Self-regulated learning partially mediates the effect of self-regulated learning interventions on achievement in higher education: A meta-analysis

It is often assumed that interventions aimed at supporting students’ self-regulated learning (SRL) are effective for improving achievement because these interventions support SRL activity. In this study, meta-analytic structural equation modeling (MASEM) was used to test whether SRL activity indeed mediates the effect of SRL interventions on achievement in higher education. Contrary to popular belief, the results only provide evidence for partial mediation. Furthermore, three separate meta-analyses were performed to investigate the role of possible moderators of the relations between: (1) SRL interventions and achievement, (2) SRL interventions and SRL activity, and (3) SRL activity and achievement. Although SRL interventions were effective in improving SRL activity and achievement, most of the study, measurement, and intervention moderators did not explain significant variance of the investigated effect sizes. Other factors, such as task motivation and time on task, potentially influence the effectiveness of SRL interventions. Practical, theoretical and methodological implications are provided.     

Promoting self-regulated learning to improve achievement: A case study in higher education

Abstract

The aim of this article is to report on a study conducted to assess the effect of an intervention programme to improve SRL and the achievement of a group of poorly performing undergraduate students at the Tshwane University of Technology. SRL was used as theoretical framework. The case study reports on 20 Engineering students who attended learning skills intervention sessions and wrote a college version of the learning and study strategies inventory (LASSI) pre-test and post-test. The intervention consisted of 12 workshop sessions presented over a period of three months. The LASSI pre-test showed that the group scored below the 50th percentile on four scales (anxiety, attitude, selecting main ideas and test-taking strategies). Observed improvements in the post-test scores of the LASSI scales for seven out of ten scales were statistically significant. The students’ academic achievements also improved. The findings are important for improving student success and throughput in South African higher education.     

Literature review on the use of action research in higher education

This literature review considers the use of action research in higher education. The review specifically looks at two areas of higher education activity. The first concerns academic teaching practice and includes a discussion of research and pedagogy practice, and staff development. The second considers student engagement. In both of these core features of higher education, action research has proven to be a central approach to the investigation, reflection and improvement of practice. Each of these main foci includes a discussion of the limitations of the literature. The review illustrates the extent and range of uses to have benefited from an action research approach.     

The educational use of social annotation tools in higher education: A literature review

This paper presents a literature review of empirical research related to the use and effect of online social annotation (SA) tools in higher education settings. SA technology is an emerging educational technology that has not yet been extensively used and examined in education. As such, the research focusing on this technology is still very limited. The literature review has aimed at presenting a comprehensive list of SA empirical studies not limited to a particular research method or study domain. Out of more than 90 articles that were initially found, only 16 studies met the inclusion criteria. Among the included studies were eight experimental or quasi-experimental studies and eight evaluation/survey studies. The SA empirical research has provided some evidence regarding the potential effectiveness of integrating social annotation tools into learning activities. Findings from the gathered literature were synthesized to provide recommendations for using SA technology in educational settings.     

Facilitating flexible learning by replacing classroom time with an online learning environment: A systematic review of blended learning in higher education

Higher education institutions are trying to provide more flexibility and individualization, which is mainly realized through the use of new technologies and implemented in online or blended learning designs. This systematic review aims to investigate the impact of replacing classroom time with an online learning environment. The meta-analysis (k = 21 effect sizes) applied strict inclusion criteria concerning research design, measurement of learning outcomes and implementation of blended learning. The estimated effect size (Hedge's g) was positive, although not significantly different from zero and the confidence interval [-0.13, 0.25], suggesting that overall differences between blended and conventional classroom learning are small, and, at best, very small negative or moderate positive effects are plausible. This means that despite a reduction in classroom time between 30 and 79 per cent, equivalent learning outcomes were found. Consequently, blended learning with reduced classroom time is not systematically more or less effective than conventional classroom learning.     

Friends, classmates, and self-regulated learning: discussions with peers inside and outside the classroom

The current study sought to understand the relationship between peer discussions and self-regulated learning. Eighty-eight first year high school students answered questions from the Motivated Strategies for Learning Questionnaire and reported the perceived frequency of discussions with peers both inside and outside of the classroom regarding self-regulated learning. Results suggest that differences exist between the frequency of self-regulation discussions with peers from inside and outside of the classroom, especially for discussions concerning motivation. Discussions with peers outside of class were related more closely to students’ reported self-regulated learning than discussion with peers inside of class. In addition, peer groups with higher average levels of self-regulated learning discussions had individual members with high reported self-regulated learning. The study’s results also highlight the need for further research on the mechanisms by which peer discussions may relate to students’ self-regulated learning.     

Measuring the complexity of upper primary school children’s self-regulated learning: A multi-component approach

Balancing theoretical and practical issues in the measurement of SRL remains a challenge. This is especially the case for large-scale studies among primary school children’s SRL. In this respect, the present study describes the development and validation of the Children’s Perceived use of Self-Regulated Learning Inventory (CP-SRLI) consisting of nine components. A multistep process was used to develop the questionnaire, including reviews by a teacher and expert panel, cognitive interviews with upper primary school children, and a large-scale administration. The original 109-item questionnaire was then presented to 504 fifth and 463 sixth graders (sample 1). Subsequent to exploratory factor analyses on each component, the factor structure of each component was confirmed by confirmatory factor analyses using an independent second sample (409 fifth and 314 sixth graders), leading to a questionnaire of 75 items. Further, the factor structure of the different components is found to be invariant across boys and girls. The implications of the results and potential avenues for future research are presented and discussed.     

Communities of practice in higher education: professional learning in an academic career

This article focuses on the life history of a university academic, and the ways in which he learned in different communities of practice during his career. This account raises questions about the applicability of situated learning theory to a knowledge-based organisation, and argues that both the external context and the individuals within the community impinge on learning. It suggests that the role of academic staff developers may vary depending on the CoP and should include developing networks, facilitation, providing relevant expertise, improving harmony within CoPs and harnessing the benefits of internationally dispersed CoPs.     

Effects of self-assessment on self-regulated learning and self-efficacy: Four meta-analyses

This meta-analytic review explores the effects of self-assessment on students' self-regulated learning (SRL) and self-efficacy. A total of 19 studies were included in the four different meta-analyses conducted with a total sample of 2305 students. The effects sizes from the three meta-analyses addressing effects on different measures of SRL were 0.23, 0.65, and 0.43. The effect size from the meta-analysis on self-efficacy was 0.73. In addition, it was found that gender (with girls benefiting more) and certain self-assessment components (such as self-monitoring) were significant moderators of the effects on self-efficacy. These results point to the importance of self-assessment interventions to promote students’ use of learning strategies and its effects on motivational variables such as self-efficacy.     

The dynamic roles of cognitive reappraisal and self-regulated learning during mathematics problem solving: A mixed methods investigation

Emotion regulation (ER) and self-regulated learning (SRL) are crucial to learners’ academic achievements. To date, little research has considered the dynamic relations between cognitive reappraisal (as a form of ER) and SRL in middle-to-upper-elementary-aged children. To address this gap, we conducted an explanatory mixed-methods study to examine relations between cognitive reappraisal, the four macro phases of SRL (task definition, planning/goal setting, enactment of learning strategies, monitoring/evaluation), and mathematics problem-solving outcomes in a sample of 134 elementary students from grades 3 through 6. Path analysis revealed that cognitive reappraisal positively predicted all four phases of SRL, but that the four phases of SRL did not predict cognitive reappraisal. Moreover, both task definition and planning/goal setting positively predicted enactment and monitoring/evaluation. Results from path analyses further revealed that task definition mediated relations between cognitive reappraisal and enactment, and reappraisal and monitoring. Enactment mediated relations between reappraisal and mathematics problem-solving outcomes. Finally, enactment predicted mathematics problem-solving outcomes. Further, quantitative results were cross-validated by results from trend analyses; results converged regarding the weakly sequenced nature of SRL and with regard to cognitive reappraisal serving as an important antecedent for effective SRL.     

电子信息教育在高职实验教学课程改革与实践

电子技术课程是电子信息类专业技术课程中非常重要属于一门主干课程,在教学过程中综合运用课程中所学到有关知识技能,结合实验教学与实践教学环节进行多种多样的教学活动。加强教学改革结合实际教学任务分析电子信息教育实验教学现状,总结了电子技术教学经验提出教学改革思路。     

Sequence matters! Retrieval practice before generative learning is more effective than the reverse order

As follow-up to an initial study phase, both generative learning activities and retrieval practice can substantially enhance learning, but via different functions. Generative activities are theorized to mainly serve the function of constructing coherent mental representations of the learning content that are well integrated with prior knowledge, whereas retrieval practice is theorized to mainly serve the function of consolidating learners’ mental representations in memory. In view of these complementing functions, the present study investigated whether the sequence of these activities matters. In an experiment with N = 158 university students, we varied the sequence of generative learning and retrieval practice after an initial study phase. We found that the retrieval-before-generation sequence yielded better retention and reduced cognitive load during both types of activities. We conclude that although it might seem counterintuitive, engaging learners in retrieval practice before engaging them in generative learning can be more beneficial than vice versa.     

Epistemic beliefs: Setting the standards for self-regulated learning

Relations were examined between epistemic beliefs, achievement goals, learning strategies, and achievement. We sought to empirically test Muis’ [Muis, K. R. (2007). The role of epistemic beliefs in self-regulated learning. Educational Psychologist, 42, 173–190] hypothesis that epistemic beliefs influence processes of self-regulated learning via the standards students set for learning once goals are produced. Two hundred one undergraduate students from an educational psychology course completed questionnaires designed to measure the various constructs. Students’ final grades were also collected at the end of the semester. Students’ recollections of course tasks revealed that their epistemic beliefs are activated during learning. Results from structural equation modeling revealed epistemic beliefs influenced the types of achievement goals students adopted, which subsequently influenced the types of learning strategies they used in their education course, and their achievement. Moreover, achievement goals mediated relations between epistemic beliefs and learning strategies, and learning strategies mediated relations between achievement goals and achievement.     

A selective analysis of empirical findings in networked learning research in higher education: Questing for coherence

In this paper, we have attempted two ambitious tasks. We have undertaken a wide-ranging survey of the Network learning (NL) literature, and tried to identify the emerging themes of this work. We have selected three of these themes, and in each case tried to identify the main theoretical perspectives in use, the main directions of the studies, and the key ideas being addressed and researched. We have also tried to indicate where the main research effort might be directed in order to help to ‘fill in the gaps’ and achieve some coherence for the theme. Our second major task has arisen from our assertion that the field of Networked Learning research is theoretically fragmented. We have argued that this situation arises because Networked Learning research is a new field, and is drawing upon a wide range of theoretical perspectives. However, unless we can achieve some synthesis of these perspectives we may find it difficult to establish a coherent research programme in the field. We argue that one way of developing some coherence is to make theory and praxis interact explicitly, in other words, to ‘converse’ with each other in our research. By this we mean, to use theory to interrogate praxis, and use praxis to modify and develop theory, thus moving towards perspectives that are changing theory, modifying and improving it. As part of this argument, we have briefly surveyed the current level of Theory–Praxis Conversation, either explicit, or implicit, in the thematic research we have described. It is clear that some outstanding work is being done to make theory work, and to modify it in the light of research into praxis. However, it is also the case that much current Networked Learning research does not interrogate the theory that it uses to contextualise it. We see Theory–Praxis Conversation as a way of thinking explicitly about how we might make the work of interrogating theory in our research more explicit and systematic. In this way, our ‘Quest for Coherence’ may, we hope, help Networked Learning research to climb up to the higher ground, and give us a wider ranging view of learning in networked environments.     

A review of twenty-first century higher education

This article is predominantly concerned with the global challenges associated with managing an academic workforce in an era characterised by increased demand for higher education. In scrutinising global trends in higher education and academic workforce management, the article will address two research questions. First, what are the global trends that most affect education in the twenty-first century? Second, what are the transformations that have taken place in the academic workforce amid these trends? Last, the article calls for a need for researchers to profoundly explore the management of the academic workforce cross-nationally between developed and developing economies, with a particular focus on Australia, Malaysia and Singapore.     

Supporting small-group learning using multiple Web 2.0 tools: A case study in the higher education context

In this single-case study, small groups of learners were supported by use of multiple social software tools and face-to-face activities in the context of higher education. The aim of the study was to explore how designed learning activities contribute to students' learning outcomes by studying probabilistic dependencies between the variables. Explorative Bayesian classification analysis revealed that the best predictors of good learning outcomes were wiki-related activities. According to the Bayesian dependency model, students who were active in conceptualizing issues by taking photos were also active blog reflectors and collaborative knowledge builders in their group. In general, the results indicated that interaction between individual and collective actions likely increased individual knowledge acquisition during the course.