The Need to Support Independent Student- Directed Learning Bowen Hui 1 and Constance Crompton 2 Abstract As new educational paradigms, such as blended learning, flipped class- rooms, and flexible learning, become mainstream, it is important to have the prop- er tools in place to support methods of student-initiated and student-directed learn- ing. In this paper, we present a prototype of an online educational tool called the Concept Navigator that is designed to provide students with an explicit and visual representation of the core concepts and learning outcomes of a course. Unlike typ- ical course websites where materials are structured linearly based on an academic calendar, course materials in the Concept Navigator are associated to a set of core concepts presented via a visual, pedagogical tool called the concept map. By digit- izing a course concept map and integrating it with existing online functionality such as individualized learning paths, real-time performance and progress moni- toring, and data analytics for course management, the Concept Navigator will im- prove the learning experience in new student-centric paradigms. 1. Introduction One of the most important factors in course design is the overall picture of the relationship between the main course concepts and the lectures, exercises, assign- ments, tests, class discussions and expected learning outcomes. As educators, we are often concerned about how our students perform with respect to specific con- cepts, specific learning outcomes, or whether they understand the connections among the different components of the course. While we design assessments to help students achieve various learning outcomes, the interconnectedness of the concepts assessed in assignments, projects, and exams make it difficult for us to tease apart what students excel in and what they find difficult. This problem is even more challenging in large classes, where instructors need to keep in mind the average class performance as well as the performance of individual students. In order to better help the students, ideally, educators should be able to point to an assessment piece (e.g., an assignment question), see the corresponding perfor- 1 University of British Columbia Okanagan, Computer Science and Beyond the Cube Consulting Services Ltd. 2 University of British Columbia Okanagan, Critical Studies.