Building a personal learner’s manual: students knowing themselves as learners

Abstract

In this research, I explore the ways in which student reflections about themselves as learners grow in depth and in complexity, as they are encouraged to identify and articulate skills and characteristics that make up their “Personal Learner’s Manual” The purpose of this action research was to gain a better understanding of ways to support students in their development of a strong learner identity. The narratives were collected from monthly student reflections, weekly goal setting reflections and observations done by the researcher. This project involved 18 Grade 6/7 English students in a dual track English/French Immersion Elementary School in Northwestern British Columbia. Students were asked to set weekly goals and reflect on where their learning was going, how it was going, and where to next in their learning. Students were given the tool of eight characteristic traits and criterion to help them describe who they were as learners in different learning situations. The importance of being confident, industrious and risk taking were the most referred to by the students and what they felt they possessed or needed to acquire in becoming successful learners. Being compassionate and thoughtful were the least referred to in the students’ goal setting and reflections. Building a common language of characteristic traits and giving opportunities for students to explore these traits in different learning environments and reflect on their learning increased their ability to articulate and expand their repertoire of characteristics and skills as a learner over time.