Self-Directed Learning Skills Training for Primary School Students and Teachers
As explained in the previous blog post, SDLPSS (Self-Directed Learning Preparation Skills Scale) and SDLISS (Self-Directed Learning Implementation Skills Scale) are applied and students are given the necessary training, SDL skills will be improved. Different approaches can be applied to determine the SDL skill level of students and to teach SDL skills to teachers and students in classrooms, schools or outside of school. These approaches are shown in the Figure.
Figure: The approaches of applications of SDL Skills Scales to students and
to gaining SDL Skills
In the first approach; It is essential that the tasks of applying the scale to students, calculating the obtained scale scores and preparing lesson plans for teachers are done by the researchers who developed the scale. Both scales should only be applied and evaluated by researchers who are experts in this field. After the experts have applied and evaluated this scale, if there are deficiencies in the students’ skills related to the scales, then they will be responsible for designing and implementing the education programs that will eliminate these deficiencies of the students. In the first approach, all the responsibility will be on the experts and the teachers will only implement the plans prepared by the experts. Teachers can make minor updates on the plans prepared by experts according to the learning environment, environmental conditions, needs of institutions and individuals. In the first approach, experts are responsible for improving the SDL Skills performance of teachers and students by advising teachers throughout the whole process. In this approach, the planning of the whole lesson belongs to the experts and the teachers are only the implementers of the ready plans.
In the second approach, teachers are responsible for applying the SDL Skills Scales to students, calculating the obtained scale scores and preparing lesson plans. However, it is necessary to gain competence for teachers to be able to carry out studies on SDL Scales and SDL acquisition by teachers. In order for teachers to perform these tasks related to SDL Skills, they must first receive training from experts. Teachers who have completed their training do practical work with experts for a certain period of time while performing all the tasks they need to do to improve their students’ SDL skills. In the process of working with experts, teachers gain experience in teaching SDL Skills and determining skill levels. At the end of the training process, teachers reach the competence to do the tasks related to SDL themselves.
The third approach does not have a predetermined or prescribed format. The 1st and 2nd approaches can be applied in different ways, depending on the interviews with the institutions and the need revealed.
