Theme One
Trust as a Teaching Tool
Students learn to judge their own work when teachers deliberately hand over responsibility and then ask thoughtful questions about the choices made.
Read moreEvent Report
Education, Autonomy and Human Flourishing
December 10, 2019 to December 11, 2019. Two days of discussion on how schools can nurture independent thinking and a life that goes well.
Overview
Why Autonomy Matters in Education
Autonomy is often described as the capacity to govern oneself by reasons one can call one's own. In education, this capacity is neither a gift that appears automatically nor a skill that can be drilled in isolation. It grows through practice, through being trusted with real decisions and through reflecting on the consequences of those decisions.
The programme brought together researchers, teachers and school leaders to ask a central question: how can education support young people in becoming autonomous thinkers while also helping them lead lives that are meaningful and good?
Programme
Two Days, Three Strands
December 10, 2019, Morning
Opening Dialogue on Flourishing
The opening session examined classical and contemporary accounts of human flourishing and asked what they imply for the aims of schooling.
December 10, 2019, Afternoon
Autonomy in the Classroom
Teachers shared classroom examples where students were given genuine choice in projects, and discussed how to balance guidance with freedom.
December 11, 2019, Morning
Independent Learning Skills
Researchers presented findings on how self-regulation and reflective habits develop, and what schools can do to strengthen them over time.
December 11, 2019, Closing
Synthesis and Next Steps
Participants identified shared questions for future research and agreed to pilot small-scale studies in their own institutions.
Key Themes from the Sessions
Three ideas recurred throughout the discussions.
Theme Two
Independence With Support
Autonomy flourishes when independence is scaffolded, so that learners can take on more responsibility at a pace they can manage and understand.
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Theme Three
Flourishing Beyond Results
Academic achievement matters, but participants agreed that education should also cultivate curiosity, care and the capacity to live well with others.
Read moreThe two days changed how I plan my lessons. I now ask students what they want to find out before I tell them what matters.
Participant, 2019 Programme
Materials from the programme, including session summaries and reading lists, are available on request. Read our related essays on civic and epistemic aims and avoiding educational neuroscientism.
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