Self-regulation is an important aspect of learning, and all teachers want to instill this ability in their students. However, students often feel confused or inadequate when it comes to being in charge of their own learning. This is especially true in intensive English programs where students expect the teacher to provide them with the information they need to pass tests and advance to higher levels. While the teacher's role cannot be overlooked, encouraging self-regulated learning is also vital to students' success in learning. The author saw a need for this in the intensive English program where she is teaching. She created a workbook which outlines the six principles of self-regulated learning as presented by Andrade and Evans (2013). During the course of two semesters, she gathered data from teachers and students in classes at the English Language Center (ELC) through surveys and interviews regarding how useful the workbook was in helping students to be more self-regulated in their learning. The feedback indicates that the principles presented in the workbook were useful, and the students felt better equipped to face future learning. Although this was a preliminary study, the feedback collected regarding the workbook indicates that students are more receptive to self-regulated learning if they have the tools to understand how to be self-regulated learners. A second study was conducted by administrators of an intensive English program, and the results demonstrated the workbook was useful for their purposes in many different proficiency levels.

Teaching and instructing students is a necessity, but creating ways to challenge them is a priority. This thesis focuses on Barry Zimmerman and Timothy Clearly’s Self-Regulation Empowerment Program (SREP). This model uses a problem-solving approach in establishing Self-Regulated Learning (SRL) strategies in students’ learning. Stemming from interdisciplinary questions such as, “what will help students be successful in and outside the classroom?” and “how do teachers challenge students without stifling their creativity?” this purpose of this study aims to explore the realm of Self-Regulated Learning (SRL). The present study further examines if SRL strategies and practices foster learning and are prevalent in current trends and curricula such as, Marzano and Common Core. After thorough analysis of student observations and coding of data, the findings concluded that SRL strategies fostered student learning. Students studied were more readily motivated to regulate their learning and attempt challenging tasks. Moreover these findings indicated an increase in student success and metacognitive knowledge, as the students were provided with more opportunities to engage in self-talk, self-reflection, strategic planning, and goal setting. Results suggested the flexibility of the SREP model and its application to current instructional practices. Implications and recommendations for further research into the SRL model across other disciplines are also presented and discussed.

Self-regulated learning (SRL) and higher-order thinking (metacognitive processes) are important in education because they contribute to effective learning and improved academic performance. These processes may be facilitated by the implementation of computer technology in the classroom. This research project examined the use of computer technology among elementary school students and possible effects on self-regulated learning and metacognitive processes, including the ability to plan, monitor, evaluate one’s own work, and apply specific learning strategies. Two main research questions were investigated: (1) Do elementary school students demonstrate SRL metacognitive processes when they use computers and paper-pencil for reading-relating tasks, and what are the key SRL metacognitive processes? (2) Are there differences in SRL metacognitive processes between computer-based and paper-pencil reading tasks in elementary grades? Recruitment of students occurred at the local school district’s after-school programs. A total of 52 students from Grades 2-5 consented to participate in two conditions, a computer-based and a paper-pencil reading task, each lasting approximately 30 minutes. Observations, ratings, and semi-structured interviews were conducted. The quantitative portion included descriptive and correlational statistics. Differences in SLR metacognitive constructs between conditions and between grades were explored. Inferential statistics employed a 2 x 4 (condition-by-grade) mixed-model Analysis of Variance and follow-up tests. The qualitative portion included primary analytic strategies, thematic analysis, and triangulation across data sources. The results indicated that metacognitive self-regulated learning skills were present in students of primary grades. There were no differences between grades or between conditions for most regulation of cognition constructs except for control and evaluation practices. Among knowledge of cognition constructs, conditional knowledge was higher in the paper than in the computer reading assignment across grades. The qualitative findings corroborated the quantitative results. Students in primary grades demonstrated SRL metacognitive processes, and these were more common in the paper than in the computer condition. These findings are explained by the familiarity with the reading medium, the integration of multimedia and verbal cues, the speed for corrective actions, and the use of prior knowledge. These important insights can contribute to improved academic performance and higher order thinking among young students. The results also suggest that students can benefit from focused instruction to perform transfer of knowledge between the two reading formats - computer and paper.

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The purpose of this study was to examine the effect of training in self-regulated learning strategies on math anxiety and mathematics achievement among preservice teachers. The self-regulated learning strategies examined included personal time management, how to read your mathematics textbook for understanding, organizational skills, mathematics test taking and preparation, and the use of estimation in solving mathematics problems. Preservice elementary teachers with these improved learning skills may in turn become more successful teachers of mathematics. The effect of training in self-regulated learning as a treatment for math anxiety is not well established. However, self-regulated learning has been associated with improved mathematics and science problem solving (De Corte, Verschaffel, & Op't Eynde, 2000; Taylor & Corrigan, 2005; Zan, 2000). Increased use of self-regulated learning strategies has also been associated with a reduction in test anxiety (Hofer & Yu, 2003; Pintrich, 2000; Zeidner, 1998). Therefore, training in self-regulated learning strategies has the potential to reduce math anxiety among preservice elementary teachers. Elementary education majors in a course in mathematics concepts were given training in self-regulated learning strategies. A control group of similar students received the same classroom instruction by the same college professor. The professor did not participate in the training sessions that were led by this researcher. Both treatment and control groups were given pretests and posttests: the Abbreviated Mathematics Anxiety Scale - to measure math anxiety, the Motivated Strategies for Learning Questionnaire - to measure use of self-regulated learning strategies, and a Mathematics Achievement Test - to measure changes in content knowledge. The analyses used t-tests and correlations to compare the participants' pretest and posttest scores on the three scales. The use of self-regulated learning strategies was not shown to reduce math anxiety or improve achievement among the elementary education majors in this study. This result may have been due to various limitations, such as insufficient time for applying and following up on the training and an inability to fully embed the training into the course content. Future research should investigate if, given the proper conditions, self-regulated learning strategies will reduce math anxiety and improve the learning of mathematics concepts, leading to more effective mathematics teaching in the elementary classrooms. / CITE/Mathematics and Science Education

An independent learner is one who actively takes responsibility for his or her own acquisition of knowledge, skills, and expertise. The capacity to self-regulate one's own learning is a necessity for success in higher education. Researchers have found that characteristics of independent learners begin to emerge in young children and continue to develop throughout childhood and adolescence as students grow into self-governing adults. The purpose of this study is to assess students' levels of independent learning attitudes and behaviors and to examine the relationships among parents' actions, family structure, independent learning, and academic achievement. Using a national sample of 10th grade students from the Education Longitudinal Study of 2002, several statistical analyses were performed in order to answer these research questions: 1. How do parents' actions relate to children's independent learning characteristics? 2. How do students' independent learning behaviors and attitudes correlate with their academic achievement? 3. How are parents' actions associated with their children's academic achievement? 4. Are single-parent children less likely to have developed characteristics of independent learning by grade 10 than children living with both of their parents? Exploratory factor analysis was conducted to arrange the available variables into appropriate subscales to be used in the statistical procedures for this study. Canonical correlations were used to measure the magnitude of relationships between three pairs of concepts: parents' actions and students' independent learning; students' independent learning and academic achievement; and parents' actions and students' academic achievement. Structural equation modeling was employed to test the hypothesized model of relationships among parents' actions, students' independent learning behaviors, and academic achievement. Finally, multivariate analysis of variance was used to compare the independent learning scores of students living in four different family structures to determine if a significant difference in the development of independent learning between groups exists. Results suggest actions that parents can take to help their children develop as independent learners and succeed in the academic realm. / Ph. D.