Cultivation and Improvement of Autonomous Learning Ability

College of Horticulture, Hainan University, Haikou 570228, China

Abstract In the age of network information, autonomous learning has become an important way of learning. Improving autonomous learning ability will help to cultivate students’ autonomous learning habits, innovation consciousness and practical ability. This paper analyzes the development, characteristic connotation, advantages and current status of autonomous learning and puts forward strategies for cultivating college students’ autonomous learning ability. This paper is of guiding significance for enhancing learners’ awareness of autonomous learning, developing learners’ autonomous learning strategies and methods and improving learners’ autonomous learning ability, and it will lay a foundation for cultivating students’ lifelong learning consciousness.

Key words Autonomous learning, Development status, Strategies, Network resources

1 Development and characteristic connotation of autonomous learning

In the traditional classroom teaching, teachers often repeat what the book says, which is difficult for students to get involved, making their interests drop[1]. The new curriculum standards put forward the ideal that students must have a certain degree of autonomous learning and lifelong learning consciousness, based on lifelong development[2]. Changing the learning style of passive acceptance and building a learning model conducive to independent inquiry, cooperation and exchange, stimulating learning interest and cultivating innovative consciousness has become a hot spot in the study of current learning methods[3]. In 1981, Holec proposed the concept of autonomous learning. He believes that autonomous learning is an ability to be responsible for learning. Autonomous learning encourages learners to be responsible for learning and to develop lifelong learning skills[4]. Autonomous learning means that students actively learn and think, formulate learning objectives and make study plan according to their own situations, and explore the learning methods that are suitable for them. Students’ autonomous learning ability is built based on the interaction between students and teachers. On the basis of respecting the needs of students, they will be provided with independent learning space, thus achieving the goal of promoting students’ self-management and independent learning[5].

With the continuous development of modern technology, the traditional teaching form can no longer adapt to the new trend of modern social development. It has been unable to meet the learning needs of learners for personalized independent learning in the "Internet +" era[6-7]. With the development of Internet technology, the network-assisted teaching platform provides convenience for students to learn independently[8]. The ways of learning are becoming more diverse, and new ways of learning independently have emerged. Autonomous learning in the network environment is to use the advantages of network resources and participate in learning autonomously using the method of discussion with a desire to actively solve problems, under the guidance of teachers, so as to solve the problem and grasp the corresponding knowledge[9]. Using online resources for autonomous learning can improve students’ ability to solve problems and ask new questions, and ultimately development students’ independence and creativity. Autonomous learning ability is included in the scope of comprehensive application capability. The cultivation of autonomous learning ability can also promote the cultivation of students’ comprehensive application ability[10]. Based on the development, characteristic connotation, advantages and status of autonomous learning, corresponding training suggestions are put forward in this article to improve students’ autonomous learning ability.

2 Advantages of autonomous learning

Nowdays, with the rapid development of information and network technology, education is not only to teach basic knowledge and skills but more importantly, to develop students’ independent thinking ability and self-management ability and help them to cultivate good study habits, master learning skills, enhance autonomous learning ability and make full use of network resources[11]to achieve lifelong learning.

2.1 Helping to develop self-management skillsStudents develop learning plans based on their master of knowledge and take the initiative to acquire knowledge from the outside world. In the process of autonomous learning, students find the most suitable and effective individualized learning methods, thereby cultivating self-management and self-monitoring ability[12].

2.2 Helping to develop students’ ability to innovateThe process of autonomous learning is the process of changing passive learning into active participation. Students will actively explore and actively seek cooperation to develop the ability to discover, analyze and solve problems. Through independent thinking and practice, students’ self-confidence and sense of accomplishment are enhanced, their cognitive ability is improved, and their innovative thinking is cultivated.

2.3 Helping to achieve lifelong learningOnly those people with lifelong learning ability can adapt to this fast-changing society of knowledge and achieve sustainable development. The process of autonomous learning is the process of constantly regulating and constraining oneself, constantly tapping the potential and making progress.

3 Status of autonomous learning

3.1 Deeply rooted traditional concept and lack of awareness of autonomous learningAt present, most teachers have not aware of the importance of cultivating students’ autonomous learning ability. Too much reliance on the syllabus in the teaching process, still adopting traditional teaching methods, ignoring the subjective position of students in learning, deeply rooted traditional educational concepts and teaching methods have led to low enthusiasm of students for learning. In addition, students have a strong dependence on teachers, and they have not completely transformed from a teacher-centered teaching model to an autonomous-centered learning model. Most students have adapted to the way teachers arrange their learning tasks. Under the condition of independent learning, clear learning objectives will be difficult to be established, let alone self-monitoring and self-assessment.

3.2 Lack of learning strategies and unclear learning objectivesLearners often lack flexible learning strategies. Some learning methods are not scientific, so the learning effect is often not ideal. Developing a scientific learning strategy is a long-term project that requires the joint efforts of teachers and students. Learning thinking methods and strategies are not effectively trained, and the network knowledge resources lack systematic and authoritative, making it difficult to have an overall understanding of things. Thus, the learning efficiency is not high. In addition, learners cannot effectively review the knowledge of independent learning, which makes the learning effect greatly reduced. Autonomous learning activities lack clear and feasible learning objectives and have certain blindness. Most students are used to using the Internet to access information. However, the network information is large in amount and relatively fragmented, and students lack the ability to discern and organize the resources, leading to low learning efficiency and unsystematic knowledge[13]. Although some students have a desire to learn, they lack correct methodological guidance and specific study plans, so that the learning effect is not satisfactory[14].

3.3 Lack of scientific monitoring and evaluationIn the process of completing the learning tasks, learners should be able to test the completion of their own study plans. The form of autonomous learning lacks effective monitoring and evaluation. Currently, the examination is the main means to test the students’ learning effect. The purpose of the study is only to cope with the examination. This "examination-oriented" learning motivation makes students’ learning motivation difficult to last, reducing the enthusiasm and initiative of learning.

4 Ways and suggestions for cultivating autonomous learning ability

4.1 Updating the educational concept and enriching the teaching modelIn teaching practice, the educational concept is directly related to the organization of teaching activities. Teachers should pay attention to the innovation of teaching mode and the update of educational theory, integrate the people-oriented concept into the organization of teaching activities, and engage students to participate in the whole process of learning, gradually transforming the teaching mode of "knowledge and skill transfer" into the teaching mode of "learning ability training". In addition, teachers need to pay attention to the innovation of teaching mode and create opportunities for students to participate more in the learning process, achieving effective training of students’ autonomous learning ability. They should also improve teaching methods, actively create teaching situations, stimulate students’ interest in learning, and adjust students’ learning status, making them truly become masters of learning. Moreover, they should enrich teaching models, broaden knowledge channels, and fully tap the potential of students to learn, promoting students to form autonomous learning consciousness through a relaxed learning atmosphere, thus improving the quality of teaching.

4.2 Effectively analyzing and integrating learning resources

Autonomous learning is a process in which learners self-manage, acquire information autonomously, and build a knowledge system. The online learning model optimizes students’ independent learning and provides students with the resources they need. Through the Internet, students can choose their own learning content according to their own needs. The Internet has played the subjective initiative of students to learn independently, and it has a certain promotion effect on students’ autonomous learning.

Rich teaching resources are the basis for autonomous learning. Diversified network resources provide the largest repository for autonomous learning. However, they are many kinds of information resources on the Internet, and it is difficult for learners to choose effective information for them. Teachers should develop learning resources that adapt to different learning levels in response to the individual differences of students, analyze and integrate knowledge resources to meet the different learning needs of students, fully tap the learner’s learning potential, and encourage and guide students to explore new knowledge and improve learning efficiency. In order to develop students’ autonomous learning ability and good study habits, the network resource sharing platform can be combined with classroom teaching.

4.3 Creating an atmosphere and cultivating autonomous learning conceptsIt should improve the network resource sharing curriculum platform in time to create a good independent learning environment for students, give full play to the initiative of students to learn and guide students to master effective independent learning methods, letting students truly become the masters of learning, enhancing their autonomous learning motivation and employment competitiveness and realizing the value of life of the students. In addition, teachers must make every effort to create an active teaching atmosphere, change the traditional dull teaching modes, strive to create a relaxed and active classroom atmosphere, inspire students to take the initiative to learn independently, and make efforts to explore effective ways to promote the development of students’ autonomous learning ability.

The cultivation of autonomous learning ability includes organizing time, rationally arranging learning tasks, continuously optimizing learning methods, improving learning efficiency,etc. In order to improve autonomous learning ability, teachers need to strengthen their awareness of developing autonomous learning habits, strengthen interaction with students, and reduce students’ dependence on teachers to effectively improve students’ ability to learn independently. Teachers should change their teaching concepts and pay attention to cultivating students’ sustainable development ability. The development of network information tools has made it possible to obtain information through multiple channels. Learners should adapt to the autonomous learning mode under the network environment as soon as possible and cultivate the ability of autonomous learning.

4.4 Stimulating interests and guiding methodsUshinski once said that when students were forced to study without any interest, their willingness to master knowledge will be killed. Interest is very important to promote self-directed learning. Students who are interested in learning will be more interested in learning, thus the learning effect will be improved continuously. In order to stimulate students’ confidence and interest in autonomous learning, teachers must use affirmative evaluation language, create a harmonious learning atmosphere for students and develop the quality of students’ independent thinking and the ability to work with others. Teachers should return time and space to students, and respect and trust them, letting them be the masters of learning. In addition, they can set questions with diversified thinking, stimulate students’ enthusiasm for learning, advocate personalized learning, encourage and guide students to freely express their opinions, organize students to discuss and analyze, and train students to develop a good sense of question to let them get out of the misunderstanding of passive learning.

Teachers should guide students to experience the process of forming and developing knowledge and cultivate students’ abstraction, synthesis, analysis and comparison ability, letting them truly become the masters of learning. In order to allow students to remember and summarize knowledge in a timely manner and prevent knowledge from being forgotten, teachers need to actively guide students to make independent conclusions, classify and stratify key and difficult knowledge, and guide students to properly identify key and difficult knowledge combining their learning characteristics and preferences.

4.5 Developing reasonable goals and plansThe setting of learning objectives should meet the requirements of autonomous learning. Reasonable learning objectives can enhance students’ ability to learn independently. Teachers need to guide students to set learning objectives, which need to be set in a hierarchical form, that is, overall objective, staged objective and unit objective. The corresponding learning objectives are determined based on the degree of mastery of knowledge. Teachers should consciously develop students’ self-control ability, help students improve their attention and willpower for self-directed learning, help students to develop reasonable, systematic and scientific study plans and determine when to learn, what learning methods to take, what to learn and follow the plan step by step, and keep an eye on progress, gradually enabling students to form autonomous learning skills.

4.6 Establishing an effective evaluation and monitoring mechanismSelf-evaluation of the autonomous learning process helps to improve students’ understanding of learning objectives, strengthen control over the learning process and promote the completion of learning tasks, enabling learners to adjust their self-learning behaviors according to specific circumstances, enhancing self-awareness, stimulating interest in learning, developing good autonomous learning habits and improving learning ability. The correct evaluation can fully mobilize the students’ enthusiasm for learning. Teachers should pay attention to the positive changes in students’ attitudes, values, knowledge and abilities. Grasping the right time to evaluate will help to motivate students’ initiative and enthusiasm, develop thinking and respect for personality development.

Due to the differences in learners’ independent learning ability and the uneven development, in the process of autonomous learning, staged and procedural evaluations need to be conducted for different learners to understand the problems and the direction of improvement and adjust the plan in time, so as to facilitate the steady and orderly improvement of autonomous learning ability. In addition, teaching evaluation is not just to help students recognize right or wrong, but to use effective evaluation to make students passionate and energetic about the learning of knowledge. Learners can exchange and share their learning experiences with others. Teachers can also affirm and encourage students who share their experiences.

The construction of the monitoring system can better cultivate students’ autonomous learning ability and improve learning efficiency. Building a monitoring system includes not only teacher’s evaluation on student’s autonomous learning effect but also the evaluation on student’s learning attitude. This can enhance students’ sense of learning responsibility and encourage them to reflect on the effect of self-directed learning, adjust objectives and improve methods and strategies.

5 Conclusions

Cultivating students’ autonomous learning ability is the key to cultivating students’ core literacy. According to a report published by UNESCO, the future illiterate will not be an illiterate person, but a person who does not know how to learn. Improving autonomous learning ability is of great significance to the long-term development of students[15]. After completing the study in school, college students will enter the society as independent individuals[16]. The development of the future society requires talents with innovative consciousness. It is necessary to continuously learn and improve ourselves. Teachers should pay attention to the lifelong development of students, highlight the main status of students, fully mobilize the enthusiasm and initiative of their learning, and develop students’ awareness of active development and independent learning. The self-learning teaching mode can enhance students’ subjective consciousness, fully explore students’ potential, cultivate students’ independent thinking and enhance students’ knowledge application ability and comprehensive quality, promoting the all-round development of students and laying a good foundation for the lifelong development of students.