A Philosophical Discussion of the Support of Self-Regulated Learning in Medical Education: The Treasure Hunt Approach Versus the (Dutch) “Dropping” Approach

Issue: Many current educational approaches are intended to cultivate learners’ full (learning) potential by fostering self-regulated learning (SRL), as it is expected that those learners with a high degree of SRL learn more effectively than those with a low degree of SRL. However, these attempts to foster SRL are not always successful. Evidence: We considered complexities related to fostering self-regulated learning by use of an analogy. This analogy was based on two (Dutch) children’s games: the treasure hunt (children can find a “treasure” by following directions, completing assignments and/or answering questions) and the dropping (pre-teens are dropped in the woods at nighttime with the assignment to find their way back home). We formulated four interrelated philosophical questions. These questions were not formulated with the intention to provide clear-cut answers, but were instead meant to evoke contemplation about the SRL concept. During this contemplation, the implications of definitional issues regarding SRL were discussed by use of the first question: What are the consequences of the difficulties to explicate what is (not) SRL? The second question (How does SRL relate to autonomy?) touched upon the intricate relationship between SRL and autonomy, by discussing the role of social interaction and varying degrees of instruction when fostering SRL. Next, a related topic was addressed by the third question: How much risk are we willing and able to take when fostering SRL? And finally, the importance of and possibilities to assess SRL were discussed by the fourth question (Should SRL be assessed?). Implications: From our contemplations it has become clear that approaches to foster SRL are often insufficiently aligned with the experience and needs of learners. Instead these approaches are commonly defined by contextual factors, such as misconceptions about SRL and lack of leeway for learners. Consequently, we have used principles that apply to both treasure hunts and droppings, to provide guidelines on how to align one’s approach to foster SRL with the educational context and experience and needs of learners.