Research has suggested that persistence in the face of challenges plays an important role in learning. However, recent work on wheel-spinning—a type of unproductive persistence where students spend too much time struggling without achieving mastery of skills—has shown that not all persistence is uniformly beneficial for learning. For this reason, Study 1 used educational data-mining techniques to determine key differences between the behaviors associated with productive persistence and wheel-spinning in ASSISTments, an online math learning platform. This study’s results indicated that three features differentiated between these two modes of persistence: the number of hints requested in any problem, the number of bottom-out hints in the last eight problems, and the variation in the delay between solving problems of the same skill. These findings suggested that focusing on number of hints can provide insight into which students are struggling, and encouraging students to engage in longer delays between problem solving is likely helpful to reduce their wheel-spinning. Using the same definition of productive persistence in Study 1, Study 2 attempted to investigate the relationship between productive persistence and grit using Duckworth and Quinn’s (2009) Short Grit Scale. Correlational results showed that the two constructs were not significantly correlated with each other, providing implications for synthesizing literature on student persistence across computer-based learning environments and traditional classrooms.

The purpose of this study was to investigate whether using self-regulated learning strategies could promote college students’ learning and satisfaction in Physical Education. A quasi-experimental design, experimental group (N =49) and control group (N=51), was used to examine the effectiveness of a teaching intervention in achieving the goals of learning and satisfaction. Students undertaking the self-regulated learning intervention were compared with a group participating in standard curriculum instructional conditions. Three questionnaires were administered to identify 1) students’ entry characteristics, 2) their perceptions of their learning experiences, and 3) satisfaction. Students completed a students’ characteristics questionnaire in week 2. During the module, students responded to a learning experience questionnaire. At the conclusion of the module, students completed a tennis skills test and responded to a satisfaction questionnaire. The conceptual framework for this study included the independent variables of teaching strategy, mediating variables (students’ characteristics), and dependent variables (satisfaction and performance). The experimental study was conducted within this framework by use of an ANCOVA design. The main results were: 1. The experimental group scored significantly higher on measures reflecting self regulated learning processes in their learning experience than the control group (p=0.000).2. There was no difference between the groups on scores for global satisfaction (p=0.059).3. There was no difference between the groups on satisfaction through valuing (p=0.401). 4. The experimental group demonstrated significantly higher students' satisfaction through enjoyment than the control group (p=0.013).5. The experimental group had significantly higher performance in the tennis skills test than the control group (p=0.000). Several effects of self-regulated learning were indicated in this study. Analysis of the monitoring sheets provided evidence that students gained more interest and confidence in their involvement in the tennis class by the use of self-regulated learning strategies. However, it was expected that the self-regulated learning group would experience the greater satisfaction. As this did not occur, more research is needed to further examine the relationship of learning experiences to satisfaction and particularly the dimension of valuing. The importance of utilizing a conceptual framework that accounted for differences in student entry characteristics in a teaching intervention of this nature was demonstrated by the ANCOVA analysis. The individual factors of managing environmental change, problem solving, ability attributions, and task orientation were all shown to have some significant effects on student outcomes over and above those attributed to the learning experience. Finally, some interesting findings concerning the composition of the scales used in the study were reported. They were interpreted as providing evidence for the importance of verifying the cultural appropriateness of even well-known theoretical concepts that may have been developed in different contexts to those in which they are being used. The study concludes with some specific recommendations for future research.

Thesis (M. Ed.)--University of Hong Kong, 2006. / Title proper from title frame. Also available in printed format.

Thesis (Ph. D.)--Open University. BLDSC no. DX222119.

Thesis (Ph.D.)--University of Texas at Arlington, 2009.

Thesis (Ph. D.)--University of Oregon, 2000. / Typescript. Includes vita and abstract. Includes bibliographical references (leaves 226-238). Also available for download via the World Wide Web; free to University of Oregon users.

Thesis (M.A.)--University of Hong Kong, 2002. / Includes bibliographical references (leaves 101-106).

Thesis (Ph. D.)--University of Washington, 2002. / Vita. Includes bibliographical references (leaves 224-232).

Thesis (Ph. D.)--University of Missouri-Columbia, 2002. / Typescript. Vita. Includes bibliographical references (leaves 131-144). Also available on the Internet.

Thesis (Ph. D.)--University of Missouri-Columbia, 2002. / Typescript. Vita. Includes bibliographical references (leaves 131-144). Also available on the Internet.