Studying effectively by self-regulating learning is itself a skill powered by will. Learners apply this skill with varying expertise. Unfortunately too few are experts in self-regulation, but fortunately learners can be taught to study more effectively. Our main argument is that in spite of strong understanding of self-regulation in learning – there is still a limited understanding about how self-regulation develops in learning context and especially how motivation regulation contributes to it. This study will investigate the roles and forms of motivation in self-regulated learning. Specifically, we will analyze students’ motivation regulation during studying in real contexts, and examine opportunities to support motivation regulation with a computer-based regulation tool and by teacher support. The three objectives are: 1) Theory: What is motivation in self-regulated learning and what are the elements of motivation regulation?, 2) Documentation: What is motivation regulation in practise? How do elementary school students regulate their motivation as they study in classrooms? And 3) Application: Is it possible to scaffold students’ motivational regulation with a computer-based tool that is coordinated with teacher scaffolding in a learning task? A pedagogical framework for applying study computer tools and Learning Kits in Science will be described and the first results of our empirical experiment and intervention among grade three elementary school will be reported.

Introduction

Studying effectively by self-regulating learning is itself a skill powered by will. Learners apply this skill with varying expertise. Unfortunately too few are experts in self-regulation, but fortunately learners can be taught to study more effectively (Boekaerts, Pintrich & Zeidner, 2000; Winne & Jamieson- Noel, 2002) . Our main argument is that in spite of strong understanding of self-regulation in learning – there is still a limited understanding about how self-regulation develops in learning context and especially how motivation regulation contributes to it. How can motivation regulation be supported? Pintrich (2000) pointed out that, in the same manner that learners can regulate cognition they can regulate their motivation and affect. However, there is not much research on these issues (See Boekaerts & Corno, 2005), although many recent studies have shown the importance of motivational and emotional support in classroom learning (e.g. Järvenoja & Järvelä, 2005)

Aims

This study will investigate the roles and forms of motivation in self-regulated learning. Specifically, we will analyze students’ motivation regulation during studying in real contexts, and examine opportunities to support motivation regulation with a computer-based regulation tool and by teacher support. The three objectives are: 1) Theory: What is motivation in self-regulated learning and what are the elements of motivation regulation?, 2) Documentation: What is motivation regulation in practise? How do elementary school students regulate their motivation as they study in classrooms? And 3) Application: Is it possible to scaffold students’ motivational regulation with a computer-based tool that is coordinated with teacher scaffolding in a learning task?

Methodology

The project is in close collaboration with internationally leading researchers of self-regulated learning in Canada. Winne’s group has developed the gStudy computer environment that provides an environment for LearningKits (Winne et al., 2005). Tools in gStudy are being researched to investigate their capacity to help learners learn more effectively by enhancing self-regulated learning. The environment gathers detailed process data of students’ actions that can be provided to students to enhance their awareness of their learning process. The gStudy computer environment will be used in this study for proving students Learning Kits in science learning and scaffolding them to self-regulated their learning. The participants of the study will be 60 comprehensive school students studying science topics. Before the first data collection a set of background information about the participants will be gathered (achievement scores, motivational orientation, SRL skills and conceptions of learning). On the basis of this information the students will be addressed into two uniform groups of 30 students to enable comparisons between the two intervention conditions. In the first intervention both of the groups will work and use science LearningKits powered by the gStudy to support their cognitive self-regulation (Winne et al., 2005). One of the groups will work with software version including additional supports for motivation. This group will also receive motivational scaffolding from the teacher: e.g. how to define goals and sub-goals, enhance interest and self-efficacy (Corno, 2001; Järvenoja, Volet & Järvelä, 2005; Wolters, 2003). Thus, the difference between the intervention conditions is the amount and quality of scaffolding on motivational self-regulation. The methodological focus is on qualitative process data and trace data of students' self-regulated learning in a computer environment. By gathering multiple types of data, it is possible to see the ways in which students' self-regulate their action and how they actually work, and relate this information to students' subjective situation specific interpretations that are involved in their regulation processes.

Findings, and theoretical and educational significance of the research.

Methodological developments will generate realistic methods for examining self-regulation in real-time, actual actions while each student learns and collaborates. In practice the results will increase a knowledge how elementary school students can study more effectively and continuously improve skills for collaborating and life-long learning. In this poster a theoretical framework for applying gstudy computer tools and Learning Kits in Science will be described and the first results of our empirical experiment and intervention among grade three elementary school (N=30) will be reported.

Boekaerts M. & Corno L., (2005). Self-Regulation in the Classroom: A Perspective on Assessment and Intervention. Applied Psychology: An International Review 54(2),199-231.

Boekarts, M., Pintrich, P. R. & Zeidner, M. (Eds.) (2000). Handbook of self-regulation. San Diego, CA: Academic Press.

Järvelä, S. & Volet, S. (2004). Motivation in real-life, dynamic and interactive learning environments: Stretching constructs and methodologies. European Psychologist, 9, 4, 193-197.

Järvenoja, H. & Järvelä, S. (2005). How the students explain their social, emotional and motivational experiences during their learning processes. Learning and Instruction, 15, 465-480.

Pintrich, P.R. (2000). Educational Psychology at the Millennium: A look back and a look forward. Educational Psychologist, 35, 221-226.

Winne, P. H., Hadwin, A. F., Nesbit, J. C., Kumar, V., & Beaudoin, L. (2005). gSTUDY: A toolkit for developing computer-supported tutorials and researching learning strategies and instruction (version 2.0) [computer program]. SFU Burnaby, BC.

Winne, P.H., & Jamieson-Noel, D. (2002). Exploring students’ calibration of self reports about study tactics and achievement. Contemporary Educational Psychology, 27, 551-572.

Wolters, C.A. (2003). Regulation of motivation: Evaluating an underemphasized aspect of self-regulated learning. Educational Psychologist, 38, 189-205.