Informal Digital Learning of English (IDLE) refers to individual's learning endeavor occurring in out-of-class environments in a naturalistic way independent from the requirements of a formal education program including assessment. Learners' IDLE experiences in English as a Foreign Language (EFL) contexts are quite important to understand their…

Self-instruction may not be 100% successful for everyone with an intellectual disability or Autism Spectrum Disorder; however, it is crucial to provide opportunities for learners to self-instruct to further increase independence. Adhering to the steps and considerations described here, practitioners can at least begin reducing their support and…

Educators continually encounter new challenges that require different tools or ways to utilize current tools in novel ways. Common challenges when working with students with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) may include addressing interfering behavior, developing communication systems, increasing social opportunities for students, and addressing…

Lack of commonly used vocabulary for informal learning environments hinders precise communication concerning what is observed, assessed, and understood about the relationship between space and learning. This study empirically extends taxonomies of terms and phrases that describe such relationships through content analysis of descriptions of…

Self-directed learning (SDL) has numerous implications for understanding adult learners and for improving their museum experiences. Through a review of the conceptual and empirical literature, the relationship between SDL and education within a museum setting is explored in this article. Discussion includes an overview of SDL, inquiry into two…

This paper presents an investigation into how students studying at university engage actively with learning technology in their self-directed study time. The case study surveyed 250 students studying at undergraduate and postgraduate level from a purposive sample of departments within one institution. The study has also conducted focus groups and…

All students are entitled to a respectful and meaningful education in this decade of No Child Left Behind, and yet attention to the gifted wanes with the emphasis on standards-based education and testing. Educators of the gifted have wrestled with this dilemma for many decades, even as early as the 1920s when Leta S. Hollingsworth, noted…

The author mentions Project THINK (Tapping Heuristic Intelligence for New Knowledge) and describes the Isle of Independent Study, a seven-step procedure designed in the form of a map for use with upper elementary gifted students. (SB)

Teachers in a South Windsor, Connecticut, program for gifted elementary students improved their students' independent study skills through the structure of nine steps such as selecting a topic, planning a schedule, writing objectives, and locating resources. (DB)

Teachers should design individual project ideas to provide creative motivations for creatively gifted students in regular school classrooms. Examples of project ideas are cited in three case studies. (CL)

Guidelines are offered to help teachers improve the task commitment of young gifted children as they work on independent projects. Among suggestions offered are to work with small groups of students and to foster the child's ability to work at levels beyond those normally thought possible. (CL)

Under faculty supervision, a college student enrolled in a "Sensation and Perception" course constructed a light box, which generated some surprising and interesting color effects. (RM)

Instructional techniques and modifications in independent study tailored to the needs of gifted, learning disabled students are described. (JW)

Describes a method of using audiotape recorded lessons in place of lectures, known as Audio-Assisted Independent Study. (PD)

Guidelines are offered for facilitating independent or small group investigations by gifted and talented students. Steps include exploring student interest, developing the chosen topic, using the management plan, implementing and monitoring the project, and helping students with evaluation. (CL)