A collection of essays examines ways in which teachers in higher education can enable students to become more autonomous in their learning: that is, how students can learn without the constant presence or intervention of a teacher. The introduction by David Boud discusses the trend in education towards a more autonomous learner, and provides an…

A sample of 72 nuclear power plant operators in requalification training at a southeastern nuclear power facility was studied to investigate the role of trainees' perceptions of their self-regulatory activities in explaining achievement in an industrial training setting. Respondents completed the Self-Regulatory Activities Survey, which was a…

This document contains four papers from a symposium on adult learning in the workplace. The first paper, "Measuring Critical Thinking: Is There a Single Instrument?" (Patricia K. Leitsch, Carol A. Lentz), examines two issues: the relationship between tests measuring critical thinking and those measuring readiness for self-directed…

THIS REPORT IS A DOCUMENTATION OF THE EFFORTS OF THE STAFF OF THE ASPEN ELEMENTARY SCHOOL, ASPEN, COLORADO, TO INDIVIDUALIZE THE INSTRUCTIONAL PROGRAM IN GRADES K-6. INVOLVED IN THIS WERE APPROXIMATELY 450 STUDENTS AND A STAFF OF 13 TEACHERS. THE INDIVIDUALIZATION OF INSTRUCTION WAS ACCOMPLISHED THROUGH THE MODIFICATION OF THE TEACHING-LEARNING…

Czech novels and short stories dealing with life in the 19th century were reviewed for information about how adults in rural areas of Czechoslovakia learned and the topics that interested them. The literature review confirmed that adults living in rural areas of Czechoslovakia in the 19th century generally had a great desire for education,…

A report on how individual students respond to a course in plant anatomy using self-instruction and group interaction is presented. Learning profiles are described. Assessment tests measured performance in four capacities: recall of knowledge, comprehension, application and short-chain problem solving. (Author/MLW)

The University of the Orange Free State (South Africa) is testing effectiveness of group work with tutors as part of independent study modules. The method is based on an experiential learning cycle including pre- and post-testing, self-evaluation, reflective observation, active experimentation. Early indications are that most deficiencies of…

Self-directed learning is more appropriate than teacher-directed learning for adult students in colleges and universities. In a self-directed learning environment, students collaborate with the teacher in determining the skills to be learned in the course and form teams needed to carry out work to learn the skills. One learner-oriented model is…

Data from 211 adult students (ages 20 to 75) at the Open University, The Netherlands, were used to construct and test an instrument to measure learning styles and regulation processes. Test development was guided by a three-tiered model of self-regulation encompassing: (1) cognitive learning processes (deep, surface, elaborative); (2) regulation…

Presents results of a survey of 37 university-level content reading specialists in which the specialists listed teaching practices that content teachers could incorporate into their teaching to help students learn from texts. Recommends: (1) using multiple texts; (2) using study guides; (3) teaching metacognitive strategies; and (4) direct…

Adults may seek out learning at different times in their lives, for different reasons, and for vastly different purposes. Some of the reasons are to achieve pre-determined goals; to fill education gaps; to explore options and make choices; to develop personally; to perform a job or role better; or to enhance employment prospects. Learning itself…

The determinants of self-directed learning (SDL) among professionals of high attainment were examined through open-ended, semidirected interviews with a purposeful sample of eight professional men and women who have acquired identifiable, high-level professional knowledge/skills typically taught in postsecondary learning institutions without ever…

Discusses the impact of computer networking on foreign language teaching and focuses on the competing claims made regarding the value of network-based language learning activity. A description of how internet-based activities operate in the classroom is included. (24 references) (Author/CK)

The following papers are presented in this book: "Self-Directed Learning: Consensus and Conflict" (Long); "Challenges in the Study and Practice of Self-Directed Learning" (Long); "A Conceptual Model of Autodidactism" (Tremblay, Theil); "Functional and Dysfunctional Uses of Self-Directedness in Adult…

The intent of this book is to provide the framework for educational experiences designed to develop creativity, self-reliance, and a sense of independence in the students' approach to learning. It is comprised of eight units on a variety of themes. Each unit stresses the use of thinking processes, such as creativity and problem solving. Emphasis…