Metacognitive illusion or self-regulated learning? Assessing engineering students’ learning strategies against the backdrop of recent advances in cognitive science

Knowing how students approach learning in higher education contexts is key to promote learning strategies that are effective in the long run. Previous research has concluded that students often use ineffective learning strategies but believe them to be effective—a phenomenon known as metacognitive illusion. In a bid to broaden the perspective on students’ use of learning strategies, this study draws on the notion of self-regulated learning as a theoretical lens. A questionnaire, comprising both open-ended and closed-ended questions, was developed to gather data from 416 engineering students. The questionnaire was geared towards (1) mapping what learning strategies students use in a real-world setting, in real courses, (2) probing their metacognitive awareness of the effectiveness of various learning strategies and (3) investigating why students choose certain learning strategies. We also compared which learning strategies the engineering students chose across programs and types of courses. The findings reveal a complex picture of why students sometimes use seemingly ineffective learning strategies, and we conclude that this is not always due to metacognitive illusion. It is instead often linked to attempts to regulate behaviour, motivation and/or learning context, sometimes in response to the context. This study adds to the current HE research investigating students’ abilities to reflect on, assess and take control of their learning in an effective way, confirming that students need explicit guidance

Guiding Students to Success: A Systematic Review of Research on Guided Notes as an Instructional Strategy from 2009-2019

Guided notes were introduced decades ago, but there is still debate over their efficacy in improving student outcomes. The purpose of this study is to examine peer-reviewed research on guided notes for adult learners in general populations since 2009, understanding the effects of guided notes on student learning, the knowledge and content areas supported by guided notes, and the impact of modality. Results of the 22 included studies indicate that students perceive guided notes in a positive light, and guided notes improve results in certain knowledge domains especially with complex content. However, modality does not influence the efficacy of guided notes. Implications for practice in teaching and learning and recommendations for research were provided

Computer Self-Efficacy, Cognitive Actions, and Metacognitive Strategies of High School Students While Engaged in Interactive Learning Modules

The purpose of this research was to investigate high school students’ computer self-efficacy, cognitive actions, and metacognitive strategies in a self-regulated learning (SRL) framework while utilizing an interactive learning module. The researcher hypothesized that computer self-efficacy is correlated positively with cognitive actions and metacognitive strategies while the students are engaged with interactive learning modules. This research used a mixed-methods approach to answer the research questions. Two research questions guided this research: (1) How is students’ computer self-efficacy related to cognitive actions and metacognitive strategies while using interactive learning modules?; and (2) How do students plan monitor their cognitive actions, and regulate their monitoring strategies during learning with interactive learning modules?This study utilized self-regulated learning framework that covered self-efficacy, cognitive, and metacognitive components. While self-efficacy was represented by computer self-efficacy, the metacognitive component was represented by planning, monitoring, and regulating strategies. Cognitive actions represent contextual activities while using interactive learning modules. One hundred and thirteen students from two high schools in Northern Utah, USA(i.e., InTech Collegiate High School and Logan High School) participated in this study. Each student worked on three modules: Boolean Logic, Minimum Spanning Tree, and Modeling Using Graphs. Due to the differences in class schedules between both schools, students at InTech Collegiate High School and Logan High School completed the activities within 2 and 4 days, respectively. Three different forms of data were gathered for analysis. These data included questionnaires, screen captured videos, and audio recordings of the interviews. The students completed three questionnaires: demographic, computer self-efficacy, and self-regulated computer-based learning questionnaires.The findings of the study revealed that while computer self-efficacy was not positively correlated with cognitive actions, it was positively correlated with metacognitive strategies. Specifically, the findings revealed a significant positive correlation between computer self-efficacy and planning strategies. Screen-captured video analyses showed that there were different profiles of cognitive actions and metacognitive strategies between high and low computer self-efficacy groups. The findings were confirmed by issues from interview analyses between the groups

Co- and self-regulation in a computer supported collaborative learning environment among Key Stage Three students

The current understanding of students' co- and self-regulated learning behaviours during group learning is limited. Research on social cognitive models of self-regulated learning (SRL) focused primarily on understanding the processes that students use to self-regulate their learning and the subsequent benefits of SRL on learning and academic performance. Recently, sociocultural models have begun to argue that SRL is fostered, developed, and maintained within social contexts and as a result of interactions with teachers and peers. This research employs both social cognitive and sociocultural theories to investigate students' co- regulatory behaviours in a computer supported collaborative learning (CSCL) environment. The students worked in a computer based science simulation learning environment in which either self-regulatory prompts or co- and self- regulatory prompts were given. A longitudinal design methodology incorporating four studies was adopted. The first study engaged two hundred and fourteen year 7 and 8 (11-13 year oIds) students to pilot the developed co-regulated strategies for learning questionnaire (CRSLQ) in a high school at Bedfordshire County in the United Kingdom. The remaining three studies engaged forty year 7 students (11-12 year olds) from the same school who were randomly assigned to either the experimental or the control group to work collaboratively on various science topics. Both quantitative and qualitative data analyses were used to examine the strategies that students used to co- regulate their learning processes over time. Results from the quantitative analysis revealed a statistically significant difference between the experimental and the control groups in the students' demonstration of co-regulated learning (CRL) behaviours over time. However, the results from the knowledge tests, although they suggested that learning had taken place, did not reach statistical significance. Findings from the qualitative analysis suggested between group and within group differences in the nature of co-regulatory processes that groups used to co-regulate their learning behaviour over the course of the three studies. Theoretically, this research extends individual models of SRL to include social forms of regulation arguing that students acquire, refine, and use different forms of regulatory processes to regulate their learning behaviours during collaborative learning. Finally, given the emphasis on SRL throughout the national curriculum this research supports the use of collaborative tasks in a technology-rich learning environment as an instructional method to increase students' regulatory processes. Some recommendations for future work are then made

Co- and self-regulation in a computer supported collaborative learning environment among Key Stage Three students

The current understanding of students' co- and self-regulated learning behaviours during group learning is limited. Research on social cognitive models of self-regulated learning (SRL) focused primarily on understanding the processes that students use to self-regulate their learning and the subsequent benefits of SRL on learning and academic performance. Recently, sociocultural models have begun to argue that SRL is fostered, developed, and maintained within social contexts and as a result of interactions with teachers and peers. This research employs both social cognitive and sociocultural theories to investigate students' co- regulatory behaviours in a computer supported collaborative learning (CSCL) environment. The students worked in a computer based science simulation learning environment in which either self-regulatory prompts or co- and self- regulatory prompts were given. A longitudinal design methodology incorporating four studies was adopted. The first study engaged two hundred and fourteen year 7 and 8 (11-13 year oIds) students to pilot the developed co-regulated strategies for learning questionnaire (CRSLQ) in a high school at Bedfordshire County in the United Kingdom. The remaining three studies engaged forty year 7 students (11-12 year olds) from the same school who were randomly assigned to either the experimental or the control group to work collaboratively on various science topics. Both quantitative and qualitative data analyses were used to examine the strategies that students used to co- regulate their learning processes over time. Results from the quantitative analysis revealed a statistically significant difference between the experimental and the control groups in the students' demonstration of co-regulated learning (CRL) behaviours over time. However, the results from the knowledge tests, although they suggested that learning had taken place, did not reach statistical significance. Findings from the qualitative analysis suggested between group and within group differences in the nature of co-regulatory processes that groups used to co-regulate their learning behaviour over the course of the three studies. Theoretically, this research extends individual models of SRL to include social forms of regulation arguing that students acquire, refine, and use different forms of regulatory processes to regulate their learning behaviours during collaborative learning. Finally, given the emphasis on SRL throughout the national curriculum this research supports the use of collaborative tasks in a technology-rich learning environment as an instructional method to increase students' regulatory processes. Some recommendations for future work are then made

Developing Self-Regulated Learning Behaviors in Online Learning Environments - A Conceptual Framework for Inclusion

This paper outlines the conceptual framework of an inclusion initiative for programs serving secondary students from economically challenged communities. It proposes the use of distance learning technologies to afford these students access to learning resources, experiences, and environments in STEM. This paper addresses concerns with a complex duality of environmental factors: the environments in which these students are reared and currently reside; and the alteration to the environments in which they “traditionally” learning. It outlines a process where components participating in the online learning experiences contribute to the development of the motivational and learning strategies to overcome environmental conditions and achieve academic excellence

Effects of metacognitive instructional strategies in secondary career and technical education courses

This dissertation was comprised of three exploratory studies investigating the effects of metacognitive instructional strategies on secondary career and technical education students\u27 problem solving performance. Recommendations for future research are discussed

Examining the use of computer simulations to promote learning of electrochemistry among college students

When computer simulations are popular in helping students understand chemistry in today\u27s classrooms, it is important to realize how instructional use of computer simulations affects students\u27 understanding of science. This dissertation centers around the impact of the use of computer simulations on college students\u27 learning. Chapter 1 generally addresses the background and the significance of the research topics. Chapter 2 reviews the literature from research that studied the factors that affect the use of computer simulations in helping students learn science. Learners were found to understand science theories better with descriptions and explanations presented in both verbal and visual formats than in verbal format alone. An individual\u27s prior knowledge and learning strategies have also been found to have an impact on her/his response to computer simulations and therefore affect the potential value of computer simulations. Chapter 3 reveals the impact of the use of computer simulations on students\u27 understanding of electrochemistry principles. The results confirm findings in earlier studies that college students seemed to be able to build mental models of chemical reactions from formula and equations with or without the help of computer simulations. The study in Chapter 3 indicates that it is likely that the design of the learning activities rather than the use of technology actually had an impact on students learning. Chapter 4 provides insights into how the use of simulations affected the communication between group members and how individuals with different levels of prior knowledge responded to computer programs and interacted with peers. Although prior knowledge was not found to interact with the use of computer simulations in affecting students\u27 understanding, the findings in Chapter 4 show that prior knowledge seemed to affect the ways that students solved problems and the ways they interacted with the computer simulations.;Taken together, these three studies in this dissertation suggest continuing research needs to be done in identifying and resolving issues when individual differences are considered. In addition, it is important that the design of learning activities be given a higher level of priority than the use of instructional technology when employing computer simulations in the classrooms

Undergraduate engineering students’ understanding of complex circuit concepts: An investigation of the intersection of students’ prior knowledge, design of learning environments and the nature of the content

Research focused on increasing students’ conceptual understanding of electric circuits discuss this concept as difficult to not only teach but for students to grasp. This difficulty has been attributed to the fact that students tend to hold inaccurate pre-conceptions of electricity which becomes problematic as the level of complexity increases from the most basic to more advanced circuit concepts. The combination of inaccurate and inadequate prior knowledge has the potential to prevent students from being able to assimilate new material they come in contact with when instructed about electric circuit concepts in formal settings. Often times, students’ inability to associate this new concept with correct pre-existing conception or prior knowledge leads to the development of misconceptions about the nature of electricity. With these issues in mind, this study focused on exploring undergraduate engineering students’ conceptual understanding of electric circuits through an investigation of three interconnected areas. The overall purpose of this study was to give a descriptive account of learning complex circuits