Towards self-regulated learning in school curriculum

The concepts of learner autonomy and self-regulated learning have gained voice throughout the recent years as constructs characterizing successful and proficient learners. Self-regulation refers to the process through which learners systematically direct their thoughts, feelings, and actions toward the attainment of their goals. As far as educational enterprises are concerned, the school curriculum should cater for opportunities to equip learners, especially in the primary stages, with a repertoire of techniques and strategies for self-regulation so that they accept the responsibility of their learning in the educational system. If this goal is accounted for by the educationists and curriculum developers, much energy and money would be saved and the educational goals and objectives can be set and achieved in a process of negotiation with the learners. Such an educational system with its emphasis on individual learner moves towards humanizing the school curriculum and learner autonomy by considering student voices and interests. This article tries to shed some light on the concepts of self-regulation and learner autonomy emphasizing the need to integrate interesting and motivating self-regulation strategies into the educational system with the prospect of encouraging students to take more responsibility of their life-long learning. (C) 2012 Published by Elsevier Ltd.