The use of mediation as a strategy to enhance the development of cognitive flexibility in self-regulated learning

Abstract

In this paper I discuss mediation as a possible strategy for enhancing cognitive flexibility in self-regulated learning. Although much has been written on the importance of self-regulated learning there is still much debate about the best way of going about developing it. This paper presents empirical qualitative research that focuses on the creation of a complex learning environment that would facilitate the use of mediation as a teaching strategy to develop children’s ability to adapt flexibly to the demands of the learning environment. Learning is viewed as a process of holistic personal development rather than the acquisition of knowledge and skills. As part of the design experiment, the Mediational Behaviour Observation Scale (MBOS) was developed to judge the extent to which the researcher’s interaction with the learners could be described as mediatory. A qualitative analysis of the MBOS revealed that certain mediatory behaviours were effective in creating a complex learning environment conducive to the development of self-regulated learning. Further interpretative analysis also suggests that mediation can be particularly useful in the development of cognitive flexibility.