#learner-led

Recently, my Polish girlfriend asked her eight-year-old niece to teach me a few words in their language. The little girl, having introduced me to the number and the colours, began thinking about what should come next and followed with fruit and animals and after some more thinking forms of politeness (please, thank you etc.)

The principles of autonomous learning are that students should be given an input into the objectives, content and assessment of their learning, but it’s short-coming is that in order for this to be productive, learners need training in the skills and knowledge that will enable them to direct and regulate their own learning. Learners are often resistant to this, as they don't feel able to decide and they see it as properly the job of the teacher to make those decisions for them. There has also been a parallel movement in education towards collaborative learning and peer-mentoring, as the basis of what is variously termed problem-based or inquiry/enquiry based learning.

Taking some inspiration from Seneca the Younger, who says, in his Moral Letters to Lucilius, "Docendo discimus" (by teaching, we learn), I can see that there is a potential to combine both of of the trends mentioned above by involving students in the learning of others. This would make them aware to the processes involved and equip them to better regulate and direct their own learning. I'd be interested to hear any thoughts on how it could be made to work.