PROMOTING LEARNING AUTONOMY: HELPING STUDENTS BECOME INDEPENDENT LEARNERS

After twelve years of schooling, many students still do not have mature and efficient strategies necessary for independent learning. In an effort to address this problem, most postsecondary institutions are offering courses in basic skills such as reading, study skills, and writing. A search of the professional literature on studying and learning reveals the following reasons for students failing to apply independent learning strategies: lack of instruction, blind training in applying strategies, weak metacognitive strategies, and resistance to changing existing behavior patterns. Students can become independent learners when they overcome these obstacles