Ultimately our goal is for students to be even more invested in their own learning than we are as faculty. Let’s discuss strategies that subtly begin to shift the focus from how instructors can improve student outcomes to how students directly influence their own success within the course and beyond.
Educational literature uses the term “self-regulated learners” when discussing students who possess the skills and strategies to control their own learning process. Self-regulatory skills and strategies such as organization, self-efficacy, help seeking, rehearsal, critical thinking, delay of gratification, goal setting, self-monitoring and self-evaluation (Nilson, 2013; Pintrich, 1991) are found to significantly predict student grades (Richardson, Abraham, & Bond, 2012).
Researchers agree that self-regulated learners are not individuals who have certain traits, but rather individuals who have developed the skills to become so (Zimmerman, 2015). Instructors have the opportunity to help students develop these skills to empower them to take control of their own learning process not only within one course, but also within future education in other coursework, in occupation, etc.
Interventions and scaffolded instruction can be put into place to help foster self-regulated learners, but most interventions are designed for in-classroom implementation (Schmitz & Perels, 2011; Schmitz & Wiese, 2006). Indeed, faculty who teach courses in person are able to provide structure and assist with organization and time management simply by holding an in-person lecture at the same time every week.
An online education provides students with flexibility and accessibility to learn anywhere, at any time. These benefits, however, require that students possess the skills and strategies to effectively engage with course content and efficiently manage their time to meet deadlines, despite competing life demands (Kizilcec, Perez-Sanagustin, & Maldonado, 2016). It should not be assumed that students already have these skills (i.e., first generation college attendees), nor should it be assumed that online learning in itself helps students to build self-regulatory skills.
This session will focus on specific strategies instructors of online courses can utilize in order to bolster the skills of learners for their present and future success. The presenters will delve into how to identify self-regulated learners, will discuss the skills that contribute to becoming a self-regulated learner, and will provide attendees with specific strategies that can be utilized in online learning environments to promote those skills.
This session will provide attendees with self-regulatory learning research from a variety of fields in addition to examples and lessons learned from experience as an instructor of large enrollment online graduate level courses. Qualitative and quantitative data will be shared demonstrating the acceptability and perceived benefit of implemented strategies intended to develop the self-regulation skills of learners.
Time will also be provided for attendees to apply the information shared to their own endeavors, and provide and receive feedback with other session attendees regarding the unique adaptations of the session information. Attendees will walk away with resources, including example assignments, and information regarding empowering self-regulated learners and ideas for empowering self-regulated learners within their specific field or occupation.
References:
Kizilcec, R.F., Perez-Sanagustin, M. & Maldonado, J.J. (2016). Self-regulated learning strategies predict learner behavior and goal attainment in Massive Open Online Courses. Computers and Education, 104, 18-33.
Nilson, L.B. (2013). Creating self-regulated learners: Strategies to strengthen students’ self-awareness and learning skills. Sterling, Virginia: Stylus.
Pintrich, P.R. (2004). A conceptual framework for assessing motivation and self-regulated learning in college students. Educational Psychology Review, 16(4), 385-407.
Richardson, M., Abraham, C., & Bond, R. (2012). Psychological correlates of university students’ academic performance. A systematic review and meta-analysis. Psychological Bulletin, 138, 353-387.
Schmitz, B., & Perels, F. (2011). Self-monitoring of self-regulation during math homework behaviour using standardized diaries. Metacognition and Learning, 6(3), 255–273.
Schmitz, B., & Wiese, B. S. (2006). New perspectives for the evaluation of training sessions in self-regulated learning: Time-series analyses of diary data. Contemporary Educational Psychology, 31(1), 64–96.
Zimmerman, B.J. (2002). Becoming a self-regulated learner: An overview. Theory Into Practice, 41 (2), 64-70.
Zimmerman, B. J. (2015). Self-regulated learning: Theories, measures, and outcomes. In J. D. Wright (Ed.), International Encyclopedia of the Social & Behavioral Sciences (2nd ed., pp. 541-546). San Diego, CA: Elsevier Academic Press.