SDL and Its Impact in the Secondary School

SDL and Its Impact in the Secondary School Environment Robert C. Donaghy Bradley County Schools, Cleveland, TN and Peter L. Zsiga St. Lucie Schools, St. Lucie, FL

Who should be interested in SDL in Secondary Education? ücurrent secondary educators üadministrators üthose who are preparing students to enter the field üthose who are planning to enter the teaching profession.

Stimulate Interest in the applicability for SDL for adolescent learners, how the adolescent can be self-directed in learning becoming self-directed in adult life what tools and techniques promote and advance the self-directed learning in students, and how the secondary school teacher uses SDL in teaching strategies and professional development

challenging times ever increasing standardized testing 5/ 21 - 7. 35 42 - educational reform Race to the Top model schools student-centered learning……. 2 7/ 4 6. 1 1 1

üMoving students along a progression of increasing independence and self-direction in learning. üHigh stakes standardized tests designed to measure critical thinking and other key components of the self-directed learner. üSDL is also a helpful paradigm in the professional development of secondary teachers and for academically strong students in this same context SDL in a secondary school must help accomplish these goals and work most of the time for all learners

Bridging the gap between research and the practice of teaching Ambrose et al. (2010) suggest learning is not something teachers do to students, it is something students do themselves. Learners must be self-directed. (Garrison, 1997; Kicken Brand-Gruwel and van Merrienboer, 2009; Kuan, 2007).

The connection is made through metacognition, (Garrison, 1997; Kostons, 2010; Sungar and Tekkaya, 2006) wherein the same skill set is necessary for SDL. Ambrose et al. (2010) Brockett (2009): study SDL through “many lenses” Gibbons (2002): the adolescent’s teacher must move slowly from a teacher-directed setting to an environment of SDL… also Brookfield, in Donaghy’s (2005) (Kicken, 2009, Knowles, 1975; Kuan, 207).

Pant (2010) provides us with contemporary examples, which consider smart phone Apps, Androids, and i. Phones. Deci and Ryan (2000) Motivation and self directedness are frequently linked, particularly in the goal setting and execution processes (Garrison, 1997; Kicken, 2009; Sungar and Tekkaya, 2006).

Scaffolding Self-management of Learners increase learning in an in skills, educational context knowledge, comp is primarily a etency, and collaborative confidence experience” until they are (Garrison, 1997) able to grasp the concept at high levels of comprehension in the context presented (Dabbagh and Kitsantas, 2005; Lajoie, 2005; Young, 1993 Brookfield, in an interview by Donaghy (2005),

Scaffolding tools Portfolios ürecord and demonstrate learning milestones and activities üuseful to scaffold both academic achievement and SDL skills Problem-based learning üapproach to real world situations from an inquiry perspective ü Scenarios may involve the entire school in a full day learning exercise Self-assessment üa key element in self-direction üdifficulty for novices may explain why self-regulated learning is often ineffective for novice learners (Kostons, 2010 )

student self-assessment forms adapted from Wavra can facilitate teacher or student produced learning targets. S

Self-reflection sheet 100 Review 90 80 Test 70 60 40 30 20 10 11 10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 0 1 Grades (%) 50

SDL plays a critical role in the learning process of the teacher and administrator Professional development activities require a self-directed approach ü continuing education ü teacher licensing examinations ü planning new strategies ü learning a new skill requiring technology