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Caution - Learner Drivers (Page 1 of 2) |
Testing Times
Like many of his generation, my father was taught to drive by the Armed Forces during the war. Afterwards, even though he could not afford a car; he kept his licence up to date.
So, fifteen years later, when he could afford one, he was able to drive without having to pass another test.
At least on paper. But, sensible man that he was, he took a few more driving lessons just to polish up his skills, before returning to the roads.
Learning routes
A simple anecdote. Yet much learning is like this. It is goal oriented; most people learn for a reason. It may be just the fun of finding out; more usually it is to acquire a particular skill.
You may need to demonstrate that learning has been accomplished to an employer or other authority. So an assessment and qualification-awarding process is required - a test and a licence. And skills may have a finite shelf life; qualifications may need maintaining or renewing to ensure continued competence.
Behind the driving seat
But it also illustrates another, less-well recognised aspect of learning: that learners are the best people to assess their needs and manage their own learning processes.
That's one reason why learner agreements are important; setting down at the start of a course not just who will do what and when, but what the hoped-for outcome will be, and who takes responsibility for what.
Back-seat learners
Most of us emerge from a school culture still dominated by serried ranks of passive pupils. The idea that we can, and should, take responsibility for our own learning can seem at best unfamiliar. Education still equals teaching in the minds of many.
Old attitudes die hard. Yet schools are changing, as Margaret argues in her article. And there is a growing understanding of the importance of learner-driven learning, within all areas of education, even schools.
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Promoting Quality in Open and Distance Learning
