Examining the relationship between English language learners’ online self-regulation and their self-efficacy

Abstract

This quantitative study investigated the relationship between learners' online self-regulation and their self-efficacy in the context of learning English as a foreign language (EFL). We collected data from two surveys, the online self-regulated English learning (OSEL) and the English language self-efficacy (ELSE), among 424 university students in China. Principal component analyses showed that the OSEL included six sub-scales, namely, goal setting, environment structuring, task strategies, time management, help seeking and self-evaluation, while the ELSE consisted of four factors targeting self-efficacy in listening, speaking, reading, and writing. The correlation analysis confirmed the associations between all scales of the OSEL and those of the ELSE. Furthermore, regression analysis revealed that self-evaluation was the most powerful predictor for explaining participants' variance of self-efficacy in English listening, speaking, and reading. Moreover, learners' environment structuring could significantly explain their self-efficacy in both speaking and writing, whereas goal setting could only predict students' self-efficacy in writing. These findings reveal the intricate relationship between online self-regulation and self-efficacy among the EFL learners, and further highlights the positive role of learners' self-evaluation, environment structuring and goal setting for explaining their English language self-efficacy. Pedagogical implications and future research are discussed at the end of this paper.

The role of self‐efficacy beliefs in learning English as a foreign language among young Indonesians

“…Learners with stronger sense of efficacy also displayed greater persistence and engagement through regulating their own language learning process and using a greater range of strategies appropriately (Sardegna, Lee, & Kusey, ). Similarly, learners with higher English proficiency perceived themselves more capable of self‐evaluating learning processes, structuring the learning environment, and setting instructional goals among learners (Su et al., ). Those findings, which were questionnaire‐based, consistently suggest the interplay between EFL learners’ self‐regulated learning abilities and their self‐efficacy.…”

“…They can affect how much learners are cognitively and motivationally engaged in the course of learning (Linnenbrink & Pintrich, ). Studies have suggested that learners with a strong sense of self‐efficacy are more self‐regulated (Mizumoto, ; Su, Zheng, Liang, & Tsai, ), more task‐centered, and less anxious of possible failures (Al‐Harthy, Was, & Isaacson, ; Usher & Pajares, ). These learners also tend to show more effort and display positive attitude and persistence in coping with difficult tasks (Komarraju & Nadler, ; Woodrow, ).…”

The Effectiveness of Using Self-Questioning Strategy in Developing Strategic Listening and Self-Regulation

“…There was also a strong relationship between students' self-regulation and their language learning strategies in Erdogan's study (2017). In addition, there was a positive correlation between students' self-efficacy and their online self-regulation in the study of Su, Zheng, Liang and Tsai (2018). On the other hand, some research had uncertain findings of the relationship between self-regulated learning strategies and foreign language classroom anxiety such as Martirossian and Hartoonian (2015) and between self-regulated learning and the prediction of students' GPA e.g.…”

Using factor analysis to validate a questionnaire to explore self-regulation in learner-generated digital media (LGDM) assignments in science education

“…The verification of these strategies in the context of student experience of LDGM has practical implications. Environmental structuring (Kocdar et al, 2018;Su, Zheng, Liang, & Tsai, 2018;Zimmerman, 2008) has been identified in a range of contexts as an important self-regulation strategy. In this study, environmental structuring focused on students choosing times and locations in which to work on their digital media assignments.…”