Remote learning is taking a toll on our learners. They miss the social side of the school. Not seeing their classmates or educators leads to anxiety. Remote instruction is proven to be less effective than face-to-face instruction. How can we make remote learning more effective for our learners? One idea that has proven to work well is the use of learner-driven remote learning.

What is Learner-Driven Learning?

Much of traditional learning is made up of lectures and memorization. Learner-driven remote learning takes those lectures, and either complements them or replaces them with learning guidance and active learning strategies. The educator becomes more of a facilitator, making an atmosphere conducive to independent learner learning. This better engages the learners, helps them retain what they learn, improves understanding, and helps them achieve more.

The Characteristics of Learner-Driven Learning

There are ten characteristics of learner-driven remote learning. These ten things are separate from traditional education. These characteristics are:

1.     The educators work the hardest.

2.     The learners learn from each other.

3.     They learn through being actively involved and experiencing things firsthand.

4.     They take what they learn and apply it to genuine, everyday experiences.

5.     Educators offer directed, frequent, and prompt feedback.

6.     Educators encourage their learners to explain what they have learned to other learners.

7.     The learners are encouraged to engage regularly in communication among themselves.

8.     They understand the subject and why they are learning it.

9.     They are given tablets or mobile phones on which to learn.

10.  Learner-driven learning produces a higher degree of engagement.

The Advantages of Learner-Driven Remote Learning

There are many advantages to using a learner-driven approach to learning in your remote class. Here are a few:

·      It increases the rate of knowledge retention.

·      Learners find learning to be more fun in a learner-driven remote classroom.

·      The learners’ participation level is higher than it is with traditional learning.

·      Their performance level is higher.

·      Learners work together better.

·      Learner-driven learning helps learners to develop better problem-solving skills.

How Do You Promote Learner-Driven Learning?

There are many ways to promote learner-driven learning in a remote class. Here are my thoughts:

·      Always be searching for ways to further integrate tech into the learning experience.

·      Utilize breakout rooms to group learners together for projects and to enhance collaboration among your learners.

·      Allow your learners to be leaders.

·      Let your learners take part in the decision-making process.

·      Use interactive videos and slides. Pedagogue allows you to make your own interactive videos for use in the classroom.

·      Let your learners take part in scoring the learner assessments.

·      Rather than having a class where the rules drive the learners’ behavior, create a thirst for knowledge and mutual respect in your learners. Let that guide behavior instead.

·      Make projects that will carry on beyond the lesson.

·      Instead of handing out homework, give learning-based projects that are engaging.

Exploring New Ideas

So what kind of things can you do to make your classroom learner-driven? Here are some examples:

·      Break the learners off into breakout rooms and have them quiz each other on what they have learned.

·      Break the learners off into breakout rooms and have them go over their quizzes together, reviewing their answers. 

·      Have a brainstorming session.

·      Present an issue. Allow your learners to discuss it. If they lack the info to have an informed conversation, send them in search of it.

·      Let the learners make a quiz for the other learners to take. 

·      Have the learners design an experiment.

·      Have a Q&A session.

·      Hold a debate between learners.

There are so most other great ideas out there. Just remember, you are the facilitator. Engage the learners. Let the learners lead as you continue to explore new ideas for learner-driven remote learning.