3. Observation

Now that learning has begun, the learner becomes active in monitoring and regulating their process. In this phase, the learner asks themselves the following questions: ‘Do I understand?’, ‘Should I change my strategy?’, ‘What do I need now?’

Self-regulation and metacognition are essential for long-term learning success (Zimmerman, 2000). AI tools can either support this process by providing dashboards and prompts, or compromise it by automating decisions too early.

This phase is entirely devoted to autonomy and self-regulation. These are the moments when learners become aware of their own thinking, choose strategies, set goals and reflect on their progress. This can happen at the beginning, middle or end of the learning process. The more learners develop their autonomy at this stage, the more confidence and adaptability they gain. This phase is like a control tower for learning.