In fact, as Ga states, most of the students that have experienced working in the
SAC expressed their problem of "being lost". They said that most of SAC learners do not
know where to start:
F: They get lost and dizzy among this massive amount of materials.
However, most of them did not express the need to be aware of their specific
problems, as Ga advises. Underlying this fact, may be the belief that the fact that they
have a teacher (or a counsellor), or a textbook as a base to start, will take care of their
specific needs and problems.
However, once more, their views about the SAC teacher, or counsellor, were not
in agreement. Some of them were very reluctant to have a counsellor to help them in
their learning process. K, for instance, who expressed that the teacher is a guide in the
classroom (see above), stated that in her way of working in SAC she does not need that
guide:
K: I want to make my own decisions. The counsellor isn't able to guess what I want.
T expressed the same attitude, however, his reasons underlying it were very different:
T: Many teachers have been a barrier in my learning processes
Taking this into account, it was clear to see that the participants depicted three
different situations when working in a self-directed way: independent learning, guided
learning and assisted learning, i.e., three different self-directed learning styles.
Independent learning consists in isolated work. K provides a good example of
this concept of self-direction. Independent learning gives the learner the opportunity to
make her own decisions. Using K's own words:
K: In all my school years I have had a teacher. That has been my life as student,
until the SAC was opened, a system in which I can Ieam in my own way, which gives
me the opportunity to be independent. One needs to be self-sufficient
In this mode of learning, counsellors are not needed. According to K, the user's
course at the beginning is the only guide required for "finding your way in SAC".
According to T, another student in favour of independent learning,
174
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