Reflections: Literature as data
Butler, D. L., & Schnellert, L. (2015). Success for students with learning disabilities: What does self-regulation have to do with it?. In T. Cleary, T. Cleary (Eds.) , Self-regulated learning interventions with at-risk youth: Enhancing adaptability, performance, and well-being (pp. 89-111). Washington, DC, US: American Psychological Association. doi:10.1037/14641-005
I have decided to focus my inquiry on self regulation teaching and learning practices within an alternative high school setting. Chapter four from Self-regulated learning interventions with at-risk youth: Enhancing adaptability, performance, and well-being outlines “classroom practices that foster self-regulated learning” and specifically “metacognition, motivation, and strategic action” techniques that are essential for success within and beyond the classroom. The “ability to control thoughts and actions to achieve personal goals and respond to environmental demands” is the definition of self-regulated learning (SRL) and is consistent lagging skill for the majority of my students.
Deborah L. Butler summarized a longitudinal study where she found a link between “ dismal life outcomes for adults with LD across social, academic, and vocational domains” and a lack of (SRL) skills. I have come to the understanding that if I hope to teach and improve my students SRL skills, that I am required to pay close “attention to the particular strengths and challenges learners bring to tasks and how learning environments can nurture (or undermine) self-regulated learning.” Every learner brings their own “learning history, strengths/challenges, metacognition, prior knowledge, and motivationally charged beliefs” to the classroom. If I hope to advance self-regulated learning within my classroom, then I need foster a learning environment that allows learners to “interpret resources, tasks descriptions, and instructions” which will allow students to “construct metacognitive knowledge about themselves as learners.”
Self regulation deficiencies “arise across so many subject areas and tasks” and this article argues that “ unless activities require planning, time management, or higher order thinking, learners do not have opportunities to build capacity in these important processes.” Many of my learners are coming to the classroom with a learning history where these interactions and opportunities to correctly “interpret or self-monitor performance against expectations” have been limited.
This article suggests that “feedback is only powerful when it is supports learners to answer three questions: Where and I going ? How am I going? Where to next?” As a teacher, I am thoughtful about how to give formative and summative feedback that will be useful for my students. Upon reflecting and unpacking the information presented in the article, I am starting to question whether my students have ever really learned “how to interpret and build from feedback”? That question has torpified my thoughts, and is where my curiosity or ultimate goal to teach and promote self-regulation skills to young adults was born.
