Students’ ability to act independently in university studies

Abstract

Independence is a fundamental personality trait that enables people to choose aims, tools and ways of activity and communication wisely and to act actively and efficiently. Opinions vary on when (at what age) and where (in a family / education institution) a person’s ability to learn and act independently should be developed most prominently (intensively). According to Linkaityte (2003), education at school is closely related to the objective to develop schoolchildren’s skills to look for information. The aim working with students is to provide them with sources of information and to support individual search for information, to encourage creativity, critical thinking and independent problem solving. However, that schools have to follow their programmes and independence is not significantly emphasized. On the other hand, the main function of higher education institutions is to “prepare students for their future activity, to develop their creative strengths, critical thinking, problem solving and constructive communication skills (Lietuvos aukštasis mokslas. Baltoji knyga 1999). One of the most important abilities of an active and responsible individual, who can act independently, is self-management, i.e. the ability to plan and organize individual learning process and ability to reflect. A university research has revealed that some of the 1st year and 4th year social science students describe learning independence as student’s participation in planning, monitoring, correcting and assessing one’s own learning process and results. Emphasis is given to creativity, ability to make the right decisions in a new learning situation when putting present and new knowledge together, the search for more diverse solutions, taking responsibility for the learning process and future learning outcomes.