From having strategies to being strategic

• Are you equipping your students with the right tools for lifelong learning?

• Or are you unknowingly limiting their potential by focusing solely on cognitive strategies?

Discover how understanding the role of context and empowering students to choose their own strategies can transform your teaching and foster truly adaptive learners.

This article is part of a blog post series written as a personal reflection on the many inspiring discussions at the EARLI SIG 16 Metacognition and Self-Regulated Learning conference in Heidelberg (September 11-13, 2023). I wish to thank all presenters and attendees for their work and insights!

The dominant discourse around learning

In the self-regulated learning literature, we often emphasize the importance of ADAPTIVE strategy use among students. However, the current discourse around student learning tends to focus largely on whether or not students use 'the most effective' cognitive strategies with little acknowledgment of the important role of CONTEXT.

Much of the debate on student learning is based on effectiveness research and meta-review studies. Such studies aim to inform policy and practice about the most effective ways students can learn and teachers can teach. The power of such studies lies in the way they help policy and practice make sense of the abundance of individual studies.

However, to come to general conclusions, these studies have to filter out a lot of contextual information and studies that do not fit their particular research methodology. Although barely talked about, this has BIG implications. After all, self-regulated learning is all about context! What happens if you leave that out of the equation?

The elephant in the room

When asked about the dominance of cognitive (load) theory in some countries' discourse around learning, the respected researcher Deborah Butler succeeded in naming the elephant in the room. She gracefully suggested a much-needed shift in the research culture and proposed redirecting discussions with purpose in mind. If it's our purpose to empower learners and prepare them for lifelong learning, we must adopt a more holistic approach to learning and we might want to broaden our scope.

What makes a strategy effective?

By focusing solely on 'the' - in general - most effective cognitive learning strategies, we overlook the significance of metacognitive and affective strategies and ignore the crucial role of context. As researchers, we know we can only judge the effectiveness of a strategy based on the learner's intent and context. Many of us cite Paul Pintrich's definition and thus help spread the idea that self-regulated learning is guided and constrained by students' goals and the contextual features in the environment. Regrettably, numerous studies, particularly those that successfully influence educational practices, often overlook the importance of adaptivity in their findings.

For example, as illustrated perfectly by Andrew Butler in his keynote, rereading materials is generally viewed as an ineffective strategy. However if a student was distracted by Netflix during the initial reading, rereading can become highly beneficial. Additionally, how students interpret 'rereading' while filling in our surveys, may differ from a researcher's understanding of it.

Similarly, learning by heart is often criticized, yet students may be right in choosing it as the most effective approach if assessments reward memorization or if exams closely follow lessons and students are not expected to learn materials for the long term.

Mindfulness techniques are another area where context matters. Large-scale mindfulness programs in schools may not show significant impacts on student outcomes, leading some to conclude everything mindfulness-related should be abandoned from schools. However, mindfulness techniques can be incredibly practical for students who need to manage fear or overwhelm. If - from a cognitive perspective - we want our students to engage in 'desirable difficulties', we must also equip them with the self-regulation strategies to handle those challenges emotionally.

From 'having strategies' to 'being strategic'

I had a personal AHA-experience while listening to Deborah Butler's keynote closing the EARLI SIG16 conference.

Her research reminds us to empower students by teaching them to 'BE strategic', not just to possess effective strategies.

This means helping students own their strategies and decisions. Reducing SRL to the explicit teaching of cognitive strategies can lead to pitfalls. Students must understand when and why a strategy might work best, considering their goals and context. Cognitive strategies impact learning outcomes, but other factors—like understanding goals, managing emotions, or seeking help—also play a critical role.

How can we help students become more strategic then?

Here are three ways in which dr. Butler suggest we may help empower our learners:

• Prioritize agency

First, it is paramount that students experience agency in choosing strategies. For example, a student who initially dismissed outlining as a writing strategy might find it useful when given the freedom to decide for herself. To substantiate her case, Deborah Butler brought proof. She showed a letter she received from a student explaining how delighted she was that despite finding herself in a challenging situation in school, she did manage to cope with it and find a strategy to overcome the situation.

• Do not over-assist or over-simplify

Second, we must avoid disempowering learners by over-assisting them. Deborah Butler's work with students facing learning challenges has shown that providing them with overly simplified, step-by-step strategies can hinder their ability to develop strategic thinking. Instead of fostering independence, such an approach limits their opportunities to learn how to adapt and think strategically in varied contexts.

• Start with purpose

Third, understanding the purpose of an activity is crucial for selecting and adapting strategies effectively. Deborah Butler provides an illustrative example involving students with developmental difficulties who were taught a rigid method for clearing tables. This approach not only resulted in the inefficient practice of cleaning already spotless tables while other customers waited but also underestimated the students' potential to think strategically. It deprived them of opportunities to develop adaptive thinking skills. A more effective approach would begin by clearly explaining the goal—clearing tables to ensure customers can find a seat—and then guiding students to plan and adjust their strategies based on the immediate context and needs.

Why it's ok we don't (yet) have an SRL encyclopedia

When guiding schools, teachers regularly ask me whether I have a repository full of concrete and effective strategies they can teach their students. I have my own - slightly humorous - way of addressing this question. An approach I might share on another occasion.

When teachers ask if there's a comprehensive list of effective strategies they can teach, I understand the temptation to provide one. Many researchers have created resources like strategy card decks to assist teachers. Something I may once end up producing too. However, reflecting on the insights from this blog, I realize that offering such a list might lead us into the same trap we're trying to avoid.

A generic list of directly teachable SRL strategies could overwhelm rather than empower teachers, preventing them from acting as 'strategic thinkers' based on their specific classroom goals and contexts. Instead, we should focus on fostering agency, encouraging teachers to explore and adapt strategies that align with their unique teaching environment.

Here's a liberating concluding thought

Empowering students to be strategic learners goes beyond merely providing a list of strategies. It requires nurturing their ability to discern when and why to use these strategies effectively, in alignment with their personal goals and the contexts they encounter. 

Rather than overwhelming educators and students with exhaustive lists, we should focus on leveraging the strategies they already know, enhancing their capacity to make informed choices. 

Encouraging reflection on strategy use and guiding students to take appropriate actions will cultivate truly adaptive learners. This approach not only liberates educators from the paralysis of endless strategy options but also empowers students to own their learning journey, making strategic decisions that foster lifelong learning.