Personal Learning

Learning focus

As students work towards the achievement of Level 3 standards in Personal Learning, they experience diverse approaches and responses to learning. With teacher support, they make links with their existing experiences and develop the view that learning is exploratory, fun and rewarding.

Students begin to reflect on themselves as learners, in particular on their feelings about learning, by responding to open-ended statements such as ‘I’m proud of this because …’, and using visual aids that illustrate their responses to learning, such as happy and unhappy faces. They also reflect on their own learning by responding to prompts such as, ‘What do you know now that you didn’t know before?’

Students are provided with opportunities to learn with peers and to share their feelings and thoughts about learning with others. They begin to understand that listening to the responses of others can assist them to make sense of new experiences and provide useful cues for their own learning. Students are encouraged to take risks with their learning and begin to understand that mistakes can be a vehicle for further learning.

Students begin to take initiative as learners by asking questions when needed and attempting small projects. They begin to solve problems and complete work using their initiative as a first step and asking for teacher assistance as required. With support, students learn to manage their time and resources to complete short tasks.

Standards

In Personal Learning, standards for assessing and reporting on student achievement are introduced at Level 3. The learning focus statements for Levels 1 and 2 provide advice about learning experiences that will assist students to work towards the achievement of the standards at Level 3.

Learning focus

As students work towards the achievement of Level 3 standards in Personal Learning, they participate in a wide range of learning experiences which involve a variety of learning styles and approaches to learning. With teacher support, they reflect on those approaches which they believe help them learn most effectively. Students begin to record their feelings and understanding about their learning, responding to prompts which help them acknowledge their successes, noting where improvements could be made and reflecting on the effort they put into particular tasks.

Students develop strategies to use when they are feeling uncertain about their learning, such as seeking assistance from their teachers. They begin to recognise that learning from mistakes is an important attribute of being a good learner.

With teacher support, students develop simple protocols to assist them to learn effectively such as listening attentively. They begin to recognise their contribution to the achievement of a positive learning environment in the classroom.

Students begin to take responsibility for managing their time and resources within the context of structured tasks that have clear outcomes and a set timeframe. They begin to set short-term goals related to specific tasks, such as setting a time limit for a particular activity, and to reflect on their achievements.

Standards

In Personal Learning, standards for assessing and reporting on student achievement are introduced at Level 3. The learning focus statements for Levels 1 and 2 provide advice about learning experiences that will assist students to work towards the achievement of the standards at Level 3.

Learning focus

As students work towards the achievement of Level 3 standards in Personal Learning, they begin to build on personal strengths by recognising strategies for learning which help them learn most effectively. With support, they use their past learning to inform their future learning, and begin to set learning improvement goals.

Students participate in a diverse range of learning activities that allow them to acknowledge their development as learners. They monitor their learning through strategies such as share time and seeking feedback from the teacher and, where appropriate, their peers.

Students learn to recognise the various positive and negative emotions that may be associated with their learning, and that feelings of uncertainty do not equate with an inability to complete a task. They explore the implications of impulsive behaviour and identify strategies they can use to manage impulsiveness, such as taking time to think about their opinions before giving them and considering alternative viewpoints before making a value judgment about an idea. They develop an awareness of their emotions and the capacity to use positive self-talk; for example, by compiling a list of strategies they can implement when they are feeling uncertain. Through reflection on their achievements across a range of tasks, they begin to understand the roles of persistence and effort in completing tasks. Students reflect on their own behaviour in the classroom and the personal values that inform those behaviours. They develop and respect protocols, such as codes of cooperation, that promote learning with peers. They begin to compare their own values with those agreed to by the class.

Students reflect on their contribution to the creation of a positive learning culture in the classroom and recognise that they may learn with and from peers.

With support, students develop strategies for managing their own learning, and identify the need for resource and time management in completing short tasks. They begin to use various tools, such as personal diaries and portfolios, to help them reflect on the effectiveness of the strategies they use in learning and in recording and commenting on task outcomes. They learn to set simple goals for future learning such as ‘to practise a specific skill’. They begin to review their work to check for accuracy.

Standards

The individual learner

At Level 3, students describe the factors that affect learning and identify strategies that will enhance their own learning. With support, they identify their learning strengths and weaknesses and learning habits that improve learning outcomes. They seek teacher feedback to develop their content knowledge and understanding. They make and justify some decisions about their learning and, with support, set learning improvement goals. They contribute to the development of protocols that create a positive learning environment in the classroom.

Managing personal learning

At Level 3, students set short-term, achievable goals in relation to specific tasks. They complete short tasks by planning and allocating appropriate time and resources. They undertake some multi-step, extended tasks independently. They comment on task progress and achievements. They manage their feelings in pursuit of goals and demonstrate a positive attitude towards their learning.

Learning focus

As students work towards the achievement of Level 4 standards in Personal Learning, they explore individual strategies and skills that assist in their learning, such as the use of T charts to develop effective listening skills and concept webs to link ideas. With support, they consider a range of approaches to learning and reflect on how the approaches they use influence the quality of their learning. They explore learning styles which may not be their preferred style and consider why such experimentation is an important aspect of their learning.

Students seek and use teacher feedback to develop their content knowledge and understanding and reflect on how their prior knowledge has changed. They explore how personal values, perspectives and attitudes contribute to the development of content knowledge and understanding.

They identify the many contexts in which learning occurs both within school (such as learning activities in the classroom, and developing physical skills in the playground or through extracurricular sporting activities) and beyond school (such as reading a book at home, visiting an aquarium or exploring physical features of local environments).

In selected reflective activities, students explore the impact of various emotions on their learning and they learn to maintain a positive attitude. They consider the impact of impulsive behaviour in themselves and others on their learning and implement strategies for managing their own impulsive behaviour; for example, ensuring they understand directions fully, and developing a plan or strategy for addressing issues that arise. They discuss the value of persistence and effort, and reflect on how these qualities affect their learning. As a class or in groups, students recognise their responsibilities for managing their learning, such as staying focused and on task.

Through participation in a variety of group and whole-class activities, students begin to articulate the advantages of learning effectively with, and from, their peers. They seek feedback from peers and consider the validity of the feedback they receive. They identify the values that underpin the creation of a classroom environment that will support the learning of all students such as respect, equity and inclusion.

Students develop, justify and monitor their own learning goals. They learn to apply strategies for managing the completion of both short and extended tasks within timeframes set by the teacher and they reflect on how effectively they were able to use these strategies. They are provided with opportunities to manage and monitor progress of some tasks independently, and they compare how they undertake independent tasks and teacher-directed tasks. They review their work for accuracy before presenting it for assessment.

As students prepare for the transition to secondary school, they reflect on the progress they have made with their learning and set goals for the future focusing on their attitudes towards and management of their learning.

Standards

The individual learner

At Level 4, students identify, with support, their preferred learning styles and use strategies that promote learning. They monitor and describe progress in their learning and demonstrate learning habits that address their individual needs. They seek and respond to teacher feedback to develop their content knowledge and understanding. They identify and explain how different perspectives and attitudes can affect learning. They negotiate learning improvement goals and justify the choices they make about their own learning. Students actively develop, monitor and refine protocols that create a positive learning environment in the classroom.

Managing personal learning

At Level 4, students develop and implement plans to complete short-term and long-term tasks within timeframes set by the teacher, utilising appropriate resources. They undertake some set tasks independently, identifying stages for completion. They describe task progress and achievements, suggesting how outcomes may have been improved. They persist when experiencing difficulty with learning tasks. They seek and use learning support when needed from peers, teachers and other adults. They practise positive self talk. They demonstrate a positive attitude to learning within and outside the classroom.

Learning focus

As students work towards the achievement of Level 5 standards in Personal Learning, they explore a range of preferred and non-preferred learning strategies and reflect on how various strategies contribute to their learning, recognising that particular learning tasks may require different strategies. They take greater responsibility for their own learning, making choices and decisions about their learning and considering their strengths and weaknesses.

With support, students identify difficulties in their understanding of new material and develop a range of strategies to aid comprehension and understanding. They use feedback from teachers and other adults beyond the school context to expand their content knowledge, making use of learning opportunities within the school such as specialist music or technology facilities and guest speakers, and outside the school such as experiential workshops and specialist laboratories. Students monitor their learning and study habits and use this information to work with the teacher to set learning goals. They identify the attributes of effective learners, such as risk-taking, persistence and flexibility, and use these criteria to evaluate their growth as learners.

Students understand, appreciate and monitor the impact of differing emotions on their learning. They manage impulsive behaviour by considering alternative courses of action in response to an idea or problem and possible consequences. They develop their understanding of the value of persistence, by exploring the relationship between effort and performance, using both their own experiences and those of others including their peers and people who have made significant contributions to society. They identify and employ strategies for maintaining a positive attitude.

Students reflect on the ethical aspects of dealing with others such as being honest and encouraging freedom of choice, and the advantages of acting responsibly in social and learning situations. They develop their skills in learning with and from their peers. They begin to take responsibility for the development and maintenance of a positive learning environment within and outside the classroom, recognising that individuals have different needs, opinions and goals and that compromises must be reached in determining acceptable group behaviours.

Students practise setting short-term and long-term goals, prioritising their available time and developing strategies for monitoring their progress towards goal achievement. They undertake a range of tasks and monitor, evaluate and refine their management strategies. They reflect on their study and revision strategies and develop and use criteria to evaluate their work.

Standards

The individual learner

At Level 5, students monitor and describe their progress as learners, identifying their strengths and weaknesses and taking actions to address their weaknesses. They identify a variety of learning habits and adopt those which assist their learning. They identify, select and use an expanded repertoire of learning strategies appropriate to particular tasks. They seek and respond to feedback from peers, teachers and other adults and explain how their ideas have changed to develop and refine their content knowledge and understanding.

Students demonstrate an awareness of different cultural and societal beliefs, values and practices, identifying and discussing the effect of ethical issues on learning and working with others. With support, students determine learning improvement goals, justifying their decisions and making appropriate modifications as necessary. They consider both their own and others’ needs when making decisions about suitable learning processes and the creation of positive learning environments within and outside the classroom.

Managing personal learning

At Level 5, students set realistic short-term and long-term learning goals within a variety of tasks and describe their progress towards achieving these. They complete competing short, extended and group tasks within set timeframes, prioritising their available time, utilising appropriate resources and demonstrating motivation. They initiate and undertake some tasks independently, within negotiated timeframes. They review the effectiveness of the management of tasks, identifying successes and suggesting strategies that would improve outcomes. They develop and use criteria to evaluate their work, and use these criteria to make appropriate refinements. They demonstrate a positive and structured approach to learning, identifying and using effective strategies that assist with study, both at school and at home.

Learning focus

As students work towards the achievement of Level 6 standards in Personal Learning, they demonstrate increasing independence in the completion of tasks as they work towards becoming autonomous learners. They participate in reflective activities that enable them to consider the progress they are making with their learning and to acknowledge their potential for learning beyond the post-compulsory school years.

Students are encouraged to use appropriate strategies to maximise their learning in a range of contexts and to review and refine their study habits. They complete projects that require them to work both independently and as part of a team, and are actively encouraged by their teachers to initiate learner-directed projects.

Using an ethical framework, students address ambiguous and hypothetical situations and gain insights and skills for exploring conflicts and dilemmas. They control their emotions, understanding the negative impact of mood swings and impulsive behaviour on learning and behaviour. They participate in activities that require them to make informed and responsible choices, considering the impact on themselves and others; they may, for example, explore choices for their future pathways. They are proactive in contributing to the creation of positive learning environments, with the expectation that learning continues beyond the post-compulsory school years.

Students initiate and negotiate long-term goals, recognising the constraints of competing needs and priorities, and acknowledging the need for responsible risk-taking in some situations. They work with their teacher or a mentor to develop measures for evaluating achievement of goals. They select from the range of planning and organisational skills and processes they have developed, and use those which best meet the needs of particular tasks. They develop their time-management, resource management and task-completion strategies, by undertaking learner-directed projects which are related to their areas of interest and future pathways. They use, evaluate and modify the criteria they use to check that their work is relevant, accurate and meets task objectives. Students review and amend, as appropriate, their study and revision strategies.

Standards

The individual learner

At Level 6, students work independently to implement a range of strategies, as appropriate, to maximise their learning. They monitor and reflect on and discuss their progress as autonomous learners, identifying areas for improvement in their learning and implementing actions to address them. Students seek and respond to feedback from peers, teachers and other adults to develop and refine their content knowledge and understanding, identifying areas for further investigation. They evaluate the effectiveness of their learning strategies, study techniques and learning habits, and make appropriate modifications. They identify their interests, strengths and weaknesses and use these to determine future learning needs, especially in relation to the post-compulsory pathways.

Students identify the ethical frameworks that underpin their own and others’ beliefs and values and describe how the conflicts and dilemmas they identify may affect learning. They determine, monitor and modify learning improvement goals, taking into account current and future learning needs. They determine the factors that contribute to the creation of positive learning environments and establish, follow and monitor protocols for a variety of learning situations.

Managing personal learning

At Level 6, students initiate personal short-term and long-term learning goals and negotiate appropriate courses of action to achieve them. Students allocate appropriate time and identify and utilise appropriate resources to manage competing priorities and complete tasks, including learner-directed projects, within set timeframes. They initiate and negotiate a range of independent activities with their teachers, providing progress and summative reports for teachers and stakeholders. They monitor and evaluate the effectiveness of their task and resource management skills, reflecting on their progress and suggesting and implementing appropriate management strategies for improvement. They take responsibility for their learning environments, both at school and at home, anticipating the consequences of their actions. They demonstrate control of impulses and mood modulation. Students review and modify the criteria they use to check that their work is relevant, accurate and meets task objectives and make appropriate changes to completed tasks using these criteria. They identify and refine the strategies they use to study, organise and revise their work, both at school and at home.