Self-management Of Learning: What It Is And What Are Its Elements And Phases
There are many different teaching methods, but learning self-management It has some characteristics that make it unique.
Below we will delve into the details of this model to be able to understand it in depth and thus be able to know the peculiarities that make this system so important. Likewise, we will explore the different factors that must be included as well as the phases of this process.
Self-management of learning is a training process based on the student himself taking control of the procedure and therefore establishing the objectives what they want to achieve and manage their own work on the contents to integrate them as knowledge. This model is also known as self-managed learning or self-regulated learning.
Therefore, the main key to this process is the weight it places on the figure of the student, becoming at the same time their own teacher, since they must act in an active way, managing themselves throughout the learning process and achieving in this way the fulfillment of the objectives that had been set, that is, the acquisition of the knowledge originally proposed.
Self-management of learning would encompass all cognitive processes in addition to the behaviors that the individual carries out throughout the entire process But the key factor to explain this phenomenon is undoubtedly motivation, because without it it is practically impossible for a person to carry out correct self-management of learning, since they need a reason to force themselves to put all their mental services at their service. of this process.
Elements of self-management of learning
Self-management of learning implies the appearance of a series of elements so that we can consider it as such. They are the ones we are going to see next.
1. Interest
We already anticipated that motivation is the backbone of this procedure. This motivation implies in one way or another an interest, which may be the usefulness that the knowledge or skill that you are learning will bring you perhaps a promising job prospect as a result of this change, the qualification to carry out a certain activity or simply the desire to know more about a specific topic or field of knowledge.
The reasons why the object of learning is of interest are very personal and will depend on each individual, but they must always exist, as they are needed to achieve a self-motivation effect.
On the contrary, if there is absolutely no reason that motivates a person to embark on the mission of acquiring a certain knowledge or skill, it is unlikely that they will do so and therefore the phenomenon of self-management of learning cannot occur.
2. Attribution
The second element that we find when we talk about self-management of learning is attribution, that is, what the person who starts this process hopes to achieve with it It could be learning a new skill or knowledge or being able to get a promotion. It is not the interest itself, but the perspective itself that one hopes to achieve.
3. Self-monitoring
Another element that is needed to be able to follow the path of self-management of learning is self-monitoring. What does it mean? That The individual must be able to look at himself with perspective during the process to realize where he is what possible problems it is encountering and what is the way to solve them or in general if the process is being effective or if, on the contrary, it must adopt new strategies to achieve the goal it seeks.
4. Self-efficacy
In order to carry out self-management of learning, it is essential to believe that we are capable of doing it because we have the appropriate tools, whether they are manuals to resort to, sufficient time, motivation, etc. Thanks to that We generate a perception of self-efficacy without which we would hardly see the proposed goal as a feasible scenario and therefore we would not start the process, or we would abandon it, due to the expectations of failure that we would have.
5. Self-awareness
If we have all the previous elements and we are within a process of self-management of learning, we can review the new knowledge or skills that we are incorporating into ourselves, we are aware of this. Hence, self-awareness is another element that appears when we talk about this procedure.
Finally, the last factor that is involved in self-management of learning is that of recursion. It is about the ability that people have to use the resources we have at our disposal in very different ways to achieve different goals. In this case it would be orient our resources and capabilities to get closer and closer to the learning goal that we have proposed and thus integrate the skill or knowledge that we originally wanted.
Phases according to the Winne and Hadwin model
Self-management of learning has different models that try to explain it in the most correct way possible. One of them is by authors Philip H. Winne and Allyson Fiona Hadwin. These researchers talk about a process that takes place through four phases, which we will see below.
1. Approach to the task
The first thing a person willing to learn will do is have an approach to the task. This way will assess your motivation and the resources you have available to begin the challenge The perception that the subject will have about the task is a totally individual matter, so it will be different for each person.
2. Goal setting
Once the student has evaluated the task in front of him, he will be in a position to set the goals in this regard that he deems appropriate and also draw up a plan that allows you to manage your resources to achieve these objectives Likewise, goals are a decision that depends on each person.
3. Implementation of the plan
Once oriented towards the task and with a defined plan in mind, it is time to take action and carry it out. This would be the third step of self-management of learning. To do this, they will have to apply their skills and resources so that the strategies they choose to achieve the established goals are as efficient as possible.
4. Reorientation
Obviously, many times it is not possible to meet the objectives set on the first attempt, but that is part of the self-management learning process. That is why the fourth phase refers to the reorientation of the plan, learning from the failures and errors that we have found and thus being able to get closer and closer to a satisfactory strategy that ultimately leads us to the fulfillment of the goals and therefore to the acquisition of the new skill or knowledge.
During this phase, the goals can be reoriented, the entire plan changed, the use of resources varied, and the task can even be completely abandoned if the person discovers that they had incorrectly evaluated the feasibility, if they are no longer interested for whatever reason. either or if you decide to spend your time on another different task that at that moment motivates you more or with which you apparently will have greater success.
Self-management of learning in practice
There are several mechanisms that allow self-management of learning to be brought to a practical scenario, especially in the teaching context. Let’s see the most used strategies.
1. Self-assessment
Through self-assessment, the student can approach the task, realize where they are, what resources they have and thus be able to draw up a plan that will lead you to achieve learning.
2. Pre-post comparison
Pre-post comparison exercises are usually used, that is, before going through the teaching process and after. In this way the student can perform an introspection about one’s own learning and realize the changes that have happened within oneself and what knowledge you have integrated or what you should try to strengthen.
3. Thinking aloud
Another strategy used for self-management of learning is try to actively verbalize the entire thought process What happens in the student’s mind when he or she is trying to solve a specific task.
4. Battery of questions
It can also be proposed to the student that, when faced with new teaching material, he himself develops a series of questions to be resolved. Being able to answer them correctly will imply that an integration of knowledge has been carried out
5. Mutual teaching
Another tactic that some teachers use is Propose to your students that they themselves try to teach their classmates certain questions about the subject they are dealing with. Thanks to this, they will go through self-management of learning that will allow them to later become teachers for the rest of the students.
