acknowledges that there can exist the participation, in variable degree, of another agent (e.g.
the teacher or the SAC counsellor) who intervenes in the preparation of these decisions.
This clearly implies two stages in the self-directed learning process: a stage for the
preparation of the decision and one for the actual decision-making. In the first one the
learner gets ready for the decisions and someone else may either assist her or directly
participate in the preparation. In the second one, the learner, the only agent, has to make
decisions on the five aspects of her learning programme. As I see it, the first stage refers to
learning to Ieam and the second one to the learning itself (See Fig. 2.1).
The plain arrow in the scheme accounts for the chronological order of the two stages.
The dotted arrow takes into account the possibility to go back to the first stage in order to
think over before making a decision. In fact, there is the possibility to create a feedback
effect where the more the preparation the more confidence in the decision making, which, in
itself means to become better prepared.
2.2.2.1 The first stage: learning to learn
It seems that most researchers in the field agree on the relevant role that instruction
has in self-directing learning. As Holec put it two decades ago:
Preparation is an important concomitant of the operation of a SRC (Students
Resource Centre). Without it, the SRC is like a rudderless vessel, or rather a vessel
in the hands of a captain who has no navigational skills (1979,4)
Although most authors seem to agree about the importance of learning to learn, there
is some disagreement as regards the definition of the concept. For some, the problem is that
it has not been well-defined (Benson; 1995, 5 and Dickinson; 1988, 45). For others, the term
covers such a wide range of areas and topics that it has become more problematic than
helpful (Sheerin; 1991,151 and Dickinson; 1988, 47). A third problem lies in the fact that the
term learning to learn has been used in two different educative situations: "learners aiming
at autonomy and....those who intend to remain firmly within the context of conventional
classroom" (Dickinson, ibid.).
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