The Five Dimensions
Dimension One: Orientation
The Orientation Dimension of the Autonomous Learner Model provides learners,
teachers, administrators, and parents the opportunities to develop a foundation
of the concepts of giftedness, talent, intelligence, creativity and the
development of potential. Learners discover more about themselves, their
abilities, and what the ALM has to offer. Activities are presented to give
learners an opportunity to work together as a group, to learn more about group
process and interaction, and to learn more about the other people in the
program.
Dimension Two: Individual Development
The Individual Development Dimension of the model provides learners with the
opportunities to develop the cognitive, emotional, social and physical skills,
concepts, and attitudes necessary for life-long learning. In other words,
learners become autonomous in their learning.
Areas within the dimension include opportunities for the
inter/intrapersonal development of the learners, the appropriate
learning skills for life-long learning, and the area of technology. Also, the
learners participate in college and career involvement, the development of
organizational skills and the importance of productivity skills, which are used
when information is presented in a variety of ways.
Dimension Three: Enrichment
The Enrichment Dimension of the Autonomous Learner Model is developed to
provide learners with opportunities to explore content and curriculum that is
usually not part of the prescribed school curriculum. Learners to go beyond is
now the opportunity for the learners to differentiate their own learning. Since
most content and curriculum in the schools is prescribed, the ALM
differentiated approach frees the learners to go beyond the usual content,
which may be surface learning for the gifted and talented. The highest level of
learning is manifested when learners have the freedom to select and to pursue
content or curriculum in their own style. Curriculum differentiation by the
learners begins with Explorations, where the goal is to “find
out” what is out there. Become an explorer yourself and find new and
unique knowledge in a variety of methods. The second type of learner
differentiation are Investigations. These are more in-depth than
Investigations and require the learners to design, implement, complete and
present a project with a mini-product.
Learners are also involved in Cultural Activities that are designed so
that they are involved in cultural events in the community. Service activities
are essential and are non-negotiable. The humanitarian spirit is
incorporated into the ALM. Through participation in the Service activities,
the majority of the learners want to make this a better world of which we live
in.
Dimension Four: Seminars
The Seminar Dimension of the model is designed to give learners in groups of
three to five opportunities to research a topic, present it as a seminar to the
rest of the class and other interested people, and to assess it by criteria
selected and developed by the learners. A seminar is essential because it
provides learners the chance to move from the role of student to the role of
learner. If students are to truly become learners, they must have the
opportunities to experience guided independent group learning, by providing a
structure that promotes the development of new knowledge.
Dimension Five: In-depth Studies
The In-depth Study Dimension of the Autonomous Learner Model empowers learners
to pursue long term in-depth studies in their passion areas. The learners
determine what will be learned, how it will be learned, how it will be
presented, what facilitation will be necessary by the teacher and mentor. These
plans are then implemented and completed by the learners with presentations
being made at appropriate times until the completion of the project. Final
presentations and assessments are given to all who are involved and interested.
Orientation Dimension Overview