Psychology 337SD - Self-Directed Learning

Are children wired to be able to learn without direct instruction? Does the process of schooling diminish or enhance our capacity to be self-directed learners? What factors determine one's readiness for self-directed learning, and can self-directed learning be taught? What role, if any, do teachers play in self-directed learning? This seminar explores these questions in the context of an ongoing ethnographic study of an alternative education program within a public high school. Participants will have a chance to engage with data from that study and practice qualitative research skills through site visits to schools that encourage self-directed learning.