SDL and Its Impact in the Secondary School Environment

Robert C. DonaghyBradley County Schools, Cleveland, TN

and

Peter L. Zsiga St. Lucie Schools, St. Lucie, FL

Who should be interested in SDL in Secondary Education?current secondary educators administratorsthose who are preparing students to enter the fieldthose who are planning to enter the teaching profession.

the applicability for SDL for adolescent learners, how the adolescent can be self-directed in

learning becoming self-directed in adult life

what tools and techniques promote and advance the self-directed learning in students, and how the secondary school teacher uses SDL in

teaching strategies and professional development

Stimulate Interest in

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educational reform Race to the Top model schoolsstudent-centered learning…….

challenging times ever increasing standardized testing

SDL in a secondary school must help accomplish these goals and work most of the time for all learners

Moving students along a progression of increasing independence and self-direction in learning. High stakes standardized tests designed to measure critical thinking and other key components of the self-directed learner. SDL is also a helpful paradigm in the professional development of secondary teachers and for academically strong students in this same context

Bridging the gap between research and the practice of teaching

Ambrose et al. (2010) suggest learning is not something teachers do to students, it is something students do themselves.

Learners must be self-directed. (Garrison, 1997; Kicken Brand-Gruwel and van Merrienboer, 2009; Kuan, 2007).

The connection is made through metacognition, (Garrison, 1997; Kostons, 2010; Sungar and Tekkaya, 2006) wherein the same skill set is necessary for SDL. Ambrose et al. (2010)

Brockett (2009): study SDL through “many lenses” Gibbons (2002): the adolescent’s teacher must move slowly from a teacher-directed setting to an environment of SDL… also Brookfield, in Donaghy’s (2005) (Kicken, 2009, Knowles, 1975; Kuan, 207).

Pant (2010) provides us with contemporary examples, which consider smart phone Apps, Androids, and iPhones.

Deci and Ryan (2000) Motivation and self directedness are frequently linked, particularly in the goal setting and execution processes (Garrison, 1997; Kicken, 2009; Sungar and Tekkaya, 2006).

ScaffoldingSelf-management of learning in an educational context is primarily a collaborative experience” (Garrison, 1997)

Learners increase in skills, knowledge,competency, and confidenceuntil they are able to grasp the concept at high levels of comprehensionin the context presented (Dabbagh and Kitsantas, 2005; Lajoie, 2005; Young, 1993 Brookfield, in an interview by Donaghy (2005),

Scaffolding tools

Portfolios record and demonstrate learning milestones and activities useful to scaffold both academic achievement and SDL skills

Problem-based learning approach to real world situations from an inquiry perspective Scenarios may involve the entire school in a full day learning exercise

Self-assessmenta key element in self-directiondifficulty for novices may explain why self-regulated learning is often ineffective for novice learners (Kostons, 2010 )

S student self-assessment forms adapted from Wavra can facilitate teacher or student produced learning targets.

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Self-reflection sheet

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SDL plays a critical role in the learning process of the teacher and administrator

Professional development activities require a self-directed approachcontinuing education teacher licensing examinationsplanning new strategieslearning a new skilllearning a new skill requiring technology