Escuela Nueva (EN) of Colombia promotes high-quality education not only for high academic scores but also for non-cognitive skills including autonomous learning. These skills are especially recently highlighted and required for the next generations to survive in the highly globalized society and to contribute to sustainable development. Thus, this study aims to measure the impact of autonomous learning in EN primary schools. This five-year international research evaluated the attitude towards autonomous learning of students after graduating from EN primary schools (grades one to five). A baseline survey was conducted with 1,037 grade six students who had just graduated from primary schools and currently attending conventional secondary schools. The students filled out a questionnaire, and their attitude towards autonomous learning was measured, to be understood how far they gained autonomous attitude through primary schools. Then the same questionnaires were filled by the same students when they became grade nine to be compared with the initial results. Their answers were analyzed in relation to the four levels in EN implementation, through three kinds of methods such as factor analysis, analysis of variance, and correlation analysis. As a result, this study concludes that there is a correlation between autonomous learning and EN implementation levels when they were in grade six. Students who graduated from higher EN-implementing primary schools indicated more positive behavior and attitude in autonomous learning, particularly with the following three components: initiative, motivation, and heterogeneity. When they became grade nine, however, the correlations were not observed except for initiative.

Keywords: 21st century skills, non-cognitive skills, initiative, autonomous learning, Colombia, primary education, Escuela Nueva.