Predicting attribution of letter writing performance in secondary school: A machine learning approach

The learning research literature has identified the complex and multidimensional nature of learning tasks, involving not only (meta) cognitive processes but also affective, linguistic, and behavioral contextualized aspects. The present study aims to analyze the interactions among activated domainspecific information, context-sensitive appraisals, and emotions, and their impact on task engagement as well as task satisfaction and attribution of the perceived learning outcome, using a machine learning approach. Data was collected from 1130 vocational high-school students of both genders, between 15 and 20 years of age. Prospective questionnaires were used to collect information about the students’ home environment and domainspecific variables. Motivation processes activated during the learning episode were measured with Boekaerts’ on-line motivation questionnaire. The traces that students left behind were also inspected (e.g., time spent, use of provided tools, content, and technical aspects of writing). Artificial neural networks (ANN) were used to provide information on the multiple interactions between the measured domain-specific variables, situation-specific appraisals and emotions, trace data, and background variables. ANN could identify with high precision students who used a writing skill, affect, and self-regulation strategies attribution on the basis of domain variables, appraisals, emotions, and performance indicators. ANN detected important differences in the factors that seem to underlie the students’ causal attributions.Penvoerder Self - Regulated Writing Project (PSRWP) - Koning Willem I College from Netherlands AGI-1802-2006/

Testing the hierarchical SDT model: the case of performance-oriented classrooms

Testing the hierarchical SDT model: the case of performance-oriented classrooms

The self-regulation of motivation:Motivational strategies as mediator between motivational beliefs and engagement for learning

In this research we studied students´ motivational self-regulation as mediator between motivational beliefs and motivational outcomes. Dutch students in pre-vocational secondary education (N=3602, mean age 14) completed a questionnaire on five motivational strategies (Environmental Control, Interest Enhancement, Self Consequating, Performance Self-talk, Mastery Self-talk); motivational beliefs (value attached to schoolwork, competence); and motivational engagement (pleasure, effort, persistence, achievement). A validation of the self-report questionnaire on the five motivational strategies showed a good fit. Structural equation modelling indicated that strategy-use partly mediates the relation between value, and effort and pleasure. Competence showed a weak direct relation with effort an pleasure. No relations were found for achievement. Further implications of these findings for practical use and further research are discussed

Helping behaviour during cooperative learning and learning gains

Is helping behaviour (i.e., solicited help and peer tutoring) during cooperative learning (CL) related to subsequent learning gains? And can teachers influence pupils’ helping behaviour? One hundred one 5th grade pupils from multiethnic schools, 10-12 years old, participated in the study. Forty two pupils (31 immigrant) worked in an experimental condition, characterized by the stimulation of solicited high quality help and 59 (24 immigrant) worked in a control condition. It was found that learning gains were predicted positively by pupils’ unsolicited helping behaviour (i.e., peer tutoring) and negatively by solicited help. Furthermore, teachers were able to affect pupils’ low quality solicited help only. Lastly, immigrant pupils used less helping behaviour than local pupils, irrespective of CL setting

The self-regulation of motivation: Motivational strategies as mediator between motivational beliefs and engagement for learning

In this research we studied students´ motivational self-regulation as mediator between motivational beliefs and motivational outcomes. Dutch students in pre-vocational secondary education (N=3602, mean age 14) completed a questionnaire on five motivational strategies (Environmental Control, Interest Enhancement, Self Consequating, Performance Self-talk, Mastery Self-talk); motivational beliefs (value attached to schoolwork, competence); and motivational engagement (pleasure, effort, persistence, achievement). A validation of the self-report questionnaire on the five motivational strategies showed a good fit. Structural equation modelling indicated that strategy-use partly mediates the relation between value, and effort and pleasure. Competence showed a weak direct relation with effort an pleasure. No relations were found for achievement. Further implications of these findings for practical use and further research are discussed

O impacto, sobre estudantes brasileiros, de uma linguagem visual para aprender a aprender conjuntamente

Resumo Um dos temas mais importantes na aprendizagem colaborativa apoiada pelo computador é a autorregulação da aprendizagem sem o apoio de professores. A autorregulação da colaboração pode ser definida como o conjunto dos processos sociais que os alunos usam para coordenar o seu esforço conjunto em uma atividade. Este trabalho apresenta um estudo de caso brasileiro que examina o impacto da plataforma computacional Metafora para apoiar a regulação da colaboração entre os estudantes brasileiros. Nosso objetivo é investigar se o uso da linguagem visual Metafora ajuda os alunos a aprenderem a aprender em conjunto (learn to learn togueter – L2L2). L2L2 abrange o desenvolvimento da capacidade de coordenação da colaboração. Para perseguir esse objetivo, são fornecidas evidências de mecanismos de coordenação e as respostas emocionais subjacentes ao uso, pelos alunos, da ferramenta de planejamento Metafora. Os resultados deste estudo de caso demonstram que as interações dos alunos, ao usarem a ferramenta de planejamento Metafora, influenciaram o seu desenvolvimento de L2L2 de maneira natural e envolvente. A ferramenta de planejamento Metafora proporciona aos alunos um ambiente amigável para a regulação dos processos de grupo e tem potencial para modificar os pensamentos dos estudantes com respeito à coordenação de processos colaborativos

Testing the hierarchical SDT model: the case of performance-oriented classrooms

Testing the hierarchical SDT model: the case of performance-oriented classrooms