Self-regulation in the learning process

Why is self-regulation important and can we teach our students to be self-regulated?

Presented by Dr Cam Brooks and Dr Natasha Matthews

In this seminar, Dr Matthews will discuss the cognitive neuroscience that underpins our understanding of how self-regulation develops in learners as they progress through school and the capacity of different learners to self-regulate. Dr Brooks will speak about the practical implications of this research for educators by putting forward evidence-based strategies that can be implemented in classrooms to develop self-regulation in students.

Dr Cam Brooks is a Postdoctoral Research Fellow at The University of Queensland. He has recently been lead researcher on a four-year Australian Research Council study, ‘Improving Student Outcomes: Coaching Teachers in The Power of Feedback’. Cam’s research is focused on how teachers can use formative assessment to elicit evidence of student understanding and the most effective ways for students to receive, interpret and act upon feedback. His work is underpinned by a student-centred model of feedback that aims to build capability within the learner to make informed decisions about their own next steps for improvement. Cam was recently awarded an Excellence in Educational Leadership award from the Australian Council for Educational Leaders.

Dr Natasha Matthews is a Senior Lecturer in the School of Psychology at The University of Queensland (UQ). Natasha 
is a psychologist and neuroscientist whose research focuses on understanding the development of attention and metacognition in children and adolescences. Natasha also has a passion for applying this knowledge from research into practice. She is a Chief Investigator with the Learning Lab at UQ, which brings together researchers and education practitioners to work on shared educational challenges. In 2021, Natasha was the recipient of the Faculty of Health and Behavioural Sciences teaching award for  her work in incorporating meta-cognitive pedagogy into her teaching in the undergraduate psychology program.