A LEARNER INDEPENDENCE
Some Quotes

Student quotes:

· Independent learning is boring.

· It makes the subjects difficult to understand.

· The teacher just gives us sheets to do.

· We need to discuss topics, not just read about them.

· But I want my teacher to correct my mistakes while I'm working.

· I prefer working with other students in groups.

· I don't want to do the teacher's job. It's her job to make the choices and teach me what I need to know.

· I like independent learning. The teacher never knows if I've done the work, so I get good grades without working hard.

Teacher quotes:

· I like that phrase "foster independent learning". For "foster independent learning" read "get the lazy *!@#$% to do some work for a change". For "peer correction" read "I'm not carting that load of marking home on a weekend".

· But where do I stand? What's my role?

· It's a nice idea, but it never works because all institutions and programmes have restraints which prohibit true independent learning.