Self-regulated learning is often considered the umbrella that covers metacognition. When we think about self-regulation, often we may be distracted by the biased nature in which we assess it on report cards, or in the way that self-regualtion and dysregulation present. As it applies to metacognition, self-regulated learning (SRL) incorporates the many emotional and psychological aspects of neuro-processes, and how those interact with our thinking, and therefore metacognition. Dr. Stuart Shanker talks in length about the limbic system within our brains, and what he calls the red brain blue brain processes (Shanker, 2017). When the brain is over-loaded with stressors and cognitive processing, it enters into what Dr Shanker calls “red brain” which effectively leaves the learning portion of the brain offline. Neuroscience has come a long way over the past decade and the ability to identify these intricacies gives educators and parents alike better understanding of how to support young (and old) people. It also helps us navigate our digital tools in a way that provides constructive alternatives for co-regualtion, and other important re-regulating tools for young people who are just starting to learn about these functions. There is plenty of research that supports the need for self-regulation and how self-regulated learners have higher levels of academic success (Greene & Azevedo, 2007), which must imply the inclusion of metcognition as we know that those with higher academic outcomes also have strong metacognitive functions.
Greene, J. A., & Azevedo, R. (2007). A Theoretical Review of Winne and Hadwin’s Model of Self-Regulated Learning: New Perspectives and Directions. Review of Educational Research, 77(3), 334–372. http://www.jstor.org/stable/4624902
Shanker, S. (2017). Self-Reg: How to Help Your Child (and You) Break the Stress Cycle and Successfully Engage with Life. Penguin Canada.
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