This article analyzes the independent work that, in its educational dimension, has been investigated by several authors, making possible to define it in many ways; is traditionally identified with the activity performed by the student to learn independently within or outside the classroom with the teacher’s guidance or not. This paper overcomes this notion and proposes a concept that clarifies the role of the teacher in charge of the direction of the student self-activity. With the theoretical and experiences systematization defending the student’s active role in learning and developed concepts on independent study and work, we made a historical periodization. Finally, we propose a suitable concept to university context, that under an approach on process, allows a dynamic teaching and student-centered learning, greater flexibility in the training process and to break with educational traditionalism.