THE EXPERT LEARNER - STRATEGIC, SELF-REGULATED, AND REFLECTIVE

Reflection on the process of learning is believed to be an essential i ngredient in the development of expert learners. By employing reflecti ve thinking skills to evaluate the results of one's own learning effor ts, awareness of effective learning strategies can be increased and wa ys to use these strategies in other learning situations can be underst ood. This article describes how expert learners use the knowledge they have gained of themselves as learners, of task requirements, and of s pecific strategy use to deliberately select, control, and monitor stra tegies needed to achieve desired learning goals. We present a model of expert learning which illustrates how learners' metacognitive knowled ge of cognitive, motivational, and environmental strategies is transla ted into regulatory control of the learning process through ongoing re flective thinking. Finally, we discuss the implications that the conce pt of expert learning has for instructional practices.