Independent study how does it work

Independent study requires strong study habits and self-motivation. While independent study requires a bit of extra determination and willpower, this unique learning opportunity also offers you the chance to demonstrate your take-charge attitude and learn about a subject you find challenging and exciting.

Depending on a school's guidelines, you may also be able to explore a subject relevant to your dissertation or thesis. By developing a class that aligns with your academic goals , you can also receive credits that count toward your major or minor.

Many students who pursue independent study enjoy meeting with their instructor once a week or less , rather than attending class multiple times a week.

This schedule allows them to use their free time to write, read, and explore. Independent study requires early preparation. When considering potential topics, consult your faculty advisor to make sure the subject you're interested in isn't already covered in your college's curriculum.

While school policies differ, the following are common steps you need to take when planning for independent study. Connect with your instructor early by email or in person during office hours to discuss the content, readings, syllabus, and written work that will be evaluated. A well-crafted proposal is critical to a successful independent study.

In it, you should develop a statement of purpose describing the specific area of study, including the content and how it fits into your academic goals. You should also create a syllabus with learning objectives, required writing and reading assignments, due dates, methods of assessment, and earned credits. Finally, make sure you prepare a schedule of face-to-face meetings with your instructor.

The last step is to get written approval from both your faculty advisor and resident dean. Once you've done this, you're ready to start your independent study. Independent study occurs outside of regularly scheduled class hours. Before applying for this type of course, make sure you have time. Generally, professors expect students to put in a certain number of hours each week based on the number of credits they'll receive.

Fourth, improved understanding of the nature of the individual process of learning has yielded greater emphasis on teaching the student to learn and solve problems independently and with less emphasis on information transfer. At the beginning of the twenty-first century, the infusion of technology particularly the Internet and video-conferencing has made independent learning and distance education a focus for all schools.

Carefully conducted research and a rigorous evaluation of the effectiveness of independent study programs, especially those that rely heavily on technology over a long period of time, are needed. Such evaluation should analyze not only differences in achievement, as measured by existing standardized tests, but also changes in student attitudes and the quality of their experience. The changes that independent study and distance education bring in the learning and teaching environment must also be a focus of study.

Boston: Allyn and Bacon. New York: Guildford Press. Study Strategies for Lifelong Learning. Education Encyclopedia - StateUniversity. The major elements of independent study are the following: Individualized teaching and learning takes place through the student's activity. A tutorial relationship exists. Learning is made convenient for the student. The learner takes responsibility for progress. Purposes and Goals of Independent Study Successful independent study programs provide preparation for students and guidance along the way: Students are taught knowledge and skills that cannot easily be communicated in classrooms.

As evaluated by exams, independent students learn at least as well as students in classes. Independent study provides useful practice in the process of learning. Independent study is viable when an educational institution is inaccessible to the learner. Independent study meets the convenience needs of many learners. Independent study develops self-motivation, concentration, and discipline. The learner is taught to identify a problem, gather data, and take responsibility for conclusions.

The learner does all the work and cannot slide by on the anonymity of group activity. Independent Study and Extensiveness in Grades K— 12 The amount of time that students devote to independent study could be much greater than is the case in most schools. In summary, students at the high school level use independent study to do the following: Earn university credit before they begin college.

Live interaction refers to contact made between a student and a teacher, but this does not necessarily have to include teaching. It could consist of wellness checks, phone communication or in-person or online check-ins. Synchronous instruction refers to two-way communication between a student and teacher, whether in-person, by phone or online.

It can take place in a classroom-style setting, in small groups or one-on-one. What does it mean that a district must provide an opportunity for live interaction or synchronous instruction? For TK-three, the maximum number to receive state funding is to A district must post on its website its plan for independent study, updated to comply with AB By mid-August, the school board should have approved its independent study program for It should include information and reassurances on the following elements :.

It will differ significantly across the state. Districts will have the flexibility to expand instruction and daily contact required under the law. Some districts, such as Davis Joint Unified and Pajaro Valley Unified, have created virtual academies with live instruction and off-line learning. In districts with fewer resources or those that have not had an independent study program, independent study could be much different from what distance learning looked like last year.

Some districts may choose to use flexibility in the revised independent study statute to fashion a distance learning program on a block schedule approximating what students receive in school, and opportunities to work with peers in small groups. Instead, there will be daily or weekly check-in times, with expectations of completing coursework, perhaps with instructional videos and online lessons comparable to in-person instruction.

In Los Angeles Unified, all students who want remote learning will be directed to a central online option.

Do parents have any right of return to their school of record when they want to return from independent study? The law does not address this issue. Some districts are guaranteeing spots at bilingual and other schools of choice but not the neighborhood school. Can a district legally create a cutoff date or a wait list to register students for independent study?

AB does not address either option. A cutoff date would likely be unenforceable, since the law requires that independent study be offered to all eligible students this year. The law requires districts to return a student from independent study to classroom instruction within five days of a request, but it is silent on how quickly a district must enroll a student in independent study upon request. A wait list may be unavoidable, and each day on a wait list leaves a student without an education.

Parents in a number of districts have said they have waited days since the start of school even to be contacted about their request to enroll. Some are concerned their children will be cited for truancy. The unstated assumption of AB is that a district will move expeditiously to enroll a student or arrange an inter-district transfer. Students with disabilities, like other students, can request independent study.

The IEP team must determine whether services can be provided remotely. Since an IEP team has 30 days to meet on a request, some children have been sitting at home for days without instruction as their parents await a meeting. Victor Leung, director of education equity for the ACLU Foundation of Southern California, said some parents with IEPs have been told that they will lose access to services if they enroll in independent study.

Is an individual or a class of students entitled to temporary independent study if quarantined for Covid? Yes, although some of the comprehensive requirements will not kick in until 15 days in independent study. Districts will have to pivot quickly, and the logistics of obtaining contracts from parents and hiring extra credentialed staff, if needed, could prove very challenging. Students in schools closed by wildfires are also entitled to independent study, although emergency waivers under other state laws may also apply, said Barrett Snider, who represents independent studies programs as a partner with Capitol Advisors, a Sacramento school consulting firm.

If a child is an English learner or student with a disability, ask about the services to be provided. A student with special needs can participate in independent study only if an individualized education plan allows it.

A contract, signed by a parent, student and supervising teacher, would include the following elements:. AB was written to accommodate families that want to exit independent study. Families may choose to leave for any reason, and many may do so if the threat of delta transmission subsides or after the federal government allows vaccinations for children under Families can choose private schools if they can afford one, home schooling or one of several online charter schools, such as California Connections Academy or K12, although the Legislature has imposed a three-year moratorium on new online charters.

Under the state budget, districts will be held harmless this year for a loss of revenue from a drop in enrollment.