Self-regulated learners

Zimmerman (Schunk and Zimmerman, 1998) says that, “self-regulated learners (…) are distinguished by their view of academic learning as something they do for themselves rather than as something that is done to or for them” (p.1), which would indicate the necessity for the learners to be fully involved in every stage of their learning.  Indeed, Zimmerman (ibid.) states that, “students cannot develop or display their self-regulatory skill in settings where they cannot exercise personal choice and control”(p.11).  Therefore it would seem it is one of the teachers’ responsibilities to create learning environments conducive to their pupils developing their self-regulatory skills so they could become effective learners capable of mastering their own learning for progress (Butler and Winne, 1995; Sadler, 1989).  For these skills to develop, of which self-evaluation is a very important competence, pupils need to be aware of their learning aims, how to achieve them and be able to review their own learning (self-assessment) against the aims set.