal. Consequently, they work to help students think for themselves, by challenging preconceptions, introducing key concepts, demonstrating the relationship between school subjects and the world beyond school; by encouraging students to ask questions and further their knowledge; and by helping them develop strategies and skills that will help them reflect on how to plan, monitor and evaluate their own learning. As part of a school-wide emphasis on metacognition, which has been the focus of extensive research and development through work led by Ronnie Reading, Deputy Head, Educational Development, teachers at Abingdon also ensure that students practise the 4Rs when receiving feedback on their work:

• Review the feedback to ensure identification of strengths and areas for development
• Reflect on the feedback to clarify effective and less effective approaches to learning
• Respond to the feedback to confirm appropriate strategies for future learning tasks
• Remember what has been learned in order to ensure that self-knowledge is activated in the future

For independent learners, the 4Rs and other aspects of metacognition are enacted routinely and automatically. To help students reach this stage, Abingdon teachers make metacognition a conscious, deliberate and explicit process.

How does the library support independent learning?

Abingdon School Library encourages and facilitates independent learning in a number of ways.

First, the library offers a learning space that enables students to work in the ways that best suit them and the task in which they are engaged. When most people think of a library, they instinctively think of books, but the library at Abingdon was designed first and foremost with students in mind. Consequently, it does not, like many school libraries, insist that all students study in silence. Rather, it is divided into distinct learning zones, ranging from clusters of small circular tables for collaborative learning to a silent study room in which students can readily enter a state of deep concentration. This, combined with seating for more than 180 students, enables it to accommodate a diverse range of learning activities simultaneously, allowing students to choose the approach which is most effective for them.

The library also enables students to choose from a wide range of learning resources. That includes books – close to 20,000 at the last count – but also a wide range of high quality digital resources that aren’t available on the open internet. These range from the online encyclopaedia Britannica to a curated collection of more than 1 million images, to primary sources for history and science, to thousands of academic journals and books on JSTOR. Access to high quality information resources is integral to the development of independent learning, and I am continuously reviewing, revising and updating the library’s provision.

Students can take advantage of numerous charging points throughout the library, as well as the high speed colour printer, which helps them make the most of their laptop or tablet. If a student forgets their own device or it’s temporarily out of action, the library will lend them a Chromebook. Those who need or prefer to work on paper are not neglected: the library also offers stationery essentials.

Last but not least, students in the library can seek the help of the librarian (me) and assistant librarians; between us, we can successfully field almost any enquiry, from ‘how do I print?’ to ‘do you have a book recommendation?’ to ‘can you show me how to format references for my history essay?’ to ‘where can I find peer-reviewed articles?’ Whatever advice and support a student is seeking, the chances are that the library can help.

As the librarian, I work proactively to help students take charge of their own learning. In Lower School, this help comes most obviously in the form of fortnightly lessons in ‘reading and research’. The aim of the lessons is to encourage and facilitate ‘information literacy’: the capacity to think critically about the information we encounter, whether that’s an article in New Scientist or a news story on TikTok; to identify when information is needed; to find appropriate information; and to make the most of it.

Lessons start with the basics: showing students how to browse and search online platforms such as Britannica, which offer a wealth of high-quality content. Students then consider a range of issues around information literacy, ranging from how Google ranks the results of searches to the challenges represented by ‘cognitive bias’. The more students can think critically about the information sources they engage with, the more skilled they are in finding relevant and credible sources that serve their needs, and the more able they are to use information for their own purposes, the greater their capability to direct their own learning effectively.

For older students, my teaching supports independent project work. This includes the A Level Geography NEA, the A Level History essay, entries for external essay competitions and the EPQ (Extended Project Qualification). For the Geography NEA, drawing on my background as an academic researcher, I introduce students to the potential methods they can use to collect and analyse their own data for a project. For History, I show students how to access and make the most of secondary and primary sources for their essay.

The EPQ, which I coordinate, is a great way for older students to develop and demonstrate their capacity for independent learning. Students propose, plan and realise their own project, which will involve either answering a question or constructing an ‘artefact’. Students enjoy a lot of freedom – at Abingdon, projects have ranged from an analysis of the Soviet Gulags to the construction and testing of a surfboard – and success rests heavily on genuine curiosity and a high degree of self-organisation and tenacity. My role is to help students develop the skills they need, such as for planning their project, finding appropriate resources and writing their research report. These are skills which will serve them well at university and beyond – where independent learning will come into its own.