Self Regulated Learning is not a new notion in education. Self Regulated Learning entails a lot more than just learning how to control your emotions. It also addresses the metacognitive concepts of learning, such as understanding how to learn in varied situations, typically overlooked in teaching and learning. SRL entails understanding how to learn and keeping track of your progress towards achieving specific objectives.
What Is Self Regulated Learning?
Self Regulated Learning is one of the self-regulation domains most closely associated with educational goals. It's a cyclical procedure in which a student plans for a task, checks their progress, and evaluates the results. The cycle then repeats itself as the learner adjusts and prepares for the next challenge using the information gained from the reflection.
A learner with well-developed Self Regulated Learning abilities is aware of several learning techniques and can choose the most appropriate ones for their situation, subject, or kind of learning activity. They also possess a developing mindset. They clearly understand their current skill level and capabilities. Furthermore, they take essential steps to balance their strengths while focusing on overall personality development. As the learners have complete control over their learning environment, self-regulated learners are effective and successful. They control their actions by directing and regulating them toward their learning objectives through the various phases of Self Regulated Learning.
Phases Of Self Regulated Learning
The iterative and cyclical process of Self Regulated Learning has three phases:
- Setting objectives and formulation of a strategy
- Tracking the performance and progress toward achievement of the set targets
- Reflecting on the outcomes and making judgments about how to alter them
1. Formulation Of Objectives And Strategy
Many students may ignore the initial step of the cycle as they rush into a task. Teachers should encourage students to make a strategy before they begin working on a task. Although this may appear to be a step backward for students, it will ultimately help them be more productive with their time and effort. This step should include:
- Analyzing the task properly
- Setting of objectives
- Planning strategies to achieve set objectives
- Mentioning the final expectations from the task
Tips for teachers to excel in the initial step of Self Regulated Learning:
- Assist students with mapping out the most effective techniques to achieve the goal.
- Help students set short-term goals to track their progress.
- Allow students to plan for themselves as they gain skills.
2. Tracking of performance
In this step of Self Regulated Learning, students follow the plan defined in the initial phase. Students should proceed confidently since they have already devised a thorough action plan with appropriate strategies. This step should include:
- Self-observations and tracking of performance by students to reflect on the set objectives
- Proper use of the strategy formulated in the initial phase of the process
- An action plan in case the initial method fails, or some obstacles arise during its implementation
Tips for teachers to excel in this phase of Self Regulated Learning:
- Help students track their performance and progress towards the achievement of short-term goals.
- Provide students with constructive feedback to perform better in the task.
3. Reflection on outcomes
Many students are concerned with their grades and scores. While grades are important, you can assist students in reflecting on how they think they performed on a specific task and why. This kind of reflection can help students figure out why they got a particular grade and how they can improve their skills.
Tips for teachers to excel in this final phase of Self Regulated Learning:
- Help students assess their performance and outcomes. Instead of comparing their performance to others, students should compare their performance to objectives set in the initial phase.
- Consider how effective the tactics you employed were.
- Assist students in managing their emotions and, over time, lead them down useful paths of thought about how to enhance their performance.
How To Include Self Regulated Learning Process?
According to research, there are three basic approaches to include SRL instruction into teaching techniques, but only one yields long-term effectiveness.
Indirect SRL: This is equivalent to tossing the child into the water and expecting them to learn to swim without any instruction. Some students will learn SRL on their own, while others will be doomed.
Implicit SRL: This is akin to leaping into the pool with the youngsters and swimming alongside them to demonstrate strokes and techniques without ever giving precise instructions. Explicit instruction is absent, but the teacher gives advice and suggests strategies. Implicit instruction happens when teachers construct classes with specific Self Regulated Learning activities.
Explicit SRL: There is clear and concise guidance. In the case of swimming, the child receives swimming instruction and learns the benefits and drawbacks of various strokes and why some swimming strokes are superior in different situations. They figure out which strokes they favor and when. This approach takes their body type and muscle composition into account as well. In explicit SRL, students learn various methods, which are best for certain situations and why those strategies are beneficial.
Conclusion
The Explicit Self Regulated Learning model yields long-term effectiveness. Teachers must explain to students the value and importance of self-regulated learning techniques and assist them in recognizing when and where to apply these learning methods. Self-regulated learners are better at solving complex problems, so it becomes important for both teachers and students to understand Self Regulated Learning and implement it in day-to-day tasks.
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