Independent+Learning

Three conceptual aspects:

1. Process: not solitary, but autonomous, choice and control (individualised?) Appropriate universally (i.e for learning times table). Research is more about process. Peer reviewed assessments?

2. Outcomes: your opinion, based on individual experience background etc. Characteristics: It is integrated with a broader, personal, system of belief. How does it differ from an uninformed opinion? 2.1. it is informed 2.2. it can be defended rationally 2.3. it can be aware of its biases and underlying assumptions 2.4. it draws on more than superficial knowledge??? 2.5. Not a mechanical deductive process

How is it distinguished from critical thinking, or this is an aspect of this? Can you have critical thinking without independent learning?

Not universal (i.e not appropriate for times table?): Dependent on an accepted/fixed understanding/outcome. Dependent outcomes can be easily measured, the problem is measuring independent outcomes. Political issues arise here, educator may say an independent outcome is desired, but really a fixed outcome is expected (chameleon). Where you expect to find examples of indepent outcomes: Research is one in terms of hypothesis setting and experimental design. Historical interpretations? Economics - Keen vs Neoclassical,

3 Content, curriculum and expertise (links to process).

Practical considerations:

1. How do you measure/assess?

2. How do you foster/encourage?

3. How to maintain course independence of instructor idealogy/beliefs

NOT:

What people are doing in credentialling education market - this is the antithesis it assumes you know stuff and need to prove it to someone else, and also invites ideological bias in assessments as well as subjective judgements and lack of sympathy with other points of view/perspectives etc.