Self-directed Personal Projects: Roles and Responsibilities

What is self-directed learning?

Through the feedback action research I conducted and my observation on how students have engaged with the online learning resulting from the pandemic, I have developed a growing interest in self-directed learning. Self-directed learning is particularly emphasized and implemented via the MYP Personal Project and Community Project. What is self-directed learning? Based on what I have read, self-directed learning is that individual learners determine their goals, take responsibility and choose their own learning strategies and resources to make plans and initiate action in order to reach their desired outcomes. Through self-directed learning, learners increase knowledge, skills, personal growth and reflect on the outcome of the learning process. According to Knowles (1975) cited by Boyel et al (2014), self-directed learning comprises eight elements: “(a) it is a process (b) that is initiated by the individual, (c) which may or may not involve the help of others, (d) to identify their learning needs, (e) develop learning goals from these needs, (f) find the necessary resources to attain these goals, (g) select and implement the proper learning strategies to meet their goals, and (h) determine how to measure learning outcomes.”

MYP Personal Project: Self-directed Inquiry

These elements are clearly included in the MYP Projects, Personal Project and Community Project. To help students complete the self-directed MYP Personal Project, I think it is important to rethink the roles and responsibilities of students and supervisors. Students need supportive adults who show an interest in what they want to; how they want to do it; why the project is important to them personally, socially, emotionally and academically, and guide them through their struggles of completing the personal project. Although MYP Year 5 students are responsible for completing their own personal project, they will need guidance and coaching to help them succeed. Before students can become self-directed, self-planned, and self-initiated, they must equip with skills and strategies so that their learning is lifelong and sustainable. I review the definition of apprenticeship in education found on Wikipedia.

Apprenticeship is a teaching method utilized by educators to teach students how to solve problems, understand tasks, perform specific tasks, and deal with difficult situations

(Collins, Brown, and Newman 1989).

In our meeting with students, it is an opportunity for supervisors to guide students on how to meet their learning goal and their project goal by teaching them skills and processes explicitly. Don’t assume students know how to prepare meeting agendas. Don’t assume students know how to set up a meeting with you via Google calendar. Don’t assume students know how to reflect critically and make good use of their process journal. Taking it from Rita Pierson famous TED Talk: Every Kid Needs a Champion, we, as personal project supervisors, need to be our student’s champions and help them to reach their desired goals and celebrate their personal growth.

Based on my reflection, I have revised my previous poster entitled, What Is My Role in the Personal Project. I hope the roles and responsibilities of students and supervisors are not compliance-based. Instead, it encourages the student and the supervisor to think about how they can negotiate and collaborate in making the personal project.   

Click the image to download the infographic in PDF file.