Self-paced classes are a way of learning where the student is able to teach themselves the content they need to know, and if a topic is already familiar to them, they can go through the lesson more quickly to focus on unknown content.
Self-paced classes are the ideal way to learn.
The main reason this is the best learning method is because, without set due dates every day, there is less pressure on the student to meet deadlines and turn in work that was completed under a strict time constraint. With less anxiety, students can complete assignments thoroughly and to the best of their ability. There is no rush to getting assignments turned in, meaning students aren’t staying up late at night or into the early hours of the morning trying to complete assignments that are due the next day. Self-paced learning can give students the sleep they need to be healthy and keep their brain functioning at the level it needs to.
In the case of most students, when presented with the opportunity of self-paced learning, the material they needed to complete was done in a matter of weeks. A diagnostic test at the beginning of each unit can evaluate the student’s prior knowledge, setting them on the right track to learn what they need to. Then the student can review the materials they didn’t succeed in, and then when they feel comfortable, they can test out of that lesson. This means the student can move at a faster pace, building their confidence and self-esteem.
Some parents and teachers say that if a student is able to do the work whenever they want to, then some students will not do it at all. While this might be true for some, when students are presented with the opportunity to work at their own pace, most will eventually do their work so that they can just be finished with it.
Due to the fact that it’s able to take pressure off of students so they can get enough sleep, that it boosts students’ confidence and self-esteem, and helps students learn exactly what they need to, self-paced learning is the best way to learn, and schools and classrooms should adopt this way of learning to better their students.
