Self-Regulation of Learning in Technology-supported Learning Environments
The development and adaptation of new skills and behaviors by teachers and pupils to new technological means are increasingly regulated actions in the teaching / learning processes, that are conceptualized as being predominantly focused on student learning. In this sense, it is necessary to try to work throughout their school years so that students can effectively participate in their own learning process. The process is intended to be done actively and independently, using strategies and tools that expand learning spaces and, consequently, facilitate the achievement of goals. Thus, this line of research presents studies that focus on self-regulated learning in computer-supported learning environments. These studies focus mainly on the evaluation of self-regulatory processes in this type of learning environment, as well as on the impact that it has in this approach to learning.
This line of research that is related to technology-supported learning environments contributes to redefining paradigms of teaching / learning in Portugal. The focus on specific technologies and their impact on specific contexts, complement the more comprehensive studies that have been developed in the past. These specific technologies focus on particular methods of e-Learning in different disciplines of educational programs.
We believe that these advances in research are significant, especially because not only do they influence, educational paradigms, but they also help teach and educate citizens who will be the next generation of professionals in Portugal. These advances also serve to support the definition and redefinition of a national technological identity that will demarcate Portuguese citizens as technologically able to execute their functions in different contexts, both at an academic level and at a professional level.
Self-regulation of Motivation
Self-regulation of motivation (SRM) concerns students’ efforts to keep their motivation and persist in school tasks. Several authors stress the importance of a better understanding of how students can monitor, control and regulate their own motivation. In this sense SRM consists on a key concept in the field of self-regulated learning. More specifically, SRM can be described as the actions through which individuals act intentionally to initiate, maintain or increase their level of motivation to engage, complete a task or achieve a goal. This form of regulation is attained from a deliberate intervention in the management and control of the processes that affect motivation. It involves thoughts (beliefs) and behaviors (strategies) through which students act to influence their effort and persistence in a school task.
Self-Regulation in Writing
The role of writing as both instrument of communication and as tool for cross curricular knowledge assessment, in different subject areas and school contexts, is supported in literature. Nevertheless, from different educational contexts, authors share similar concerns regarding the writing difficulties of a growing number of school-age children and youth. In the field of language and literacy studies, writing research has received far less funding and attention than reading both in volume and in scope, which limited its impact on pedagogical practice (Myhill & Fisher, 2010).
Becoming an expert writer is a developmental process which demands high levels of personal regulation and strategic behaviour (Zimmerman & Risemberg, 1997). Over the past two decades, self-regulated learning has become an important area of interest for research (Boekaerts, Pintrich & Zeidner, 2000). Its value for academic achievement in different domains has been well established (Zimmerman & Schunk, 2011) including in writing. Evidence supporting the role of self-regulated strategy development to improve students’ writing achievement has substantiated claims that: a) skilled writers are more self-regulated than struggling writers; b)as a developmental process, self-regulation in writing increases with age and schooling; c) writers level of self-regulation is related to their writing performance; d) explicit writing instruction that combines the teaching of self-regulated strategies with substantive practice opportunities promotes best writing performance (Harris, Santangelo & Graham, 2010).
Understanding self-regulation in writing from a socio-cognitive perspective, our group´s vision is to substantiate the multidimensional quality of writing by studying writing and text composing under different scopes. Aiming to extent knowledge on writing as both a complex cognitive process, and as a social and cultural act of communication, our research includes studies on the implementation of intervention programs in naturally constituted classes; on students writing knowledge and beliefs; on teacher’s role, including in-service training programs; and cross-cultural empirical studies.
Self-Regulated Learning and Professional Development
Self-regulation is interwoven in the narrative experience and the identity of each individual. The choice that individuals make to estimate / evaluate and monitor their behavior is usually consistent with the desired and/or preferred identity. Despite the specificity of each project included in this line of research, all start from the same conceptualization, had the intent of enhancing participants’ choices and had effects on the personal or professional development and their participants. The projects differ with regard to the target audience (eg., teachers, university students), the specific problematic contexts of training / research and developmental stages. There are three structural axes that link these projects: learning and professional development in collaborative contexts, practice inquiry according to theoretical issues and self-regulated learners and their strategic role. The challenge for all of those involved in this line of research involves looking at practice with new eyes and discover ways of creating opportunities for learning about teaching that are meaningful. Participants no longer portray the role of mere executors of others’ proposals to their context of action. Rather, they construct knowledge in a dynamic process, in collaboration with the group in which they operate.