IMAGINE IF
Students regularly lose track of time in class because they are so absorbed by researching their interests.
Students are excited to be back in class every Monday, working with their friends on learning they can’t stop talking about.
The lines between in- and out-of-school learning have no distinctions where students develop their passions.
What is Student Self-Determined Learning?
Self-determined learning (SDL) refers to learning that is initiated, planned, organized, and/or evaluated by students, based upon their individual interests/strengths. This approach allows students to inform the what, why, how, when, where, and/or with whom learning happens.
Move From Constraints to Possibilities
Today’s students have little say in their learning at most schools.
Do these other-determined limits sound familiar?
Tight schedules
Rule-bound student handbooks
Standardized assessments
Graduation requirements
Age-set class levels
Curriculum standards
Why SDL Matters
Student engagement requires a reasonable level of student autonomy over WHAT and HOW they learn. Such autonomy influences students’ mindsets, motivation, and engagement, which ultimately impacts their overall mental health and well-being.
Research shows that context and environment matter, and that they directly influence psychology. When we lighten up on constraints – by giving students more autonomy – we move toward possibilities.
