Independent study is a form of
education
Education is a purposeful activity directed at achieving certain aims, such as transmitting knowledge or fostering skills and character traits. These aims may include the development of understanding, rationality, kindness, and honesty. Va ...
offered by many high schools, colleges, and other educational institutions.
It is sometimes referred to as ''directed study'', and is an educational activity undertaken by an individual with little to no supervision.
Typically a student and professor or teacher agree upon a topic for the student to research with guidance from the instructor for an agreed upon amount of credits.
Independent studies provide a way for well-motivated students to pursue a topic of interest that does not necessarily fit into a traditional academic curriculum. They are a way for students to learn specialized material or gain research experience.
Independent studies provide students opportunities to explore their interests deeper and make important decisions about how and where they will direct their talents in the future.
Another way to understand independent study is to understand
learning from a distance. Learning from a distance is a theory in which the student is at a physical or a mental distance from his or her teacher. The student and the teacher are connected by something such as a worksheet, an essay, or through a website on the internet.
Independent study programs
For elementary and junior high, independent study is sometimes a Gifted and Talented Education (GATE) program, where the student must research the topic and formulate and answer questions.
At the end, they develop and present a product, although not all GATE systems participate in this.
Many charter schools in the US provide independent study and
homeschooling
Homeschooling or home schooling, also known as home education or elective home education (EHE), is the education of school-aged children at home or a variety of places other than a school. Usually conducted by a parent, tutor, or an onlin ...
in a variety of formats: online, in-person or a hybrid of online/in-person interaction.
These independent study programs are particularly helpful for those who find a traditional classroom setting to be unsatisfactory. For example, independent study is ideal for those who have children, health issues, intense work schedules, or gifted academic ability. Often students with high scholastic standing are encouraged to take independent studies to try to learn without attendance in a class. Independent study is also useful for self-directed learning activities that allow the student to be self-reliant.
A program titled "The Research Experiences for Undergraduates" (REU) has been founded by the National Science Foundation which provides funding for undergraduates to engage in different areas of research outside of the classroom. Groups are formed of graduates, undergraduates, and faculty to work on a specific research project.
Personality types
Studies have shown that personality can influence whether a person enjoys an independent study project, rather than lectures. People that believe the teacher should be authoritarian did not perform well in independent studies. However, there is evidence to suggest that personality should not solely dictate who is allowed to receive independent study.
Though not afforded the same attention as individual personality on behalf of the potential student, some interest should be given to the teachers and or professor's ability to relate to the distance learner. Breaking the mold of in-class instruction versus the distance learner can be a difficult task to undertake by the instructor. They are not the same environment and changes and or accommodations should be made while keeping integrity of the overall class.
See also
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Autodidacticism
Autodidacticism (also autodidactism) or self-education (also self-learning and self-teaching) is education without the guidance of masters (such as teachers and professors) or educational institution, institutions (such as schools). Generally, ...
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Citizen science
Citizen science (CS) (similar to community science, crowd science, crowd-sourced science, civic science, participatory monitoring, or volunteer monitoring) is scientific research conducted with participation from the public (who are sometimes re ...
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List of notable autodidacts
This is a list of notable autodidacts which includes people who have been partially or wholly self-taught.
Historical education levels
Because of the large increase in years of education since 1800, especially during the early 20th century, it ...
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Independent scholar
A scholar is a person who pursues academic and intellectual activities, particularly academics who apply their intellectualism into expertise in an area of study. A scholar can also be an academic, who works as a professor, teacher, or researche ...
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Independent scientist
An independent scientist (historically also known as gentleman scientist) is a financially independent scientist who pursues scientific study without direct affiliation to a public institution such as a university or government-run research and ...
References
Further reading
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{{Authority control
Educational practices