Implications of task structure on self‐regulated learning and achievement

School tasks interact with student motivation, cognition, and instruction to influence learning and achievement. Heeding calls for additional research linking motivational and cognitive factors in learning and instruction on specific tasks within authentic classroom settings we quantitatively and qualitatively track 90 tenth‐grade science students’ motivation, reported use of learning strategies, achievement, calibration, and task perceptions as they engage in a well‐structured task (WST) and an ill‐structured task (IST). Students achieved higher grades on, and reported more ease and value for, the WST whereas they utilised critical thinking and peer learning strategies more on the IST. Lower academic achievers calibrated their achievement less accurately on each task and experienced lower grades, interest, ease, and management capability on the IST. Conversely, higher academic achieving students reported more self‐efficacy and effort regulation and lower anxiety and elaboration on the IST. Motivation – notably less intrinsic goal orientation in low academic achievers and higher task value and self‐efficacy – predicted performance on the IST. The structure of tasks may provide prompts that illicit unique self‐regulated learning responses in students.     

Learning in the visual arts and the worldviews of young children

This paper reports a research study into the effects of rich, sustained visual arts instruction on 103 inner city 9‐year‐olds in two major US cities. We use the lenses of social learning theory, theories of motivation and self‐efficacy, and recent research on artistic thinking to investigate the programs' effects on children's self‐beliefs and creative thinking. The study enlisted a pre–post measure, treatment‐comparison group design along with structured observations of participant and comparison group classrooms. The arts students made significant comparative gains on a self‐efficacy scale and on an ‘originality’ subscale of a standard creativity test. These effects are attributed to children's engagement in art and to the social organization of instruction including reinforcing peer and student–adult relationships. Relationships between self‐efficacy beliefs and tendencies to think originally are explored.     

Ungifted: Intelligence Redefined. Kaufman,S. B. (2013)

Word Class is a method of modifying a spelling curriculum to meet the academic needs of gifted learners. This strategy combines a self‐selected approach to spelling instruction with thinking skills. Word Class enables gifted learners to make choices about their learning and engage in creative, high level thinking. It also teaches thinking skills and provides gifted learners with more authentic thinking and writing experiences.     

How cognitive,metacognitive, motivational and emotional self‐regulation influence school performance in adolescence and early adulthood

This contribution aims to examine how different areas of self‐regulation are related to academic achievement in adolescents and young adults. The study involved participants, drawn from following age groups: 14–15, 17–18 and 22–23. In order to get information about cognitive, metacognitive, motivational and emotional aspects of self‐regulation, self‐report questionnaires were used. Differences between age‐groups revealed following tendency: there has been a decrease in all fields of self‐regulation from age of 14 (end of primary school) to the age of about 18 years (end of secondary school), and then results slowly improved to the age of about 22 years (students of undergraduate studies). The results obtained are mirroring perceived competence of self‐regulation and differ from the results concerning metacognitive accuracy. Metacognitive self‐regulation persists as an important predictor of school achievement at all developmental levels, and the motivational self‐regulation has significant impact on performance in the first and second age group.     

Developmental outcomes of children in classes for special educational needs: results from a longitudinal study

This longitudinal study investigates the differences in cognitive and socio‐emotional development and academic achievement between children educated in special education classes (N = 37) and regular classes (N = 37). The study is retrospective. The first measurement point was while children were attending play‐oriented kindergarten and no decision about their education had yet been made. The second measurement point followed after 2 years of schooling. Comparing carefully matched groups, no differences in executive functions (EFs) were found before beginning school. Children assigned to special education had poorer language, fine motor skills and a lower pre‐academic self‐concept, self‐regulatory skills and social integration. Notably, every fourth child in special education was an immigrant, 9% of whom later attended regular classes. After 2 years of schooling in either setting, the groups differed significantly in academic achievement, EFs, fine motor skills and cognitive self‐regulatory skills. However, it was not – as school officials had intended – that children in special education classes had caught up, except in regard to their academic self‐concept and social integration.     

Relations between goals,self‐efficacy,critical thinking and deep processing strategies: a path analysis

Research exploring students’ academic learning has recently amalgamated different motivational theories within one conceptual framework. The inclusion of achievement goals, self‐efficacy, deep processing and critical thinking has been cited in a number of studies. This article discusses two empirical studies that examined these four theoretical orientations from both cross‐sectional (N = 279 participants) and longitudinal (N = 264 participants) perspectives. In particular, achievement goals are hypothesised to exert direct and indirect effects on academic performance via self‐efficacy, study processing strategies and critical thinking. Path analysis was used to test and analyse the hypothesised conceptual models. Results from SPSS 16 and LISREL 8.72 provided good support for the hypothesised structural relationships. Students’ academic performance outcomes, for example, are determined directly by deep processing and work‐avoidance goals. Results from Study 2 indicate mastery goals and self‐efficacy, mastery goals and critical thinking and deep processing and critical thinking operate in a reciprocal manner. In general, the evidence established from both studies contributes theoretically and methodologically.     

Self‐Concepts,Self‐Esteem,and Academic Achievement of Minority and Majority North American Elementary School Children

Minority and majority elementary school students from a Native American reservation (N = 188; K–fifth grade; 5‐ to 10‐year‐olds) completed tests of academic self‐concepts and self‐esteem. School grades, attendance, and classroom behavior were collected. Both minority and majority students exhibited positive self‐esteem. Minority students demonstrated lower academic self‐concepts and lower achievement than majority students. Two age‐related patterns emerged. First, minority students had lower academic achievement than majority students, and this effect was stronger in older (Grades 3–5) than in younger (Grades K–2) students. Second, children's actual achievement was related to their academic self‐concepts for older students but more strongly linked to self‐esteem in younger students. The authors offer a developmental account connecting students’ developing self‐representations to their school achievement.     

The effect of instructional quality on low‐ and high‐performing students

The study assessed the effects of the quality of reading and math instruction and classroom climate on the academic skills and engagement of 314 children in 245 classrooms at the end of third grade. All of the children in the study were from families with low incomes. On a classroom observation measure developed for the study, regression analyses revealed that relatively high ratings on the reading and math instruction subscales, which were scored after a half‐day observation, predicted better reading and math achievement test scores, respectively, for third graders who had previously had poor academic performance, but did not have a significant effect for relatively high‐performing students. High teacher ratings on the reading instruction and classroom climate observation scales predicted high levels of student engagement. The findings suggest the importance of high‐quality teaching for economically disadvantaged children who have poor academic skills.     

Conceptual Teaching Through Multimediated Self‐instruction: a study with professional nursing students

A multimediated self‐instructional program was developed to introduce new concepts and techniques in an emerging area of nursing education. Two field testings of this instructional program were conducted with nursing students enrolled in a university. The results indicated that cognitive achievement did not differ between students taught by multimediated self‐instruction and lecture‐discussion. Students were able to effectively learn new nursing content through both teaching methods. There was no significant relationship found between students’ opinions about the instructional method experienced and their cognitive achievement. Students expressed some unfavourable feelings towards multimediated self‐instruction, possibly related to their general lack of prior experience with independent study or videotaped instruction. The effective use of multimediated self‐instruction is discussed.     

Incremental validity of thinking styles in predicting academic achievements: an experimental study in hypermedia learning environments

The study examined the incremental validity of thinking styles in predicting academic achievement after controlling for personality and achievement motivation in the hypermedia‐based learning environment. Seventy‐two Chinese college students from Shanghai, the People’s Republic of China, took part in this instructional experiment. The End‐Of‐Semester test was designed to examine the students’ achievement in the course of General Psychology. The results partially supported the hypotheses concerning the relationships between students’ Type I and II thinking styles and their academic achievement in Type I test (including analysis, problem‐solving, and essay tests) and Type II test (including multiple‐choice and cloze tests), and showed that some Type III styles were significantly related to their academic achievement. Hierarchical regression analysis indicated that the capacity of thinking styles for explaining and predicting academic achievement was sometimes over and above the sum of personality traits and achievement motivation. Implications for educational practice are discussed.     

Students’ experiences of academic success with dyslexia: A call for alternative intervention

This article describes a small‐scale study exploring the perspectives of five undergraduate students with dyslexia. Semi‐structured interviews were conducted in two universities in the UK. The interviews explored participants’ perceptions of their dyslexia label and how it had affected their academic success. The aim of the research was to identify facilitating factors that supported participants with dyslexia during their education. The following themes were identified: age of dyslexia identification, family support, dyslexic identity, self‐advocacy skills and learning resources. The study makes a case for an intervention for children and young people (CYP) with dyslexia that, in addition to remedial literacy support, explores self‐advocacy, thinking and study skills and facilitates positive academic self‐concepts. Future research could evaluate such an intervention for its effectiveness on CYP's social emotional well‐being and literacy skills.     

Predictors of hyperactive–impulsive–inattention and conduct problems: A comparative follow‐back investigation

Disruptive behavior patterns are particularly challenging for parents, teachers, and peers as these behaviors often interfere with classroom instruction, frequently lead to academic underachievement, and are associated with social skills acquisition and performance deficits. Children who exhibit a combination of hyperactivity–impulsivity–inattention and conduct problems (HIA + CP) have been shown to be at greater risk for negative social, behavioral, and legal outcomes than children with HIA‐only or CP‐only behavior patterns. This investigation explored the degree to which academic, social, and behavioral characteristics in Grade 4 could differentiate sixth‐grade students with HIA + CP (n = 61), HIA‐only (n = 29), and CP‐only (n = 14). Results showed that the HIA‐only group had higher academic achievement in Grade 4 as measured by teacher judgments and standardized tests than the HIA + CP and CP‐only groups. By Grade 6, the HIA‐only and HIA + CP groups showed lower academic competence than the CP‐only group suggesting that by sixth grade, children having HIA alone or in combination with conduct problems are at greater risk for academic failure. Additionally, HIA + CP and CP‐only groups had poorer social skills than the HIA‐only group. Consistent with past research, students in the three risk groups showed no difficulties in either academic or social self‐concept. Early screening and identification methods using a multiple‐gating model were recommended as a means of proactive approaches to intervention design and prevention. © 2005 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Psychol Schs 42: 721–736, 2005.     

The Impact of Internet Virtual Physics Laboratory Instruction on the Achievement in Physics, Science Process Skills and Computer Attitudes of 10th-Grade Students

The purpose of this study was to investigate and compare the impact of Internet Virtual Physics Laboratory (IVPL) instruction with traditional laboratory instruction in physics academic achievement, performance of science process skills, and computer attitudes of tenth grade students. One-hundred and fifty students from four classes at one private senior high school in Taoyuan Country, Taiwan, R.O.C. were sampled. All four classes contained 75 students who were equally divided into an experimental group and a control group. The pre-test results indicated that the students’ entry-level physics academic achievement, science process skills, and computer attitudes were equal for both groups. On the post-test, the experimental group achieved significantly higher mean scores in physics academic achievement and science process skills. There was no significant difference in computer attitudes between the groups. We concluded that the IVPL had potential to help tenth graders improve their physics academic achievement and science process skills.     

Self‐Regulation and Mathematics Instruction

Abstract The purpose of this article is to provide an overview of research‐based interventions that incorporate self‐regulation strategies to improve mathematics performance of students with learning disabilities (LD). Self‐regulation is a metacognitive function essential to academic success. Students with LD are notoriously poor at self‐regulation and must be taught explicitly to monitor and control their cognitive activities as they engage in academic tasks such as mathematical problem solving. This article describes intervention studies that use self‐regulation strategies to improve mathematics performance of students with LD at the elementary, middle, and secondary school levels. Several techniques to facilitate effective implementation of self‐regulation instruction in the classroom are presented.     

The relationship among achievement goals,standardized test scores,and elementary students’ focus in school

The study examined whether an academic, social, or both an academic and social focus might relate with achievement goals and academic achievement. Participants were 412 urban elementary school students. Results suggest that students with an academic focus toward school have more mastery‐approach and less mastery‐avoid achievement goals. Academic achievement (standardized test scores) did not relate with boys’ or girls’ focus toward school. These findings suggest that academic motivation, but not achievement, correspond with self‐perceptions of school as being a place to learn or school as a place for social interactions.     

‘Here's one I made earlier!’ A qualitative report on creativity in a residential primary school for children with social,emotional and behavioural difficulties

The impact of project‐based learning has been shown to be effective in increasing pupil motivation, improving problem‐solving skills and thinking skills in studies by Barrows and Williams. ‘Project Hour’ was set up in order to conduct a longitudinal study over the course of one academic year, to observe and record progress and development in independent and imaginative learning in a sample of primary school‐aged children with social, emotional and behavioural difficulties. This group was highlighted as having poor development and experience of language and school that has detracted from this aspect of their learning. ‘Project Hour’ allowed the children to have freedom in their creativity regarding a four‐week project chosen individually. The role of the adult was to support the child with materials required and assist the child as the child requested. Over the period of an academic year, the children progressed in their own thinking skills, problem‐solving skills, and creative and organisational skills. The children's behavioural problems in the learning situation reduced and children were keen to participate and to be included in the Project Hour groups.     

Creative Cognition in Secondary Science: An exploration of divergent thinking in science among adolescents

The divergent thinking skills in science of 282 US high school students were investigated across 16 weeks of instruction in order to determine whether typical academic time periods can significantly influence changes in thinking skills. Students’ from 6 high school science classrooms completed the Scientific Structures Creativity Measure (SSCM) before and after a semester of instruction. Even the short time frame of a typical academic term was found to be sufficient to promote both improvements in divergent thinking skills as well as declining divergent thinking. Declining divergent thinking skills were more common in this time frame than were improvements. The nature of student performance on the SSCM and implications are discussed.     

Facilitation prompts and rubrics on higher‐order thinking skill performance found in undergraduate asynchronous discussion boards

Over the past 20 years, researchers have begun to examine data from asynchronous computer‐mediated student discussions in courses. Some results have shown students to demonstrate lower or mid‐level thinking skills, while others suggest students routinely demonstrate higher‐order thinking skills. The authors investigated the relationship between scaffold types and the level of students' thinking skill performance, learning achievement and attitudes, in a two‐by‐two factorial, quasi‐experimental study. Participants included 216 undergraduate preservice K‐12 teachers who were presented with one of four versions of an asynchronous discussion board assignment. Resulting discussion interactions were evaluated for demonstration of low‐, mid‐ and higher‐order thinking skills. Findings revealed students who were given a scaffold demonstrated higher‐level thinking skills more frequently than did students who received no scaffold. No significant differences in learning achievement associated with test performance were found in test results. The treatment variables did significantly affect effect survey ratings associated with students' attitudes.     

Enhancement of thinking skills: Effects of two intervention methods

Three studies were carried out with Compulsory Secondary Education students to verify the effectiveness of two intervention methods—the infusion method (IM) and the instrumental enrichment program (IEP)—to enhance thinking skills, creativity, behavioral self-regulation, and academic achievement. Study 1 (N = 118) was conducted in order to create the IM, an instruction method designed to teach these skills along with the syllabus content, and to compare its effects with the conventional method (CM). In Study 2 (N = 176), the effects of the IM, the IEP, and the CM were compared in the same variables. In Study 3 (N = 168, using the same subjects as in Study 2), the effects of the IM and the IEP were analyzed to determine whether they were maintained or they increased with time. The results showed that greater changes were obtained with the IM than with the IEP in all the criterial variables and that the effects attained in Study 2, in addition to being significant, persisted at least 1 year after completing the intervention. Relevant scientific and educational implications are drawn from the studies.