About this PATHS attribute
Self-regulation, which includes metacognition and mindfulness, involves assessing and understanding one’s internal state (i.e. emotions, mindset, skills, motivations) and developing an action plan or strategy to effectively respond to external challenges.
Where to start? Follow this pathway for a complete learning experience or pick the scenario that applies to your course. Each section includes:
- A description of the learning object and associated learning outcomes
- Estimated activity time
- Instructor notes and helpful suggestions
- Options to download or embed resources
- Video transcripts and accessible document versions
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Self-regulation helps students take strategic control of their learning
Self-regulation helps students manage responsibilities, timelines and goals, monitor their learning, and effectively respond to challenges and new tasks. Self-regulation helps students persist and succeed in their learning, whether they’re working on a group project, learning new concepts, or completing an assignment.
Learning about self-regulation
Learning about self-regulation and its benefits will help empower students by developing skills in planning and goal setting, personal leadership and accountability, integrative and critical thinking, self-awareness and learning skills.
Five ways to develop metacognitive skills
Estimated time: 1 minutes
Format: Infographic
Description: This infographic helps students understand how they can develop their metacognitive skills by using the cycle of self-regulated learning.
Note for instructors: Instructors can pair this learning object with any tools in this section and may choose to use this learning object as a stand-alone item or as supplementary content.
Suggestion: Instructors can share this information as part of an announcement in eClass or include this item as part of an upcoming assignment/task to prompt students to use the cycle of self-regulated learning.
Student Learning Object (PDF)
Thinking metacognitively during various learning activities
Estimated time: N/A
Format: Activity
Description: Students will practice thinking metacognitively during various learning experiences (ex. in-class, studying, active learning). Students will review a series of questions that will prompt metacognitive thinking through the planning, monitoring, and evaluation phases of learning.
Note for instructors: Instructors can assign this activity for students to complete after watching the “Learning about self-regulation and metacognition” interactive video found in this pathway.
Suggestion: Instructors can assign this activity for students to complete after watching the “Learning about self-regulation and metacognition” interactive video found in this pathway.
Student Learning Object (H5P)
Other available formats: Word Document
Monitoring you learning
Estimated time: N/A
Format: Activity
Description: Students will practice thinking metacognitively by monitoring their learning. Students will review a series of questions that will prompt metacognitive thinking during various learning experiences (ex. in-class, studying, active learning).
Note for instructors: Instructors can pair this learning object with any other item in this section, use this learning object as a stand-alone item or as supplementary content.
Suggestion: Instructors can assign this activity for students to complete after watching the“Learning about self-regulation and metacognition” interactive video found in this pathway.
Student Learning Object (H5P)
Other available formats: Word Document
Improving learning by thinking metacognitively
Students improve their learning when they have well-developed metacognitive thinking skills. Metacognition (thinking about our own thinking and learning) helps students develop knowledge about their learning strategies and themselves as learners, as well as the ability to self-regulate their learning processes.
Practicing mindfulness to become self-regulated learners
Estimated time: 8 minutes
Format: Activity (Interactive Presentation)
Description: Students will learn about mindfulness practices, assess their present-time awareness and mindfulness qualities as learners, and practice and learn how to incorporate meditation and other mindfulness practices into their daily routines as students.
Note for instructors: Instructors can assign this interactive presentation early in their course and at key times in the academic cycle, including ahead of midterms and exams, where students may especially benefit from mindfulness practices. This learning object can be used as a stand-alone item or paired with other activities in this pathway.
Suggestion: Instructors can assign the “Learning about mindfulness” interactive presentation to students that require an introduction. After introducing students to this tool, instructors can continue to use elements of this presentation to support students in cultivating mindfulness throughout their course.
Student Learning Object (H5P)
Other available formats: Word Document
Nurturing a growth mindset to support self-regulated learning
Estimated time: 15 minutes
Format: Activity (Interactive Presentation)
Description: This learning object provides students with an opportunity to learn about growth mindset, its benefits, and how to cultivate a growth mindset as a learner. As students work through this interactive presentation, they can assess their mindsets about learning and identify and discuss steps they can take to move towards a growth mindset.
Note for instructors: This learning object can be used as a stand-alone item or paired with other activities in this pathway. Instructors can introduce this learning object early in their course to help students approach course work using a growth mindset.
Suggestion: After introducing students to this tool, instructors can continue to use elements of this presentation to support students in cultivating a growth mindset throughout their course.
Student Learning Object (H5P)
Other available formats: Word Document
How to develop growth mindset
Estimated time: 1 minute
Format: Infographic
Description: This infographic provides condensed information about developing a growth mindset and gives students simple examples of growth mindset thinking.
Note for instructors: Instructors can use this learning object as supplementary content to the “Nurturing a growth mindset to support self-regulated learning” interactive presentation.
Suggestion: Instructors can share this information as part of an announcement in eClass or include this item as part of an upcoming assignment/task to prompt growth mindset thinking.
Student Learning Object (PDF)
Using mindfulness and growth mindset to achieve more
By developing mindfulness, students can learn how to overcome distracting thoughts and feelings and better respond to challenges. Along with mindfulness, cultivating a growth mindset gives students an empowering perspective towards learning by developing a sense of resourcefulness and purpose with a focus on improvement and growth.
Achieve more with self-regulation tools and frameworks
Students can learn how to build up their self-regulation skills with the help of various tools and frameworks, including using the cycle of self-regulated learning to approach an upcoming assignment or task, making goals that stick and monitoring their progress, and creating a personal learning plan that will help them overcome obstacles and succeed in their course.
Evaluation tools help students gain valuable insights
Instructors can use these objects to provide students with guidance and supportive tools to assess their perceived performance and progress.
Instructors can also create a scaffolded learning experience through external feedback that assists students in reflecting on any discrepancies between their desired goal and attained the outcome.