The Journal of the World Council for Gifted and Talented Children

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Abstract
Penny Van Deur
Despite the connection between independent learning and gifted students, little is known of the views these
students hold about the process of being self-directed learners. This interview study examined views of ten
gifted elementary school students in South Australia about Self-Directed Learning. The interview responses
showed that these gifted students had detailed knowledge about Self-Directed Learning, emphasised the
importance of motivation, and described differences in Self-Directed Learning at home and at school in terms of
choice of activities. The results of the study suggest that gifted elementary students have explicit awareness of
their knowledge of Self-Directed Learning, which is associated with their positive motivation for Self-Directed
Learning. The results also suggest that development of knowledge and skills of Self-Directed Learning, together
with choice of school-based independent learning inquiries, could provide these students with the motivation
and challenge they need to plan and implement investigations while evaluating their own progress.
Keywords: Self-Directed Learning; gifted students; student perspective; motivation; independent
learning.
Introduction
The development of skills that increase
independent learning has been recognised as
an essential element in the education of the
gifted (Karnes & Stephens, 2008) but little is
known of the views of gifted elementary
students about Self-Directed Learning (SDL).
Since 1975 Treffinger’s SDL model has been
available as a guide to teachers to build on the
strengths and interests of gifted elementary
students while developing skills sequentially to
enable them to assume more control over their
own learning.
This model was outlined in the support
document (DECS, 1996) for the South Australian
policy for educating gifted students and
characterises gifted students as independent or
self-directed learners. Braggett (1997) described
SDL for gifted students in terms of autonomy.
By this he meant that the curriculum for gifted
students should stress SDL in which students
negotiate an aspect of their own studies or their
own learning style and are trained in the skills
required.
Further to this, they would carry out
independent or small group work on openended
activities, cultivate time management
skills and be involved in evaluating their own
products. Karnes and Stephens (2008)
discussed independent learning and gifted
students and concluded that in schools the
process of becoming more self-managing and
confident in implementing independent projects
is often neglected.
Self-Directed Learning for gifted
students has been characterised as involving a
variety of cognitive and affective processes and
outcomes that include critical and creative
thinking, problem solving and evaluative
thinking, as well as attitudes toward learning
(Treffinger,1975).
Treffinger (1993) pointed out that, even
though students did not necessarily know how
to manage and direct their own learning, they
were capable of learning to do so through active
participation in every phase of the process of
planning goals and objectives, diagnosing
learning needs and evaluating progress. Selfassessment
is important in SDL and requires
that students learn to understand themselves
better as they think about their knowledge, and
gain an insight into ways they learn best.
Through this process they are motivated to
complete work which they see as meaningful
(Brady & Kennedy, 2001). This process of
reflection is particularly important for gifted
students.
It is important to investigate what gifted
students know about SDL and to ascertain
whether they believe they are using SDL at
school. The student perspective can show how
the characteristics of the individual and the
student’s construction of a task influences
Gifted and Talented International – 26(1), August, 2011; and 26(2), December, 2011. 111