EVEN as this nation had so many achievements in classroom learning techniques, teachers need to turn their attention more specifically to “self-regulated” learning provided for their learners.
The major confront faced by our school systems relates to Self-Regulated Learning in order to successfully develop self-efficacy.
It is important to understand the notion of self-regulated learning among primary and secondary learners in our school systems.
However, for many of us Self-Regulated Learning is a learning that assists learners to manage their thoughts and behavior in their learning experiences.
Self-efficacy on the other end is the belief in the learner’s effectiveness in performing specific task.
This provides the foundation for human motivation and personal achievement in performing specific activities and helping learners to belief in them.
There are several strategies that teachers will utilize to help these learners develop self-efficacy. In this article, I am going to explain the concept of Self-Regulated Learning (SRL).
I will also identify different Self-Regulated Learning strategies as examples and discuss how they would help develop self-efficacy.
First and foremost, many definitions of Self-Regulated Learning in the context of education exist, confirming to the complexity and multifaceted nature of the concept.
But what is self-regulated learning in education?
This is the term that is difficult to define precisely and understanding its meaning is an important aspect for teachers because teaching involves psychology and learning processes.
Self-regulated learning (SRL) is recognised as an important predictor of learner’s academic motivation and achievement.
It does not develop automatically, but it does benefit them for lifelong learning which include the ability to find and use appropriate learning strategies.
More importantly, it helps students create better learning habits and strengthen their study skills and monitor their performance.
Self-regulated learners believe that opportunities to take on challenging tasks and exert effort will give rise to academic success (Perry et al, 2006).
In SRL, learning happens unsurpassed in a habitual mode of implementation and it helps students to search more ideas if they would like to master the subject taught.
Students would have to overcome greater obstacles and be academically successful because they must control their learning environment.
By and large, understanding how students learn, Self-Regulated Learning tells us how to exercise psychological and behavioral control in order to improve academic achievement and thus increase self-efficacy.
Today SRL has served with many practical reasons in the schools in many classroom learnings.
Students with SRL skills were likely to obtain higher level of academic self-belief than students who did not taught SRL strategies.
There is not much difference in the application of Self-Regulated Learning among the primary and secondary school students in our school system.
Quite often students are not taking the initiative to engage in self evaluation of academic tasks at the primary and secondary school levels.
As a result, teachers mostly guide students and at the same time students take classes with the same peers.
Students will normally regulate their own actions towards their learning goals. Parents too, are given assurance through school academic report at the end of every semester about their children’s academic progress.
In other words, it is a system designed for students as a guide by given them the roadmap to reach their educational goals.
That is why self-regulation of learning is an important aspect of learning that catches the attention of the educators, teachers, researchers, policy makers and other stakeholders who are interested in promoting academic success of students in our education system.
However, it is particularly exciting to note that teaching strategies used in the classroom can make a difference to student’s self-efficacy.
To begin with, the first Self-Regulated Learning strategy that would help develop self-efficacy is the modelling experiences.
This is a learning style that involves students observing other students who are capable in obtaining higher performance.
According to Bandura’s Social Learning theory, our learning is a function of observation and by observation we can learn to imitate by receiving from others and ourselves.
For example, in a school having a student who won a speech competition would be seen as an important achievement in the eyes of his or her classmates.
From this achievement it will eventually improve them to learn how to do it themselves.
This is about how to perform a task so that students can imitate and copy the strategies in what they observe that manipulate their perception on their own capability.
They involve themselves in regulating their own learning by obtaining assistance from others through observation and imitation.
This is about seeing someone who is coping with the same problem.
When a student knows someone perform high achievement, it gives him or her confidence that he or she can do the same.
Therefore, this particular strategy for sure will help develop self-efficacy among both primary and secondary students especially when they are observing their peers succeeding at a task.
This will strengthen their beliefs in one’s own abilities like if he or she can do it why not me.
Next, the issuing of homework assignment to the students is another SRL strategy. This is a learning approach that provides activity based on pre-existing learning or assessment task.
This is the finest, simple and common strategy used from time to time in almost every school. Such tasks are checked often in order to monitor the performance of each student’s academic abilities.
This can be done at the end of each unit or topic covered in each school term. It consists of self-assessment questions to complete after completion of each unit.
This will allow learners to draw their own conclusions about their learning process.
Providing such items as one of the strategies to develop self-efficacy in the school is not a cheap undertaking; it is a challenging one but a worthwhile endeavor.
As teachers, one needs to encourage learners to try the challenging task. Giving them unfailing, trustworthy and precise back-up, such as, “You can do it’’.
We’ve set up an outline on how to write a lab report and a schedule for what to do each week – now follow the plan and you will be successful.
It is only when teachers all come to this realisation that they will become more aware of their role to drive classroom learning to a new heights in this country.
Equally, to enhance constructive mindset and academic performance, concept students should be developed.
Concept students are learners that develop self-regulated learning strategies. Out of these strategies a learner can be able to develop the ability to ask questions.
This is often experienced following the teaching of new materials where students would develop some form of questions about the materials.
By using these questions it expand on their previous knowledge.
For example, if a teacher happens to bring students into a science lab, the first thing that the teacher would be expecting is a pile of questions on how to operate certain apparatus like simple microscope and the purpose of its different parts.
This is usually done especially when teachers apply concrete teaching approach in the classroom.
This allows the students to investigate the exact perceptive of their knowledge and make correction about misunderstanding about the subject area.
As soon as they engage in questioning, they are obliged to be more actively engaged in their learning. However, there are also students who are motivated by personal learning goals.
For example, they request clue rather than straight answers and they always like to know if their work is correct and wanting to sort out errors and get the right answers.
Therefore, this permits them to critically evaluate and establish feedback on their own.
In fact, dealing with academic difficulty is a decisive part of any learning process.
Self-regulated learning skills do not develop automatically, but these skills benefit students throughout their academic life.
Therefore, teachers have a duty to help and guide students develop self-regulatory competencies and encouraged to practice using them in all facets of classroom learning.
It is important for students, if they do not understand a task, they should take the initiative to get assistance rather than given up.
But many students lack the competencies and motivational resources required for adaptive help-seeking.
They make use of little effort, sit passively, and carry on unsuccessfully on their own.
By EDDIE H. HUITARAU
USPSI Campus
Honiara
