Independent Study

As the name suggests independent learning is learning that you do by yourself. This normally means without help from a teacher or from other adults such as parents. It can take place in school or at home. It is important because it means you do not have to depend on other people and so pupils can make more progress whatever year they are in. For the students here, it is also important when they finish at school because employers and universities look for independent learners. They know that independent learners are people who can cope with changing circumstances and make the most of the opportunities that arise.

There are six skills you need to be an effective learner. They are

• Exploration and investigation
• Problem solving and creative thinking
• Presentation and communication
• Leadership and teamwork
• Evaluation and self-reflection
• Determination and resilience

Find out more about these skills here [PDF document 845kB]

There are three different types of learner:

• Auditory - you learn by listening
• Visual - you learn by listening
• Kinaesthetic - you learn by doing

To become an independent learner you need to know which your preferred learning style is and be prepared to try different approaches.

Do you take care of your brain?
Your brain is a living thing. It needs to be looked after if it is to learn properly. It needs the right amount of food and water, it needs plenty of rest and it needs exercise. If any of these things is missing you can't expect to become an effective and independent learner.

Find out more about how your brain works and how to look after it here [PDF document 26kB]

Sometimes we just look at things in one way. De Bono's thinking hats can help you look at things from lots of different perspectives. Its like putting on a different hat each time you look at a problem. If you are used to looking at something from just one point of view learn more about thinking hats here.

• White - you concentrate on facts and information
• Red - you concentrate on feelings and emotions
• Black - you concentrate on the negative things
• Yellow - you concentrate on the positive things
• Green - you concentrate on alternative approaches to the problem
• Blue - you concentrate on the bigger picture

Any body can wear any of these hats at any time. You can even change hats. Learning to look at things from different points of view is an important skill and one that can broaden your understanding.

There are lots of skills that can be used to help retrieve  record and remember information.   Independent learners are comfortable using a range of these.  The most important skills are

Skimming is done at a speed three to four times faster than normal reading. People often skim when they have lots of material to read in a limited amount of time. Use skimming when you want to see if an article may be of interest in your research. There are many strategies that can be used when skimming. Some people read the first and last paragraphs using headings, summarizes and other organizers as they move down the page or screen. You might read the title, subtitles, subheading, and illustrations. Consider reading the first sentence of each paragraph. This technique is useful when you're seeking specific information rather than reading for comprehension. Skimming works well to find dates, names, and places. It might be used to review graphs, tables, and charts.

Scanning is a technique you often use when looking up a word in the telephone book or dictionary. You search for key words or ideas. In most cases, you know what you're looking for, so you're concentrating on finding a particular answer. Scanning involves moving your eyes quickly down the page seeking specific words and phrases. Scanning is also used when you first find a resource to determine whether it will answer your questions. Once you've scanned the document, you might go back and skim it.  When scanning, look for the author's use of organizers such as numbers, letters, steps, or the words, first, second, or next. Look for words that are bold faced, italics, or in a different font size, style, or color. Sometimes the author will put key ideas in the margin.

A mind map is a diagram that shows how ideas are linked together.  It starts in the middle with the key concept being recorded.  You then break this down into 5 or 6 sub-concepts, each one leading off from the centre on a separate spur.  Each sub-concept can in turn be broken down.  In this way you move from the centre of the page towards the outside with the points becoming more specific as you go.  Separate spurs can be marked in different colours and pictures added to make it more visual.  There are many mind-mapping packages that you can use to help you.  The best one is Inspiration 7.

Mnemonics are useful when you have to remember a number of things and the order is important. Try to make a sentence where each word starts with the same letter as the thing you need to remember. A simple example is Richard of York gave battle in vain. R = red, o = orange, y = yellow, b = blue, i = indigo, v = violet. These are the colours of the rainbow.

And there are also flow charts which are easy-to-understand diagrams showing how steps in a process fit together. This could be something like a recipe or the steps that you need to follow with a computer program. Each step in the process leads on to the next one. You can even have alternatives to show that there can be different outcomes depending on the choices that you make.

The example shows part of a simple flow chart which helps receptionists route incoming phone calls to the correct department in a company:

Most flow charts are made up of three main types of symbol:

• Elongated circles, which signify the start or end of a process;
  
• Rectangles, which show instructions or actions;
  
• Diamonds, which show decisions that must be made
  

Within each symbol, write down what the symbol represents. This could be the start or finish of the process, the action to be taken, or the decision to be made.

Symbols are connected one to the other by arrows, showing the flow of the process.

Homework is an important part of independent learning. It is set in all years from year 7 through to year 13. The amount that you get will increase as you move through the school and you will need to organise your time effectively so that you can meet the deadlines.

Everybody has their own way of managing homework. However these are guidelines that might help.

• Make sure you record the homework effectively in your planner, noting what you have to do and when it is due in. If you are not sure ask the teacher before you leave the lesson.
• Plan your homework in advance. Rather than looking on a day to day basis. Look at the whole week and be aware of when you have things planned such as cadets or football training that might stop you doing your homework. Be aware of which homework you will be set and when the deadlines are going to be. This should help you spread your work through the week.
• Find a quiet place to work at home and decide which time is best for you to do your homework. Some people like to get it out of the way as soon as they get home, other people like to leave it until they have had something to eat. It doesn't matter when you decide to do the work but it is best to stick to the same routine.
• Don't be afraid to ask for help if you are stuck. Talk to people at home about your homework and show them what you have done. Often talking to somebody else will make things clearer.

Exams can often seem stressful.  Everybody has been in a situation where they worry about revising or preparing for an exam only to find that their mind goes blank on the day.  However preparing for exams is just like preparing for a sports event or any other personal challenge.  The more carefully you plan, the more likely you are to succeed.  Follow these basic guidelines of you want to do well

• Know your subject. Take time to learn the key things well so that you can remember them without even thinking in the same way that you remember your phone number or the words to your favourite song. This means breaking it down into little bits and going over it as often as you can, every day if possible.
• Make revision an active process. We all learn best by doing so do something with the information you are trying to remember. Staring at the page rarely helps, so pick out key points with a highlighter, draw a mind map, make a list of facts, write a song, draw a picture. The more you do this, the more you will remember
• Know the exam. Check with your teacher exactly what it is that you will need to do. How many papers are there? How long do they last? How many questions do you have to answer? What subjects are likely to come up? The aim is to make sure that nothing is a surprise when you open the paper on the day.
• Learn things in context, not in the abstract. When you are learning facts try to link them to the bigger picture. Think about how you could use them to answer exam questions. Join them to other parts of your learning. If you forget something, you may remember it when you come across something that it is linked to.
• Practise what you will have to do under exam conditions. Near the exam spend time getting used to working in the way you will have to in the hall. Work without music, don't allow people to disturb you, don't eat or drink, don't use a computer. You need to reproduce the conditions that you will have in the hall as closely as you can, so it is familiar to you.
• Prepare well on the day. Make sure you have had a good night's sleep, don't stay up too late revising. Have something to eat and drink and try to relax. Last minute revision usually makes you more nervous rather than helping you remember new things. Above all leave yourself plenty of time to get to the exam. There's nothing worse than arriving at the last minute and being stressed as a result.
• Ignore other people. Be your own boss. Other people always seem to know more than you or will tell you what you have done wrong. Don't talk to them, especially after the exam. We all focus on the things we've got wrong, not the things we've got right and this can be very destructive.
• Be confident. Exams are only a problem if you have not prepared properly. If you have done everything you can, as well as you can, there should be no surprises and you should know that you will do well.

Is is all right to  have the TV or music on when you are working?
Its up to you and many people find they work better with some background music on.  But remember that television means you have something else that will distract you because you have to watch it.

I work better under pressure and leave things till the last minute.  If I still get them done what's wrong with that?
If you are under pressure you will make mistakes and forget things that are important.  You also leave yourself no time to put things right.  You might get things done but that doesn't mean you do them as well as you could if you planned your time better.

I do lots of things outside school.  How can I find time to do homework as well?
When you are busy, managing your time is really important.  There is time for everything but you need to plan carefully and think in advance about what you have to do and when  you are going to do it.  Be aware of the times  you are busy with outside commitments and work round these.  Usually the busiest people are also the ones who manage to get most done.

Why does my mind go blank in exams?
Probably because you are worried and this is normally because you know that you haven't prepared as fully as you need to.  If you have planned your revision carefully and know what to expect, there is no need to worry and there should be no nasty surprises.

How can I remember important facts?
In the same way that you remember everything else; by going over them bit by bit as many times as you can.  Put them on a bit of paper, photocopy them and leave them round the house.  You'll be amazed what you remember without even trying.