MOSAIC : modelling and training of self-regulated learning and analysis of individual differences in college students

摘要

Self-regulated learning (SRL) is defined as processes during which learners activate and sustain cognitions, affects, and behaviors that systematically support the attainment of personal goals. Therefore, this construct presents a necessary prerequisite for lifelong learning. As college students undergo a critical transition when entering the autonomous college environment, they need abilities to embrace self-managed and self-directed learning, which is why SRL is seen as highly important for successful postsecondary education. As this relevance is emphasized by the positive relationship of SRL to achievement, the present thesis aims to model and foster SRL in college students with including a differential perspective. To achieve this, three separate studies were conducted.To model SRL theoretically, study I investigated the construct’s structure in college students by developing and evaluating an integrative SRL trait model. Although most authors agree that the construct embraces cognitive, metacognitive, and motivational components, there are arguments for integrating volitional aspects within SRL frameworks. As this assumption is rarely examined empirically, a new conceptualization for volition within learning environments was developed. Results show that future time perspective, academic delay of gratification, and procrastination are useful to represent volition for learning environments. Moreover, the results of the study are in favor of integrating volitional components into structural models of SRL, and these volitional aspects are part of a broader motivational factor that also encompasses motivational beliefs.As college students often show deficits in the knowledge and application of SRL strategies, study II aimed to gain new insight into how to foster SRL most effectively in this target group. Besides trainings that impart strategy knowledge and practice, standardized learning diaries have proved useful to foster college students’ SRL. As there are ambiguous findings about the effectiveness of learning diaries without further SRL intervention and about their usefulness to increase training effects, study II investigated which method best fosters SRL in college students most and if a combination of both results in higher effects. The findings of the study show that content-independent SRL training can significantly increase college students’ SRL and that this increase is even higher when training is combined with standardized learning diaries. The sole application of learning diaries has no effects on students’ SRL, hypothesizing that they need a theoretical framework to benefit from instructional self-monitoring. Aside from its general importance, there seem to be individual differences in SRL. On the one hand, SRL is related to academic achievement, with high achieving students using more SRL strategies than low achieving students. On the other hand, personality factors seem to vary with different levels of SRL as highly self-regulated learners are more likely to be conscientious and extraverted and show less neuroticism. As these individual differences have rarely been investigated within a theoretical framework, study III aimed to examine the differences in SRL and to analyze their relation to achievement and personality as well as their influence on the effectiveness of an SRL intervention. The results speak in favor of four SRL profiles that differ quantitatively and qualitatively, with the more skilled profiles showing higher achievement and well-adjusted personality characteristics. Moreover, only moderate and motivated students seem to benefit from the SRL training conducted, whereas low and high SRL students would need interventions tailored specifically to their needs. In conclusion, the present thesis gives new insights into the theoretical structure of SRL and provides suggestions to foster this competence in college students. Moreover, the results can be used to adapt SRL interventions to specific needs of different learner groups and to provide college students with optimal learning environments.