Guided learning

Abstract

Guided learning refers to a process in which learners initiate and advance their learning guided by more experienced partners and socially derived sources, such as tools, text and other artifacts. As such, this process of learning is seen being distinct from didactic instruction comprising unidirectional interaction between more and less knowledgeable interlocutors, as in teaching. Instead, the direction and process of guided learning is premised more on the learners' intentions, capacity and agency, albeit being guided by social partners and norms and forms. This guidance will likely take two forms: i) close interpersonal interactions with more informed partners (e.g. experts, teachers, parents) and ii) indirect guidance from observing and interacting with others, artifacts and social forms and norms (Billett 2000). The former, often referred to as proximal guidance, can comprise modeling of tasks to be learnt, joint problem solving, explanations and the use of pedagogic strategies such as questioning and analogies, as in coaching, and extends to monitoring learners' performance and organizing experiences for them, as in mentoring. Indirect guidance is provided through learners actively observing, listening and engaging with social practices and norms, which serve to furnish models and goals for performance and their learning. The greater exercise of learner agency is a defining quality of guided learning.