What does it mean to have autonomy?
Many people in the workforce today believe that autonomy helps the workplace to thrive. Some even consider it a high value in their future jobs or careers. The entire idea of work-from-home is a derivative of workplace autonomy – the idea of being able to “self-govern” one’s time. Many people value this autonomy because they believe that they’re more productive without the pressures of external control or influence. What are some of the challenges that employers face with such autonomy? Measuring work efficiency is one area of difficulty, which is why learning how to be productive as an autonomous person is important.
CBSE syllabi throughout India focus on this objective – teaching grades 7 and 8 to be more autonomous learners. Here students train to be more independent as they process the new information they are learning in their classes. Autonomous learning doesn’t mean that students don’t need a teacher, but it does mean that they can deduct certain things without the support of their teacher. Students learn to take previous knowledge and apply it to new concepts and situations. This is why it’s very important that students don’t learn concepts in isolation but that there’s a natural progression from one concept to another. This is how our courses are designed at ConnectEd.
How can students grow to be a productive, autonomous learner?
In an earlier blog post about scaffolding, we discussed how parents could support their children from home. One way that ConnectEd promotes this kind of approach is through flipped classes. Our teachers send the class material before the class begins, and the students have the opportunity to “pre-learn” concepts before they’re discussed in class. Autonomous learning suggests students can take new material and make sense of it using prior knowledge. These kinds of activities – along with the support of a teacher – ensure that students are capable of learning on their own. Why does this matter?
Today, many things will never be the same in the age of technology and “post” COVID. More and more schools are offering online courses, workplaces are allowing work from home, and online shopping is at an all-time high. Knowing how to be motivated to work on your own is imperative. While community-living will never disappear, these new realities are shaping our cultures. Students today will benefit from the support and accountability that teachers offer in this season of their life. Once they move onto university and the workplace, it’s expected that they will be able to get their work done, even if no one is watching. It’s also important because the syllabus mandates it. A key objective of grades 7 and 8 science is to be an autonomous learner.
Do you have a student who’s studying with CBSE? Looking for extra practice and support as you prepare for board exams? Let us be your learning companion at ConnectEd. We’re giving you the tools you need to be a better autonomous learner at home!
