As the name implies, self-regulated learning is “self-determined and active efforts to initiate activities targeted towards learning goals, to perform them effectively, to monitor progress and to adapt them if necessary.” (p. 455) Said a bit more simply, it's learners taking charge of their learning—recognizing that it's their responsibility, deciding on a plan, implementing that plan and then assessing both the outcomes and the process. Self-regulated learners are independent, autonomous and self-directed.
