Content
Education on students’ learning ability and learning attitudes
Zimmerman proposed that "Self-regulated Learning" should focus on the student as the center for learning, and is designed to transform students from passive recipients into active learners through improving students’ motivation and metacognitive strategies so that effective learning can be achieved. With clear learning objectives and corresponding subject content, each student can proactively engage in learning individually. Also, through constant reflection and adjustment of different learning strategies, students can construct knowledge and consolidate what they have learned.
In the traditional mode of teaching and learning, the teacher is the knowledge transmitter who takes charge of the entire learning process, making students passive learners in the classroom environment. Student motivation is suppressed, to a rather large extent, which may subsequently limit the teacher’s flexibility to adjust the learning strategies thereby hindering learners from reaching their potential.
In a “self-learning and cooperative learning” classroom setting in Kit Sam, students may experience taking the leading role in their learning process. With clear learning objectives and carefully-designed learning plans, students are guided to prepare well for each lesson, which is the threshold for self-learning and their journey for knowledge.
In every lesson, students share their self-study preparation work and perform group work through a wide range of learning activities. They discuss, display and reflect on what they have learned, experiencing active learning in the process. By the end of each lesson, students are to reflect on what they have learned in class and to summarize their learning outcomes.
Peers encourage each other to create a good learning atmosphere environment
The self-regulated learning classes in Kit Sam focus on "Self-learning, Co-learning among groups, Co-learning among peers" so as to encourage students to make use of appropriate learning methods and skills to enhance their learning motivation and performance.
Every lesson is carried out in the form of the cooperative learning model, in which students are divided into groups of four and play different roles in the group so that they can support, question and share viewpoints between one another. This is how students can actively and cooperatively study together to accomplish the designated learning goals.
To make the "self-learning and cooperative learning" classes more effective, class teachers give guidance for students to establish their own groups through a variety of ways such as: leading students to set up team slogans, group emblems and learning goals so as to raise students’ sense of belonging to their groups. In addition, a "Classroom Award Scheme" is introduced to motivate students to take the initiative in every lesson.
Active learning to enhance self-efficacy
From the observation of the process used to implement the “Self-regulated learning and teaching model", students show more active involvement in classroom learning. Students generally consider this new model more interesting and more effective to enable them to support and encourage each other so that they can grow together in a favorable learning atmosphere.
In conclusion, students are no longer passive recipients in the "Self-regulated learning and teaching model". Instead, through the modes of self-learning, co-learning among peers and co-learning among groups, motivation and interest to learn is enhanced. Students are no longer solely dependent on teachers to be the leaders who would actively enhance self-efficacy in the learning process. On the other hand, teachers play the role of facilitators, giving timely instructions to support student learning. Through the process of teacher-student interaction and co-construction of knowledge, students are motivated to learn and benefit for a lifetime.