This developmental research adopted an adapted Personalized System of Instruction (PSI) structure to design an e-learning course module and a learning procedure, and embedded a self-regulated learning procedure into the PSI course. A set of self-regulated learning tools were developed and applied in this process. Through this PSI-based course, students learned a comparative culture study topic and learned to develop their self-regulated learning skills. This research also conducted Formative Evaluation. Suggestions from expert review and small group evaluation were used to design and revise this module and learning procedure. Evaluation outcomes from expert review and small group evaluation confirmed that this SRL embedded PSI framework was applicable for this e-learning environment. Implications for future use in both academic and practical areas were discussed. / Ph. D.

This report discusses a study undertaken to develop, pilot, and tentatively validate a self- regulated learning (SRL) inventory for L2 contexts. This inventory was specifically designed to measure learners' ability to self-regulate their learning. Although there have been a few SRL inventories developed to measure this ability, they do not conform to the six-dimensional SRL model proposed by educational psychologists and backed by extensive research. This warranted the development of a new SRL inventory. The primary focus of this study was that of taking initial steps to develop such an inventory. These steps involved writing and refining items conforming to a six-dimensional SRL model. After selecting 30 items from the initial item pool, the SRL inventory was piloted. Both qualitative and quantitative measures were then employed to provide an initial indication of the inventory's trustworthiness, reliability, and validity.

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.

Self-regulated learning (SRL) is associated with academic and clinical achievement. Using Zimmerman’s (2002) framework, SRL includes a cycle of forethought, performance, and reflection. To support SRL, a web-based portfolio (e-Portfolio), in the context of the intrinsic CanMEDS Roles, was introduced for undergraduate medical students at a Canadian Medical School. This exploratory, qualitative study was designed to capture students’ descriptions of their behaviours using the e-Portfolio, to examine the extent to which these were consistent with SRL processes, and to analyze the gaps between intended and actual use. Data were collected using both semi-structured interviews and a 20-item, 5-point Likert-type instrument to prompt discussion. Second-year medical student volunteers were recruited for data collection until saturation of information was reached (n=14). Thematic and content analysis were used; data were interpreted using constructivist grounded theory (Creswell, 2007). Use of one interviewer, a standardized protocol, and member checking assured consistency and trustworthiness of the data. Students explicitly described the value of the e-Portfolio as an organizational tool, and as a form of assessment. Participants identified some elements of forethought and reflection but seldom described plans to achieve and measure outcomes. During the process of uploading materials to their e-Portfolio many of the students were able to make connections between the intrinsic CanMEDS Roles they are to assume as practicing physicians and the behaviours that operationalize these roles. Students viewed the e-Portfolio as a working folder compared to the faculty goal of a cumulative portfolio. Students endorsed self-selection of artifacts and faculty mentorship to improve relevance and future motivation for learning. Limitations included privacy concerns. Participants described a goal-oriented, in contrast to a process- or learning-oriented, approach to keeping their portfolios. The gap between students’ descriptions of portfolio use and SRL were most significant for the performance phase. The dual use of a portfolio for learning and assessment resulted in some compromises to the students’ use of the portfolio for learning. Strategies to improve SRL could include specific instruction on the nature and value of SRL, faculty mentorship during the learning process, and assessment of students’ learning processes. / Thesis (Master, Education) -- Queen's University, 2014-04-29 12:53:15.642

This study employed a cross case analysis research design to explore young elementary students’ task understanding and its relationship to learning. Participants included 13 grade two students. Research was incorporated into the regular activities of a second grade class. Students learned about animal lifecycles and completed an associated activity (task) about the frog lifecycle during five hour-long sessions. The Task Understanding Questionnaire (TUQ), targeting students’ perceptions of explicit (e.g., task requirements) and implicit (e.g., course concepts, task purpose) task features, was administered at the end of each session. Findings indicate young students’ task understanding accuracy varied. Students demonstrated strong, improved, and weak task perceptions. Task understanding was also associated with learning outcomes. For students with limited prior knowledge, accurate task understanding was related to successful learning. / Graduate

This study describes the findings of a qualitative study examining the understanding about the beliefs and practices about assessment of faculty who teach English as a foreign language. I analyzed the beliefs and practices of EFL faculty members as described in their responses upon the instructional process of the target language following a three-part approach proposed by Miles, Huberman and Saldana (2014), which is a concurrent flow of three activities: (a) data condensation, (b) data display, and (c) conclusion drawing/ verification. For the collection of data, I used two instruments: qualitative interviews, and documents. The following research questions guided this study: 1) what are the beliefs of faculty members about the role of assessment in the teaching of English as a foreign language in undergraduate programs in a higher educational institution in Colombia? 2) How do EFL faculty members describe the practice of assessment in a Colombian higher educational institution, both in terms of their teaching EFL pre service teachers and in their interactions with departmental colleagues? 3) How do EFL faculty members interpret the implications of the guiding principles about assessment of a Colombian university, contained in its undergraduate student manual, for their instructional practice of English as Foreign Language?

Collaboration is an important yet difficult skill for learners in the 21st century. Recent research has examined how supports, such as group scripts and roles, can help learners collaborate effectively. However, little is known about the perceptions learners have of these supports when provided to them. The purpose of this study was to examine (a) learner’s choices and reasonings for role choices and (b) the impact of group roles. Participants included 111 undergraduate students in a learning strategies for university success course. During the course, students completed two required collaborative tasks, including pre-task planning and a post-task reflection. Students made choices regarding roles in individual and group planning sessions and explained their reasoning for making those choices. Students frequently chose roles relating to strategic task enactment, motivation, and concept/domain knowledge in their individual and group planning sessions with their primary reasons being focused on “self” knowledge, or information about themselves, such as strengths or weaknesses. These findings suggest learners may believe these are important roles for collaboration. The reliance on “self” knowledge for making decisions may be attributed to the fact these groups were collaborating for the first and second times and may not have a plethora of group information to utilize. Contributions of this study to theory, research, and practice will be discussed. / Graduate

Students in Saudi Arabia need opportunities to develop higher-order thinking and problem-solving skills, but teachers typically rely upon knowledge transmission in face-to-face teaching. Flipped learning (FL), which integrates the features of online and face-to-face learning, has demonstrated potential for increasing higher-level learning. However, learners may not be able to manage FL activities on their own, such as by watching short videos outside the classroom, and thus might not be well prepared for in-class activities. Therefore, the self-regulated flipped learning (SRFL) approach seeks to address this challenge by integrating self-regulated learning (SRL) into the FL environment.

This thesis explores the impact of an inquiry-based learning programme on students’ self-reported levels of self-regulated processes and related motivations in the science classroom. Appreciating the interest seen in developing self-regulated learning and motivation in young students (Gläser-Zikuda & Järvelä, 2008; Zimmerman, 2002) and considering current discussions regarding the way science is taught around the globe (Kalman, 2010, Leou, Abder, Riordan, & Zoller, 2006), it was deemed important to explore the development of these constructs in young science students through participation in a curriculum initiative currently being implemented across the UK - the CREativity in Science and Technology (CREST) programme. The three studies included in this thesis followed a longitudinal quasi-experimental design using a naturalistic setting. After placing the research within a theoretical framework (Chapters 1 & 2) and describing the pilot work and methodology for the three investigations (Chapter 3), Study 1 (presented in Chapter 4) explored the impact of the CREST programme on developing self-regulated processes and related motivations in young students (n=34) compared to a control group of students from the same school (n=39). The findings indicated that students participating in the programme experienced significant increases in their self-reported levels of self-regulated learning and career motivation in comparison to the control group of students and that these developments were retained six months following programme completion. The results also demonstrated the potential for the CREST programme to reduce the decreasing trends relating to self-determination and intrinsic motivation found in the control group and reported in the wider literature in the field. Study 2 (presented in Chapter 5) built on the methodology of Study 1 and investigated class differences in response to the CREST programme. Study 2 aimed firstly to replicate the findings from Study 1 regarding group differences in self-reported levels from pre-test to post-test on the measured variables. While a reference control class (n=18) showed no significant changes from pre-test to post-test, on average, students taking part in the CREST programme showed significant increases in self-regulated learning, self-determination, self-efficacy, intrinsic motivation, and overall science motivation. However, due to the lack of an appropriate control group of equal size (n=160), conclusions were drawn cautiously. Another aim of this second study was to gain an understanding of whether individual classes of students experienced the programme differently and identify classroom dynamics that might predict the degree of benefit students obtain. The findings showed no class differences in response to the CREST programme relating to the self-regulated processes and related motivational constructs measured, and highlighted the sensitivity of the analyses used in classroom effects research. Study 3 (presented in Chapter 6) followed a similar quasi-experimental design (n=188) to Studies 1 and 2, with the addition of another intervention condition of students who had participated in CREST the year before the study was conducted. This, more, rigorous methodological design allowed for longer-term retention effects to be investigated. The results from this study highlighted the immediate and three-month delayed impact of the CREST programme on increasing self-reported for this sample of students. However, retention at the nine-month delayed post-test was not observed, suggesting that strategies need to be in place in order to maintain any developments through CREST programme participation. Teacher ratings of students’ self-regulated learning were also measured and did not align with the students’ self-reported results, highlighting the difficulty for teachers to identify and quantify internal processes like self-regulation among their students. While extensive research has been conducted on self-regulated processes and related motivations in students of all ages, the need for an increased understanding in natural classroom settings through implementing more rigorous research designs in specific learning contexts has been identified. Bringing the findings together, the three studies included in this thesis illustrate the beneficial impact of CREST programme participation on self-regulated processes and related motivations in young science students. The series of intervention studies presented provides a distinct contribution to research, demonstrating that these constructs can be developed in natural classroom settings by promoting an environment that encourages students to be more self-regulated and motivated in their science learning.

There has been a rapid increase in the emergence of minority groups during the past few decades in the United States. Hispanics are the largest minority group that has people who speak English as a second language. The increasing proportion of English Language Learning (ELL) students has made it more difficult to maintain high learning standards. Furthermore, this increase has led to other problems such as the over and underrepresentation of ELL students in special education, high dropout rates and the underachievement obtained in standardized tests such us the Arizona's Instrument to Measure Standards (AIMS). For this reason, researchers have strongly emphasized the importance of studying self-regulated learning (SRL) as a critical component in the learning process as it is suggested to improve the academic outcomes of students. However, SRL has mostly been researched in middle class Caucasians but there has not been much research in relation to minorities or ELL students. Due to the paucity of research, the present study examined the relationship between SRL and academic achievement of ELL students. The study was conducted in a southern Arizona school district. The sample was comprised of 30 students attending seventh and eighth grades from a solicited sample of 130 students. The students completed the Motivated Strategies Learning Questionnaire (MSLQ). Results indicated that SRL is related to the academic achievement of students in reading, writing, and mathematics. Similarly, the components of SRL (i.e., motivation and learning strategies), especially motivation, were found to be significantly related to achievement as well. Additionally, the MSLQ was encountered to be a reliable instrument to be used with ELL students as indicated by the reliability indexes. The implications and suggestions for future research are discussed.