Learner autonomy is when students take control and responsibility for their own learning, both in terms of what they learn and how they learn it.

It means learners have to invest the time, energy and focus to develop understanding. They have to define the purpose of their learning and determine how they will wield it in their relationships with themselves and the world. They have to struggle with and overcome the obstacles to learning that exist within themselves and are imposed by society.

Every learner needs support. Learning is fundamentally a social process. We need the emotional and intellectual support of others to help us overcome the barriers that prevent or limit learning. This is where educators come in. Whether a teacher or relative or friend, educators are responsible to support others in their learning.

Learning success is always the result of the work of the learner. The role of the educator is to help create a space, community, and process that supports the learner’s particular needs.

As a student, you can be autonomous, dynamic, and have the potential to learn far more than a passive, reactive learner. If you are self-reliant, you can address your own individual needs and make ongoing progress.

Autonomy involves students having a range of learning strategies which they are able to apply flexibly in different contexts.

Amazing things can happen when we step into the driver’s seat in our lives:

• We gain wisdom through experience.
• We gain confidence.
• We feel more comfortable with our present AND our future.
• We become leaders.

Share your ideas with us on Saturday

Are you taking the driver’s sit in your learning process?

What will you do differently?