SELF-REGULATED LEARNING & MOTIVATION

Michelle V. Hall, MA

WHAT IS SELF-REGULATION

Self-regulation refers to self-generated thoughts, feelings, and behaviors that are oriented to attaining goals (Zimmerman, B., 2000).

Students can actively activate their cognition, motivation, & behavior.

WHAT IS SELF-REGULATION

Not a mental ability, like intelligence

Not an academic skill It’s a self-directive process that

learners can use to transform their intrinsic mental abilities into academic skills.

WHY SELF-REGULATED LEARNING Helps all types of learners: adults, college

students, youth learners, disabled, elementary students

Self-regulated learners are more likely to succeed academically and view their futures optimistically.

Learner-centered approach to teaching.

Is important in the development of lifelong learning skills.

SELF-REGULATED LEARNER Is proactive in learning efforts:

Are aware of: strengths and limitations, best learning settings, what hinders learning

Guided by personally set goals and task-related strategies

Sets goals and monitor learning behavior

Self-reflects on the effectiveness of strategies

Monitoring & reflection enhances self-reflection and motivation to continue to improve learning

SELF-REGULATORY PROCESS

FORETHOUGHT PHASE – TASK ANALYSIS

Goal setting – What do I need/want to learn? Decide on specific outcomes of learning.

Strategic planning - How will

learning take occur? Selection of learning strategies or methods designed to attain the desired goals

FORETHOUGHT PHASE – SELF-MOTIVATION BELIEFS

Self-efficacy beliefs – How do I learn? Can I learn? Beliefs about my personal capability to learn or perform

Intrinsic interest: Do I value the task? If value a task for own merits will continue efforts even in the absence of tangible rewards

Learning goal orientation: Why am I learning this? If focus on the process of learning rather than competitive outcomes will learn more effectively

PERFORMANCE PHASE: SELF-CONTROL Refer to the deployment of

specific methods or strategies that were selected during the forethought phase.

attention focusing – need for

learners to protect their intentions from distractions

self-instruction – telling oneself how to proceed in a learning task

SELF-OBSERVATION

Self-recording personal events or self-experimentation to find out the cause of these events.

These processes inform learners of their progress.

For example, if record the time it takes to perform a task; you are more likely to be aware of how effectively you are spending time

REFLECTION PHASE - SELF-JUDGMENT

Self-evaluation: comparing self-observed performances against some standard, such as one’s prior performance, or feedback from an instructor.

Causal attribution: beliefs about the cause of one’s errors or successes. Attributing failure to limitations in ability may imply that efforts to improve will not be effective.

In contrast, attributing failure to poor processes, will sustain motivation because it implies that a different strategy may lead to success.

Self-regulated learners do the latter

REFLECTION PHASE - SELF REACTION Increased feelings of self-satisfaction enhance

motivation, whereas decreases in self-satisfaction undermine further efforts to learn

Defensive responses: Withdrawing or avoiding opportunities to learn and perform, such as dropping a course or being absent for a test.

Adaptive reactions: Adjustments are designed to increase the effectiveness of one’s method of learning, such as discarding or modifying an ineffective learning strategy.

COMING FULL CIRCLE Favorable self-reactions cyclically enhance

positive forethought about oneself as a learner; the phases tend to be self-sustaining

The forethought phase prepares the learner for and influences the effectiveness of the performance processes

The self-reflective processes influence subsequent forethought and prepare the learner for further learning efforts to achieve mastery

HOW DO YOU DO IT?

Use Metacognitive strategiesKeep an academic/learning journalSet goalsPlan learning activitiesGenerate questions before, during and

after readingDo a task-analysis of a problemTime management! Time management!