Student Directed Learning Notes

This posting excites me for two reasons:

1. I finally learned how to upload a document that wasn't a power point using Slideshare, and

2. It's some of the work I've been doing around student-directed learning. I really can't wait to get back into the classroom...

Student Directed Learning Notes

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I know first-hand what an amazing learning opportunity this can be for students. In my final year at York University, because of my GPA, I was permitted to design my own History course. I had to seek out a professor who would meet with me on a weekly basis to discuss what I had been reading and writing. The readings that were selected by me had to support my central inquiry question. In my case my question was, "Did the death of Pierre Elliotte Trudeau create an identity crisis for Canadians?" I also had to come up with a working hypothesis, which I fleshed out with my weekly writing. I surveyed people. I researched in the National and Provincial Archives - online and in person. It was a really rich learning experience. My culminating task was a huge, 50-page paper. I had to present it to my professor before he graded it. I was truly proud of myself when I was done. There wasn't a course like it being offered and it was exciting to me because identity politics is a topic that I was, and continue to be passionate about. By the time one reached the final year of a 5 year Honours program along with a three years in the Concurrent Program at the Faculty of Education, one is generally tired and looking forward to the end. This one course really revitalized me as a student and had a significant impact on me as an educator.

I recently made the decision to return to the classroom this September. I am really hoping that I'll get to pilot this back at me school. If not, this is certainly going to be worked in, somehow, to a course I'll teach because I want to students to be excited about coming to school and I want them to know that they can contribute to a body of knowledge that they are passionate about.