The importance of autonomous learning

The importance of autonomous learning.  -- Autonomous learning has been emphasized by educators and theorists since the early 1970s.  The role of autonomous learning in higher education also plays an increasingly important role in the educational reforms currently taking place around the globe. According to Della Fazey and John Fazey  (2001),  “The  capacity  to  think,  learn  and  behave  autonomously  is  often  claimed  as  an outcome for students in higher education” (Crome, et al., 2009, p. 111).

In A Handbook for Teaching and Learning in Higher Education: Enhancing Academic Practice, Fry, et al. (2003) state that the autonomy (of student learning) that “commonly refers to students taking more responsibility for and control of themselves and their learning, including being less spoon-fed.  [It] may also include elements of students taking more responsibility for determining and directing the content of their learning” (p. 433). As Fry, et al. stated, “If the learner is to take increasing  responsibility  for  progress  and  the  teacher  aims  to  facilitate,  not  control …  then autonomous  learning  becomes  crucial”  (p.  331).  Here,  they  explain  the  relationship  between teachers  and  students  in  the  learning  process.  The  teacher’s  role  becomes  slightly  changed; teaching and learning should not always be controlled by the teacher, but should guide and help students to learn by themselves. That might lead to a more effective and deeper understanding of learning.

Keith Crome, Ruth  Farrar,  and  Patrick O'Connor  (2009)  defined  autonomous  learning  as,  “A habit of mind, expressed through a range of activities and skills, acquired and developed through practice … From this perspective, autonomous  learning becomes the habitual exercise of skills, developed  and  perfected  through  continuous  practice,  which  comes  to  be  second  nature”  (p. 121). Once students own this kind of thinking, they will have the ability to learn by themselves; this ability will become second nature, not to mention a good habit. Students will become more motivated to  think and work  independently. Moreover,  they will know what  they need and will engender their independent thoughts, as well; more focus will be on one’s own learning. 

This  investigation  argues  for  the  importance  of  autonomous  learning  being  increasingly promoted,  especially  for  the  21st  century  learners  who  need  to  have  this  ability  to  reach  the standard of  the changing world. We all hope  that students can  take more  responsibility  in  their own learning for the sake of making teaching and learning more effective.

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Exploring autonomous learning strategies within contemporary dance technique class at
the South China Normal University
Yan Liu 
South China Normal University 
email: liuyan_1226@126.com