79 learning teacher and lecturer were still needed for class discussion or for
clarifying the knowledge that the students got. Participant G assumed that in general independent learning was not limited only in school context. She
assumed that independent learning could be done everywhere, every time, and based on the needs, so at school teacher and lecturer still had the same role. In
other side, participant H considered independent learning minimized teacher’s role in class because students had already find the information before the teacher
had.
b. Lecturers’ Perception
Three lecturers were interviewed about independent learning. Participant X defined independent learning as a mental condition that makes somebody have
very strong desire or motivation to learn new knowledge or new information without other people’s influence. Participant X added that independent learning
form somebody not to give up easily when meeting a problem because she knows for sure why she must learn. Participant Y defined independent learning as a
process of learning which is initiated by the students without formally instructed by the teachers and to find information by their own effort from other sources.
Participant Z stated that in independent learning students should not depend on the lecturers. To draw a line, independent learning is a learning process initiated by
the learner without other people’s influence and without depending on other people since this learning process requires learner to consciously aware on the
needs.
80 All three participants agreed that independent learning was important for
the students. Participant X reminded that independent learning should be understood in a wide context expanding beyond school and college context.
Participant Y reasoned the success of the students depended very much on their effort to learn by themselves, while participant Z added that independence in
learning was not only the process but also the goal in learning. Based on the answers stated, besides forming students to be independent, the necessities of
independent learning according to the lecturers were: 1
Students may sharpen self-discipline for their own learning and life. 2
Students may develop the habit to take initiative and become proactive in every activity they have to do.
3 Students may become persistent so they won’t easily give up when facing
a problem. 4
Students may become wiser, open-minded, and mature because students were accustomed to make decision, to take real actions, and to be
responsible for what she had chosen. 5
Students may develop entrepreneurship skill. Being verified about the influencing factors in forming independence in
learning, the participants mentioned motivation, personal-goal, student’s personality, and bringing-habit from the education before. Participant Y also
considered that student’s interest on the subject is also important to raise student’s willingness to study independently.
81 According to the interviewees in this second group of participants,
independent learning did not minimize the role of teachers and lecturers in classroom activities. Participant X argued that the practice of independent
learning skill depended on the type of the learner. A particular independent learning technique could not be applied to all learners, for example for
Undergraduate and Master Graduate students. Regarding to it, the intensity and capacity of independence to students were different. Independent learning skill
practice did not minimize but change the role of the teachers. From the data presented above, the researcher made an effort to discuss
those result. Based on the findings, the researcher concluded that most participants had understood the rationale of independent learning. As stated by
Kesten 1987, independent learning is a learning process in which the learner in conjunction with relevant others can make the decisions necessary to meet the
learner’s own learning needs. The findings also showed that in independent learning, the learner do not only develop knowledge and skills, but also develop
values and attitudes needed to be responsible to any decision they made. Also, the findings made clear that independent learning develop learners’ basic needs as
individual and as the part of society Regina, 1988 by doing individual work or group work. Another point was that in independent learning the teacher do not
lose their role in class, but she changes the role as the assistant for the students in learning as instructor, guide, and facilitator Regina, 1988.
82
2. The Importance of Worksheets for Independent Learning
