This is a three step assignment designed to help you think about the importance of both long term & short term learning goals, and how being a meta-literate learner can help direct and shape your learning strategy.

1. Identify a short-term learning objective and provide a basic plan for reaching this objective

Answer the following questions regarding a current interest.

1. What are you curious about now that is outside of or extends your studies?
2. How might you go about learning more? List three specific institutions, people, or resources that would provide potential ways to learn.
3. How will you make time to engage in this learning?
4. Which of the metaliterate learner roles would you like to aim for in connection with this new expertise you will be working towards? (Collaborator, Communicator, Participant, Producer, Researcher, Teacher, Translator)
5. How do you expect to fulfill this role?
6. What hurdles do you expect? How will you get over them?

2. Discuss the importance of lifelong learning goals

Interview a parent, teacher, colleague or friend (aim for someone well beyond college-age) and get their answers to these questions:

1. What were a couple of their learning goals once they were out of school?
2. Did they have a chance to pursue them? Why or why not?
3. How did they go about learning more? Is it a method they would recommend?
4. Did they feel they met their goals?
5. Explain the metaliterate learner roles to this person and ask if they took on any of them in connection with their new knowledge.
6. What would they recommend to you in regard to lifelong learning, based on their own experiences?

3. Reflect

Now, reflect on what you have learned–how has this changed your thoughts about your own lifelong learning?

What have you learned from your course work & assignments that you feel will shape your short- or long-term learning plan or strategy? What metaliterate learner roles will be important?