Too tired to think of a witty title :)

What (if at all) is the potential of tech-mediated self-directed distance learning?
The Independent Project poses an interesting question; how do you know that you're doing something meaningful?

Public schools have been trying and failing for years to offer education to every kind of person so that they can learn together and engage in meaningful discussions and thought processes. But these teachers have been super uninspiring (droning on in that monotone, reading straight from the textbook - CONGRATULATIONS!!! you're a robot...).

Teachers should be teaching learners to take initiative, they should create conditions where learners will thrive, where they want to read and write because they're curious about how this wonderful world works! -sips tea and gathers thoughts-

The Independent Project is definitely on the right track in that they allow their learners to have a hands on interactive experience with their environments, as well as increasing the self-confidence of learners by not assessing their knowledge in ways that are not appropriate for that specific individual. Students are able to support each other and provide meaningful feedback without fear of judgement. Students are even teaching each other by drawing on their own individual strengths and then teaching others in a way that is easier for them to understand.

Learners are actually LEARNING; they are finding questions in everything and developing an unquenchable thirst for knowledge. They are learning how to teach, learn and work efficiently. What more do you want from your educational experience?

-sips tea-

Current educational standards are limiting the consciousness of learners. It is therefore important that people familiarize themselves with standards regarding Information and Communications Technology literacy. ICT literacy represents a major part of cultural and political oppression with which all students must become critically conscious. Organizations are promoting ICT literacy standards that are limited and therefore limiting in that they create a "culture of silence" regarding the possibilities of ICT literacy in education, as well as the capabilities of teachers and students engaged with technologies in the classroom.

The ICT standard of communication aims to support individual learning and contribute to the learning of others.

Therefore, tech-mediated self-directed distance learning is something that has a lot of potential for our education system. By allowing learners to use technology to design their own education, we would create an environment similar to the Independent Project - and with those great results, who wouldn't say that it's a good idea?