Supporting struggling learners is a recurring challenge in medical education, and it can be especially complex in transnational programs where students face dual curricula, language demands, and cultural expectations. These difficulties place students at risk of poor performance or attrition, which not only undermines individual academic success but also threatens the sustainability of host-institution partnerships. This focused session introduces self-regulated learning (SRL) as a theory-informed framework for understanding and addressing these challenges. Drawing on Zimmerman’s cyclical model and Pintrich’s four-phase model, the session highlights how SRL can be applied to diagnose learning difficulties, guide remediation strategies, and equip students to manage work demands.

Participants will engage with de-identified case vignettes drawn from the presenter's experience that illustrate common struggles in international/transnational programs. Using small-group discussion and analysis, the participants will engage with the cases by: identifying SRL deficits, considering how these map onto different stages of the learning process described by SRL theories, and proposing tailored strategies. Attention will also be given to when coaching or near-peer mentoring may provide effective support, offering participants practical approaches that are transferable across diverse contexts.

By the end of the session, participants will have applied SRL theories to authentic cases, reflected on their own teaching or mentoring practice, and identified strategies they can use to support struggling learners in their own educational settings.

Learning Outcomes

• Apply Self-Regulated Learning (SRL) theories (Zimmerman, Pintrich) to analyse students’ learning behaviours and challenges.
• Identify SRL deficits in case vignettes and propose tailored support strategies by targeting specific SRL stages.
• Evaluate when coaching or near-peer mentoring approaches are most appropriate for struggling learners.
• Reflect on their own teaching or mentoring practice and identify ways to incorporate SRL-informed strategies.