Effective learning environments for self-regulation as a component of adaptive competence

The current perspective on our society as a learning society implies that education at all levels must focus more than has been traditionally the case on developing and fostering in students adaptive competence, i.e. the ability to apply meaningfully learned knowledge and skills flexibly and creatively in a variety of contexts. This is opposed to routine expertise, i.e. the ability to complete typical school tasks quickly and accurately but without under-standing. In this presentation I will focus on a major component of adaptive competence, namely the self-regulation of learning, thinking and problem solving. Starting from situating self-regulation (SR) in the broader framework of adaptive competence, I will first define and analyze the concept, using thereby the view of Vermunt who has distinguished 8 cognitive and 8 affective regulation skills. Taking into account the findings of recent research, I will also stress and illustrate the role of students’ beliefs about learning and about their abilities in the SR of their learning The importance of self-regulation for learning and performance will be documented by means of a selective overview of relevant research. Studies show that high levels of SR correlate with academic achievement. More qualitative studies reveal how high achievers differ from low achievers with respect to SR. A relevant issue for education is also how SR skills develop in children. The challenging question for education is then whether students’ self-regulation skills can be fostered through instructional interventions. In this respect I will show, based on intervention research, that through the design and implementation of innovative, powerful learning environments primary and secondary education students’ self-regulation skills – and by doing so also their adaptive competence - can be developed and improved. The lecture will conclude with a brief presentation of some major the implications of the research on SR for educational practice and policy.status: publishe