Self-regulated learning

The term self-regulated (process of taking control of and evaluating one's own learning and behavior) can be used to describe learning that is guided by metacognition (thinking about one's thinking), strategic action (planning, monitoring, and evaluating personal progress against a standard), and motivation to learn (Butler & Winne, 1995; Winne & Perry, 2000; Perry, Phillips, & Hutchinson, 2006; Zimmerman, 1990; Boekaerts & Corno, 2005). In particular, self-regulated learners are cognizant of their academic strengths and weaknesses, and they have a repertoire of strategies they appropriately apply to tackle the day-to-day challenges of academic tasks. These learners hold incremental beliefs about intelligence (as opposed to fixed views of intelligence) and attribute their successes or failures to factors (e.g., effort expended on a task, effective use of strategies) within their control (Dweck & Leggett, 1988; Dweck, 2002). Finally, students who are self-regulated learners believe that opportunities to take on challenging tasks, practice their learning, develop a deep understanding of subject matter, and exert effort will give rise to academic success (Perry et al., 2006). In part, these characteristics may help to explain why self-regulated learners usually exhibit a high sense of self-efficacy (Pintrich & Schunk, 2002). In the educational psychology literature, researchers have linked these characteristics to success in and beyond school (Corno, et al., 2002; Pintrich, 2000; Winne & Perry, 2000).

Social Cognitive Perspective

Self-regulation from the Social Cognitive Perspective looks at the triadic interaction among the person (e.g., beliefs about success), his or her behavior (e.g., engaging in a task), and the environment (e.g., feedback from a teacher). Zimmerman et al. specified three important characteristics of self-regulated learning:

1. self-observation (monitoring one's activities);
2. self-judgment (self-evaluation of one's performance) and
3. self-reactions (reactions to performance outcomes).

To the extent that one accurately reflects on his or her progress toward a learning goal, and appropriately adjusts his or her actions to maximize performance, he or she has effectively self-regulated. During a students school career the primary goal of teachers is to produce self-regulated learners by using such theories as Information Processing Model (IPM). By storing the information into long term memory (or a live document like a Runbook) the learner can retrieve it upon demand and apply to tasks, becoming a self-regulated learner.

Information Processing Perspective

Winne & Marx posited that motivational thoughts and beliefs are governed by the basic principles of cognitive psychology, which should be conceived in information-processing terms.

Student Performance Perspective

Lovett, Meyer and Thille observed comparable student performance between instructor-led and self-regulated learning environments. In a subsequent study self-regulated learning was shown to enable accelerated learning while maintaining long-term retention rates. [1]

Cassandra B. Whyte (Whyte, 1978; Lauridsen & Whyte, 1985) noted the importance of internal locus of control tendencies on successful academic performance, also compatible with self-regulated learning. Whyte recognized and appreciated external factors, to include the benefit of working with a good teacher, while encouraging self-regulated hard work, skill building, and a positive attitude to perform better in academic situations.(Whyte,1978)

Application of self-regulated learning in practice

Edirippulige & Marasinghe (2011) reviewed evidences of blending of self-regulated learning with new educational programmes such as e-Health teaching using different ICT technologies.

See also

• Self (psychology)
• Self-efficacy
• Educational psychology
• Learning by teaching (LdL)
• Reflective practice
• Sudbury Valley School

References

• Azevedo, R., Cromley, J.G., Moos, D.C., Greene, J.A. & Winters, F.I.: Adaptive Content and Process Scaffolding: A key to facilitating students’ self-regulated learning with hypermedia. Psychol Test Assess Model, 53 (1), 73-105.
• Butler, D.L., Cartier, S.C., Schnellert, L., Gagnon, F. & Giammarino, M.: Secondary students’ self-regulated engagement in reading: researching self-regulation as situated in context. Psychol Test Assess Model, 53 (1), 161-179.
• Butler, D. L. & Winne, P.H. Feedback and self-regulated learning: A theoretical synthesis. Review of Educational Research, 65, 245-281.
• Boekaerts, M. & Corno, L. Self-regulation in the classroom: A perspective on assessment and intervention. Applied Psychology: An International Review, 54(2), 199-231, 2005.
• Cartier, S.C., Butler, D.L. & Bouchard, N.: Teachers working together to foster self-regulated learning through reading by students in an elementary school located in a disadvantaged area. Psychol Test Assess Model, 52 (4), 382-418.
• Corno, L., Cronbach, L. J., Kupermintz, H. K., Lohman, D. H., Mandinach, E. B., Porteus, A., Talbert J. for the Stanford Aptitude Seminar. Remaking the concept of aptitude: Extending the legacy of Richard E. Snow. Mahweh, NJ: Erlbaum, 2002.
• Duan, X., Wei, S., Wang, G. & Shi, J.: The Relationship between executive functions and intelligence on 11- to 12-year-old children. Psychol Test Assess Model, 52 (4), 419-431.
• Dweck, C. S. (2002). Beliefs that make smart people dumb. In R. J. Sternberg (Ed.), Why smart people do stupid things. New Haven: Yale University Press.
• Dweck, C.S., & Leggett, E.L. (1988). A social-cognitive approach to motivation and personality. Psychological Review, 95, 256-273.
• Edirippulige S, Mrasinghe, R. (2011) Eds. Fostering Self-regulated Learning in e-Health, in Fostering Self-Regulated Learning through ICT. IGI Globle, USA. (pp 352-363). Available online http://www.igi-global.com/Bookstore/Chapter.aspx?TitleId=47165.
• Klug, J., Ogrin, S., Keller, S., Ihringer, A. & Schmitz, B.: A plea for self-regulated learning as a process: Modelling, measuring and intervening. Psychol Test Assess Model, 53 (1), 51-72.
• Lauridsen Kurt and Whyte, Cassandra B. (1985) An Integrated Counseling and Learning Assistance Center-Chapater for New Directions Sourcebook. Jossey-Bass, Inc.
• Lovett, M., Meyer, O. & Thille, C. Measuring the Effectiveness of the OLI Statistics Course in Accelerating Student Learning. JIME, 2008.
• Perry, N.E., Phillips, L., & Hutchinson, L.R. (2006). Preparing student teachers to support for self-regulated learning. Elementary School Journal, 106, 237-254.
• Perry, N.E., Thauberger, C. & Hutchinson, L.: gStudy traces of children's self-regulated learning in the Lifecycles Learning Kit. Psychol Test Assess Model, 52 (4), 432-453.
• Pintrich, P. R. (2000). Multiple goals, multiple pathways: The role of goal orientation in learning and achievement. Journal of Educational Psychology, 92, 544-555.
• Pintrich, P. R. & Schunk, D. H. (2002). Motivation in education: Theory, research, and applications. Upper Saddle River, NJ: Merrill-Prentice Hall.
• Porath, M., Ngara, C., Lai, Y., Fogel, K. & Lupart, J.: Children's understanding of teaching: A component of self-regulation? Psychol Test Assess Model, 52 (4), 454-471.
• Whyte, Cassandra Bolyard, "Effective Counseling Methods for High-Risk College Freshmen", Measurement and Evaluation in Guidance, 10, 4, January 1978, 198-200.
• Winne, P.H.: Bootstrapping learner's self-regulated learning. Psychol Test Assess Model, 52 (4), 472-490.
• Winne, P.H. & Perry, N.E. (2000). Measuring self-regulated learning. In P. Pintrich, M. Boekaerts, & M. Seidner (Eds.), Handbook of self-regulation (p. 531-566). Orlando, FL: Academic Press.
• Ziegler, A., Stoeger, H. & Grassinger, R.: Actiotope model and self-regulated learning. Psychol Test Assess Model, 53 (1), 141-160.
• Zimmerman, B.J. (1990). Self-regulated learning and academic achievement: An overview. Educational Psychologist, 25, 3-17.
• Zimmerman, B.J., Moylan, A., Hudesman, J., White, N. & Flugman, B.: Enhancing self-reflection and mathematics achievement of at-risk urban technical college students. Psychol Test Assess Model, 53 (1), 106-140.