1. OZDEMİR p.1
What Insights Can We Gain From Educational Thinking and Automous Learning?
In her article ''What insights can we gain from educational thinking and automous
learning?'' Tricia Hedge discusses ELT writers ' arguments and the mismatch between the
goals in education and what actually happens in classrooms and also the author argues
which educational model is more optinal in ELT, states the meanings and spetial features
of ''self-determination'', ''educational thinking'' and some of learning strategies such as
''teacher-directed transmission model''. Then the author points out the meaning of
''autonomy'' and what the autonomy brings to the education.Tricia Hedge says that
learners should not be passive recipients of knowledge but should use their abilities for
''judging'' and ''deciding'' to take on more reponsibility for their own learning. I totally
agree with the author. I think that the learners should play an active role in learning
process. And in that way, they should develop their personal features such as thinking and
taking their own responsibility. I will summarize this part in three steps.
Firstly, Tricia Hedge states that the democratic societies giving importance to
knowledge, skills and education also value the development of responsible and thinker
people also the author points out that societies that value freedom of thought and action
may view the self-deterrmining person as a alluring end result of education. Also the
author states that some educationists have been questioning whether this goal can be
accomplished through a classroom process that has teacher-centered learning style that
the teacher traditionally organizes everything. The author thinks that there is a mismatch
between the goals and what actually has been used in classrooms especially in the
formative years of primary and secondary level of education. In this aspect, I agree with
the author because in the formative level of our education. We are faced with teachercentered model. All students are in passive role. They just do whatever the teacher says
and they memorize most of the things.
Secondly, Tricia Hedge states that there is ''hidden curriculum'' at work. In hidden
curriculum historical facts, scientific processes and skills are not teached like craft

2. subject but taughted with shaping learners' feelings about education, to be aware of their
own learning, knowing their attitudes and the nature of the subject they are studying. Also
the author points out that in a teacher-directed classroom students are generally expected
to be in a passive role and it is difficult for passive students to convert themselves to an
active personality and to develop their self-determining in their continuing learning
process throughout their lives. The author gives example that in 1960s and 1970s there
were reactions in educational writing in western cultures to the''teacher-directed
transmission'' model of education and uses quotation of Illich to give the meaning of this
model of education.(1972). Tricia Hedge states that a debate took radical directions in
anti-established movements and an orientation was suggested that in this way, the teacher
amd student roles and more learner-centered approaches in which students could be
encouraged to take on greater responsibility for their own learning. The author uses
Knowles's (1995) comment to compare the students having active and passive roles. Also
the author gives argument results that ELT wriiters reflect on how easy it is for a learner
to become independent on the teacher, the learner can build expectations that the teacher's
instructions are enough for students. If they do everything that the teacher says, they may
think that they will be successfull. Also the author uses the comment of Henner-Stanchina
and Riley (1998:78) to take notice of the student tendency in teacher-directed classroom.
I agree with the author because the teacher-centered systems follows the dtudent to
became passive learners and iit is so difficult to change this situation in the long process.
Thirdly, the author points out that the Council of Europe Modern Languagge Project
gave early thought of ''autonomization'' that the learner must be capable of making
decisions abaout learning and there must be a structure for learning within which a
learner can take responsibility for those decisions. And the learning process was regarded
as manaagement process included these necessary tecniques of management: selecting
method, self-monitoring of progress, self-evaluation, fixing objectives for learning,
deciding on the content of a learning programme. And the author states that principals
about lerarners managing their own learning process have been put into practice in a
number of countries such as the automomous learning scheme at CRAPEL, University
of Nancy, Cambridge. And all of these provide and environment for independent learning
and support systems for learners in line with Holec's preconditions. I agree with the
author and I think that the autonomy is beneficial for students and it is best learning
strategy for me.
In conclusion of this article, Tricia Hedge gives information about the development of
''autonomy'' process. In this article, the author gives information about the teachercentered learning styles, the differences of them from each other, she supports the

3. newness and doesn't like teacher-centered models. She says that the students must be in
an active role in learning process and teacher must be the supporter and consultant. I
totally agree with the author, I support these contemporary ideas. And I recommend tha
students that they should search the ''autonomy'' and they should use it in their lifes.
Autonomy will help them in each step of their educational lifes.