SCHOOLS should be a Centre to Teach Self-Directed Learning Skills
Learners need to acquire Self-Directed Learning Skills in order to continue their lifelong learning in school or outside of school. These skills can be acquired by the individual at any time in his life. However, it will take time for individuals to acquire Self-Directed Learning Skills with their own efforts and without expert support, and they will face failures in the acquisition of these skills. Due to the problems, they encounter in the Self-Directed learning process, many individuals’ motivation to learn will decrease. For this reason, it would be more appropriate to be responsible for the acquisition of Self-Directed Learning Skills , together with schools that are defined as learning-teaching centers and teachers who are specialized in learning-teaching.
It will be ensured that students become lifelong learners with the acquisition of Self-Directed Learning Skills, especially in the primary school period when deliberate learning is very intense. Because, teachers who are assumed to be experts in learning-teaching at schools will be able to easily teach Self-Directed Learning Skills to students during the teaching of their lessons. If schools and educators claim that we teach, then they must be responsible for providing students with learning skills. Because future education systems must successfully perform the following three functions. These functions are envisaged in the curriculum;
- To gain knowledge, skills and affective
- To gain daily life skills
- To gain self-directed learning skills
However, educational scientists, decision makers, experts, policy makers, universities and the public opinion should be aware of this function in order to acquire Self-Directed Learning Skills, which are defined as the third function of the education system. School and education personnel should be supported in order to understand and implement the third function of education.
In my opinion, if schools work like a center that teaches Self-Directed Learning Skills or if they can turn into a Self-Directed Learning Skills Center, most of the learning problems of education systems and individuals will disappear. This requires a serious change in understanding and approach to the education system. Young people and children are already ready for these changes. Those who are not ready for the envisaged change seem to be adults, those who play a role and are responsible for running the education system …