Working Together to Foster S elf-Regulated L earning in Classrooms

Working Together to Foster Self-Regulated Learning in Classrooms

Deborah Butler and Nancy PerryFaculty of Education

University of British Columbia

Changing Results for Young ReadersRichmond, BCMarch 1, 2013

Agenda

• What can we do to support self-regulated learning in school? Reflection: how might teachers structure tasks &

support? Reflection: what practices might teachers try?

• Working together to support self-regulation: Emerging initiatives

• What are our goals in fostering self-regulated learning in school? Reflection: What goals might teachers set?

What are our goals in fostering self-regulated learning in

school?

What is Self-Regulation (SR)?

SR as the ability to control thoughts and actions to achieve personal goals and respond to environmental demands (Zimmerman, 2008)

SR involves:

What is Self-Regulated LEARNING?

Self-regulated learning involves managing engagement in order to learn from academic work (reading, writing, projects, assignments)

Knowledge about yourself as a learner, about tasks and strategies for completing them; knowing what you know, don’t know, and need to know

Understanding and managing emotions and motivation

Choosing and using effective strategies well matched to the demands of academic tasks

• Self-regulation is strategic, goal-directed activity– I have a goal; I do something; Does it work?; I try again.

• Self-regulation involves metacognition, emotion, motivation, and strategic action

• All individuals self-regulate by managing their participation in activities (from very young learners to adults)

• Self-regulation is implicated in a wide range of activities:– Sport & physical activity– Teaching– Academic work in schools

• Individuals can take, and feel in control, over their participation in activities by deliberately and reflectively “self-regulating” performance

Putting it all Together:Self-Regulation as Strategic Activity

What can Self-Regulated Reading and Writing Look Like in a Primary Classroom?

Imagine a grade 2/3 classroom in which students have been asked to complete a research project on an animal of their choice. They are asked to do research on their animal by selecting and reading resources, and to write, edit, and “publish” expository text (using the computer; working together)

Adapted from Perry & Drummond, 2002

What would self-regulated reading and writing look like for these students?

Activity in Context

What Self-Regulated Learning Looks Like in Classroom Contexts

Cycles of Self-

Regulated Activity

Planning

Interpreting Demands & Defining Criteria

Monitoring AgainstCriteria

Adjusting

Enacting Strategies

History,

Strengths,

Challenges,

Metacognition,

Knowledge,

Beliefs,

Agency

Emotions & Motivation

Reflection: Setting Goals

• What goal(s) might teachers you are working with set for learners in their context?

What can we do to support self-regulated learning in

school?

Design Tasks that Afford Opportunities for Self-Regulation

Imagine a grade 2/3 classroom in which students are asked to complete a research project on an animal of their choice. They are asked to do research on their animal by selecting and reading resources, and to write, edit, and “publish” expository text (using the computer; working together) (Perry & Drummond, 2002)

Imagine a Kindergarten/Grade 1 classroom in which across a series of lessons students read The Three Little Pigs (twice), sequence events in the story, write sentences to describe each event, consider the social and moral dimensions of the story, and then choose and write an alternative ending to the tale (Perry, Nordby, & VandeKamp, 2003)

Reflection

• How do these example tasks create opportunities for self-regulated reading, learning, and writing?

Design Tasks to Promote Autonomy

Provide choices– What to work on– What materials to use– Where to work– Who to work with

Create opportunities to control challenge

Require self-assessment

But with support…

To make good choices

To control challenge given their goals, strengths and needs

To engage in cycles of self-regulation to actively interpret tasks to develop knowledge about and use effective

learning, thinking, reading, writing processes to self-assess and learn from feedback

The Three Little Pigs

Goals/Objectives:

•to engage with reading and writing as communicative and meaningful activities

Perry, Nordby, & VandeKamp, 2003Perry, VandeKamp, Mercer, & Nordby, 2002

• to practice decoding and comprehension strategies while reading

• to evaluate the pigs’ response to the wolf’s actions (promoting social and moral reasoning)

• Students read The Three Little Pigs (twice)– Practiced tracking, context clues, sounding out,

making connections and predicting

• Students discussed the story’s ending– “When someone is mean to us, should we be mean

right back?”

Task Description: The Three Little Pigs

Perry, Nordby, & VandeKamp, 2003

• Students sequenced pictures from story, wrote a sentence for each, and a new ending


Choice Challenge Self-assessment

• Shared reading or …• Tracking or not…• Problem solving

strategies

• Voted on the actions of the pigs

• Alternative ending

• Where to work

• Help from peers and the teacher

• One idea or …• Drawing as writing

• Do you need to …? [Re tracking]

• Evaluating feelings, explain why …


The teacher …•supported students’ reading by …

– monitoring children’s decision to track or not to track– prompting use and evaluation of decoding strategies

•facilitated discussion through …– Pair share

• Who thinks …? Who thinks …? Tell your partner why?

• Is it OK to change your mind? Because you heard others’ ideas?

•facilitated writing by …• checking students’ ideas for story endings before they

began writing



Outcomes for Kindergarten to Grade 1 Learners?

I thought, very naturally, a debate came out of it … They realized that some questions are really difficult to answer … It isn’t so black and white. So it was a really excellent discussion.

The book … was quite difficult for them to read. … We read it together. …. I read some and they read some. And they handled it and it was really neat to see them doing that.

I found that, particularly during the discussion, there wasn’t anybody that wasn’t engaged, which is not always the case with my group. … I looked around and everybody was really into what we were doing.” (for 40 minutes)

Perry, VandeKamp, Mercer, & Nordby, 2002

Co-regulation

• Co-regulation is a transitional phase whereby learners gradually appropriate SRL through, for example, …– Instrumental feedback– Metacognitive and/or motivational prompts

• Co-regulation implies one participant in an interaction has more expertise than another.– teachers– peers– parents

Shared Regulation• Shared regulation describes what happens

when peers collectively regulate activities.

• It implies an even playing field among participants.

• Can only occur when interdependence is required (i.e., students can’t achieve their goals without assistance from others).

• Occurs in collaborative activities (e.g., play)

Socially Responsible Self-Regulation

• Involves metacognition, motivation, and strategic action in the service of supporting others’ learning.– Self and other awareness– Desire to see others succeed– Ability to give and receive targeted

instrumental help to complete tasks• E.g., adaptive help-seeking

Reflection

• What might teachers try to ensure tasks afford opportunities for and support SRL, given the discussion so far?

Activity in Context

What Can We Do to Support SRL?

Cycles of Self-

Regulated Activity

Planning

Interpreting Demands & Defining Criteria

Monitoring AgainstCriteria

Adjusting

Enacting Strategies

Emotions & Motivation

History,

Strengths,

Challenges,

Metacognition,

Knowledge,

Beliefs,

Agency

Empowering Strategic Learners

If students are to take “control” over learning they have to be clear on what they are supposed to be doing

They need to learn how to:

• Actively interpret and articulate expectations

• Actively and reflectively self-direct learning with goals/criteria in mind

• Self-monitor the success of their efforts and adjust performance accordingly

Strategic Questioning to Foster SRL• Interpreting Tasks

– What is your job?– What is this assignment asking you to do?– How will you know if you’ve done a good job?

• Choosing and Using Strategies– How will you approach this task (given what you are trying to do)?– What strategies have worked for you before?– Why don’t you show me what you can try?– I noticed you did this. Is that a strategy you are using?– What are you doing here that you can do again and again and again?

• Monitoring/Adjusting• How are you doing? How do you know?• What criteria are you using here to judge your work?• What can you do differently to solve that problem?

Goals taken up in a series of lessons, over time: •To support students to learn how to express their emotions and ideas in free verse poems

•To promote students’ development of knowledge about Indigenous experiences

•To foster empathy

•To foster students’ self-regulated approaches to reading and writing

•To create students’ sense of belonging in a learning community

•To connect with an at-risk learner’s experiences

Developed by Leyton Schnellert & Nicole Widdess (2002)

Promoting the Full Cycle of SRLGrade 5/6: Writing Free Verse

Poems

Class Profile• Class Composition

One student diagnosed with Asperger’s Syndrome

One at-risk First Nations Student

Five other students with IEPs

22 ESL students

• 5 level 1

• 2-3 level 2

• Time of Year (Spring)

• Class Needs First Nations Theme (links to Social Studies, Language

Arts, Art, CAPP)

Community building

Writing skill development transfer between units

Schnellert & Widdess (2002)

Interpret Tasks: What makes a good free verse poem? Class reads examples They generate criteria based on different samples

Lessons Supported Students to …


Generate content Based on reading of poems and stories Based on criteria for a good poem

Read and write strategically Generate and build from criteria Try, articulate, try, refine strategies over time Self-monitor progress and self-assess

Part One

• What makes a powerful free verse poem?

Example: Identifying qualities of a good free verse poem


Example: Whole class modeling & discussion


Example: Students working together to identify writing criteria


Example: Summarizing criteria as a whole class following on the small group activity


Part Two

• Generating Content for Writing Free Verse Poems

Example: Review Criteria Constructed with Students


Example: A framework for generating content for a free verse poem (reflective of group generated criteria)


Example: Class generates content for poems on residential schools


Part Three

• Reading and Writing Strategically

Example: Constructing strategies for writing free verse poems, building from experience (and linked to criteria)


Example: Constructing Strategies with Students


Example: Constructing Strategies with Students


Example: Travis’ drafts of his poem on residential schools


Example: Travis’ finished poem on residential schools


Another Example: Working From Criteria

Another Example: Self-Assessment & Strategy Revision

Common Features of SRL-Supportive Practices?

They connect and surface learners’ strengths, interests and experiences

They make discussion about reading, learning, and writing processes explicit

They integrate discussions about reading, learning, and writing processes with content instruction

They put responsibility on students to manage their learning

They require students to articulate their understandings about content & learning processes

Supporting SRL: Outcomes

• Teacher Reports of Student Gains: independence & self-directedness self-confidence & pride a sense of control over learning awareness of strategy usefulness

“Kids not in the project were more helpless. They waited for someone to supply, not necessarily the answer, but ‘feed me, feed me, give me, give me’ instead of what can I do to help myself?”

“I’m so used to teaching math using the strategies that I know. But I found that students were independently developing strategies that worked better for them.”

Butler & Schnellert, 2008

Reflection: Supporting SRL

• What practices might teachers try to support SRL in their classrooms?

• How might teachers judge if they are making a difference?

Emerging Initiatives & Resources

SRL Support Initiatives

• Professional development workshops

• An Inquiry Hub: Sustained support to SRL Learning Teams (Building Resources Together)– Proposed for Fall 2013

• Masters of Education SRL Cohort Program– Proposed for January 2014

• SRL Certificate (cross-institutions)– Proposed for 2014 or 2015

http://bctf.ca/publications/NewsmagArticle.aspx?id=29340

http://srlcanada.ca

http://srlcanada.ca

Examples of SRL Projects in BC

Identifying Qualities of

Classrooms that Support SRL

Identifying Qualities of

Classrooms that Support SRL

Tools & Technologies for

Supporting Self-regulationCo-regulation

Shared-regulation

Tools & Technologies for

Supporting Self-regulationCo-regulation

Shared-regulation

Developing SRL-Supportive

Practices in Classrooms

Developing SRL-Supportive

Practices in Classrooms

Supporting Pre-Service Teachers to Develop SRL-

Supportive Practices

Supporting Pre-Service Teachers to Develop SRL-


Teachers in Schools Working

Together to Develop SRL-


Teachers in Schools Working

Together to Develop SRL-


Supporting Learners to Adaptively

Regulate in the Face of Challenge

Supporting Learners to Adaptively

Regulate in the Face of Challenge

Selected ReferencesBrownlie, F., Feniak, C., & Schnellert, L. (2006). Student Diversity (2nd ed.). Markham, ON: Pembroke

Publishers.

Butler, D. L. (2002). Individualizing instruction in self-regulated learning. Theory into Practice, 41, 81-92.

Butler, D. L. (1995). Promoting strategic learning by postsecondary students with learning disabilities. Journal of Learning Disabilities, 28, 170-190.

Butler, D. L. (1994). From learning strategies to strategic learning: Promoting self-regulation by postsecondary students with learning disabilities. Canadian Journal of Special Education, 4, 69-101.

Butler, D. L., Beckingham, B., & Novak Lauscher, H. J. (2005). Promoting strategic learning by eighth-grade students struggling in mathematics: A report of three case studies. Learning Disabilities Research and Practice, 20, 156-174.

Butler, D. L., & Cartier, S. (2004). Promoting students’ active and productive interpretation of academic work: A Key to successful teaching and learning. Teachers College Record, 106, 1729-1758.

Butler, D. L., Cartier, S.C., Schnellert, L., Gagnon, F., & Giammarino, M. (2011). Secondary students’ self-regulated engagement in reading: Researching self-regulation as situated in context. Psychological Test and Assessment Modeling, 11(1), 73-105.

Butler, D. L., Elaschuk, C. L., & Poole, S. (2000). Promoting strategic writing by postsecondary students with learning disabilities: A report of three case studies. Learning Disability Quarterly, 23, 196-213.

Butler, D. L., Novak Lauscher, H. J., Jarvis-Selinger, S., & Beckingham, B. (2004). Collaboration and self-regulation in teachers’ professional development. Teaching and Teacher Education, 20, 435-455.

Butler, D. L., & Schnellert, L. (2012). Collaborative inquiry in teacher professional development. Teaching and Teacher Education, 28, 1206-1220. http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.tate.2012.07.009

Butler, D. L., & Schnellert, L. (2008). Bridging the research-to-practice divide: Improving outcomes for students. Education Canada, 48(5), 36-40.

Butler, D. L., Schnellert, L. & Cartier, S. C. (2012, May). Supporting secondary students’ self-regulated learning through reading in subject-area classrooms. Research Spotlight Session, Canadian Society for the Study of Education. Available at: http://srlcanada.ca/wp-content/uploads/2012/06/Butler-Knowledge-snapshot-CAEP-FINAL.pdf

Cartier, S. C., & Butler, D. L. (2012, May). Teachers working together to foster self-regulated learning. Research Spotlight Session, Canadian Society for the Study of Education. Available at: http://srlcanada.ca/wp-content/uploads/2012/06/Cartier-Knowledge-snapshot-CAEP2.pdf

Cartier, S. C., Butler, D. L., & Bouchard, N. (2010). Teachers working together to foster self-regulated learning through reading by students in an elementary school located in a disadvantaged area. Psychological Test and Assessment Modeling, 52(4), 382-418.

Perry, N. E. (2012, May). Classroom contexts for self-regulated learning. Research Spotlight Session, Canadian Society for the Study of Education. Available at: http://srlcanada.ca/wp-content/uploads/2012/06/Perry-Knowledge-snapshot-CAEP-FINAL.pdf

Perry, N. E. (2004). Using self-regulated learning to accommodate differences amongst students in classrooms. Exceptionality Education Canada, 14(2&3), 65-87.

Perry, N. E., & Drummond, L. (2002). Helping young students become self-regulated researchers and writers. The Reading Teacher, 56(3), 298-310.

Perry, N. E., Nordby, C. J., & VandeKamp, K. O. (2003). Promoting self-regulated reading and writing at home and school. The Elementary School Journal, 103(4), 317-338.

Schnellert, L. (2011). Collaborative inquiry: Teacher professional development as situated, responsive co-construction of practice and learning. (Doctoral dissertation). Retrieved from https://circle.ubc.ca/handle/2429/38245.

Schnellert, L., Butler, D. L., & Higginson, S. (2008). Co-constructors of data, co-constructors of meaning: Teacher professional development in an age of accountability. Teaching and Teacher Education, 24(3), 725-750.

Zimmerman, B. J. (2008). Investigating self-regulation and motivation: Historical background, methodological developments, and future prospects. American Educational Research Journal, 45, 166-183.

Documents

Working Together to Foster S elf-Regulated L earning in Classrooms