Education has traditionally been focussed on the teacher rather than the learner: desks in a grid formation facing the blackboard, the primary tool used by the teacher, the "fount of all knowledge" (origins unknown).
With a realisation in the 1990s that the twenty first century was likely to beset the next generation with problems caused by our generation and our predecessors in the industrial revolution, organisations such as the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation (UNESCO) and the Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) started to look at "powerful pillars" (Delors,1996) in education which are the origin of our New Zealand key competencies (Ministry of Education, 2007, p12). These highlight the ideas of thinking, self management (Managing Self), cooperation and collaboration (Relating to others; Participating and contributing) and being able to take part in a variety of discourses seamlessly (Using language, symbols and text) (Hipkins et al, 2014, p.9).
In 2016 we talk about education needing to be focussed on the learner. The Ministry of Education (2015) say that "what matters most in schooling" is "achieving equity and excellence in outcomes for an increasingly diverse student population" (Ministry of Education, 2015, p.7). With a move to innovative learning environments (Dumont, 2010, OECD, 2013), a one size fits all type of schooling no longer fits.
Our role as educators needs to be to facilitate an ability for the learner to be aware of his or her own learning needs and take on learning dispositions that allow him or her to become an effective, engaged and independent learner.
Focusing Inquiry:
1. What are the attributes of self regulated learning that akonga need to develop? (Vohs & Baumeister (2011) and Zimmerman (2013) have lists of attributes.)
2. How are teachers in my school and other schools encouraging self regulated learning in their classrooms/learning environments?
3. What researchers / theories/ resources are they using?
Teaching Inquiry:
4. What strategies are worth trying to encourage the learners in my school context to become self regulated learners?
Learning Inquiry:
5. What happened as a result of the strategy integration, and what are the implications for future teaching?
6. Is there something I need to change? What are the next steps for learning?
References:
Delors, J. ed. (1993). Learning: the treasure within. Report to UNESCO of the International Commission on Education for the Twenty-first Century (Highlights). UNESCO Publishing.
Dumont, H., Istance, D., Benavides, F. (ed.) (2010). The nature of learning: using research to inspire practice. Educational Research and Innovation. OECD Publishing. http://dx.doi.org/10.1787/9789264086487-4-en.
Hattie, J. (2012). Visible learning for teachers: Maximizing impact on learning. London: Routledge.
Hipkins, R., Bolstad, R., Boyd, S., & McDowall, S. (2014). Key competencies for the future. New Zealand Council for Educational Research (NZCER) Press.
Ministry of Education, Education Review Office. (2015) Effective School Evaluation. Wellington: NZ Government.
Ministry of Education. (2007). New Zealand Curriculum. Wellington: Learning Media.
OECD. (2013).Innovative Learning Environments, Educational Research and Innovation, OECD Publishing. http://dx.doi.org/10.1787/9789264203488-en
Zimmerman, B.J. (2013). From cognitive modeling to self-regulation: a social cognitive career path. Educational Psychologist, 48:3, 135-147. doi:10.1080/00461520.2013.794676
In my own inquiry into my teaching practice I the concept of self regulation has come through strongly. Developing critical thinking skills and growth mindset for learning both lead to helping students become self regulated learners.
ReplyDeleteManaging self is a key competency in our curriculum for a very good reason. We are setting our students up for success throughout their lives in all they do, work, personal pursuits and relationships.
Thanks Tracey. I agree - mindset is very important and I believe that getting students to think about mindset is one of the things that teachers must scaffold. We have to make students aware that it is good to think about how they think, how they learn and that failure is just a first step in learning.
DeleteI will put down Carol Dweck as one of my sources when I write up my teaching inquiry.