Benefits of Independent Study at University

Independent study is the most common type of education around the world. This kind of education is offered by many high schools, colleges and especially universities in the UK. Independent study means to not rely on someone, to be responsible for your learning and to be an adult student. With this education you will need to find your methods of studying and organize yourself, because it is important not just for the university, but for your life and future as well.

When students come to university they should be ready for responsibility which they are going to take and also be mature students. They should remember that it is not the school where teachers will explain to them everything and control their studies. It is the university which expects students to study alone, plan their time and their own ways to reach their goals, which also students have to decide for themselves. (Northedge 1990).

Besides, adult students are students who have their own point of view. Again at school we used to learn what teacher told us to learn, and support ideas which we had read. At university is different. We should not just find the idea which we agree with, we should be able to argue against other ideas, support and prove with good arguments our points of view. Because at university students should show to the teacher that they don’t just know this subject but also understand and can demonstrate it. (ibid. p15).

In addition, as an adult student you will spend a lot of time out of the university: at home, studying alone; in the libraries and sometimes in groups, to share your ideas. Everything should be balanced. You should find something out in the library, read it by yourself and understand the main idea, and this understanding will give you foundation to discuss with other people. Every step of this process is necessary, especially the part of communication, because when students discuss about how they understood the subject they translate ideas from...