Motivation and Self-Regulation: Processes Involved and Context Effects-a Discussion

Abstract

and Hirotsugu YAMAUCHI 3)3) Doshisha University, JapanAs the title of this special issue denotes, there are two concepts that are being brought together: motivation and self-regulation. The special issue, however, is focusing on the relations of these concepts in the case of learning rather than in other situations. The learning situation is theoretically significant because learning pervades all human activity and demands effort and persistence over long period of time. It also requires selfdetermination, initiative, and ability to face failure and to overcome negative thoughts and affect. Other times it requires action on physical or social environment so that learning efforts become effective. These qualities of behavior are particularly important in the educational setting, where students most of the time have to deal with new, difficult, or personally irrelevant tasks, skills, and concepts.What then makes some students able to successfully meet the school demands and others not? This is a very old question that received many answers up to now. Cognitive ability, cognitive processes, and skills featured as the main determinants of school achievement for decades. However, cognitive ability does not suffice to explain students' goals, effort, persistence, or ability to control and regulate action in face of difficulties. These aspects of behavior are explained by motivational and volitional processes, that is, self-regulation.In order to understand how motivation and self-regulation in learning are being connected and what is the contribution of the articles presented in this special issue, we shall, firstly, give a very brief overview of the current state of research on motivation and self-regulation with respect to learning. Then we shall try to show how the present articles are related to the issues raised in the field of motivation and self-regulation in learning and what the prospects for future research are.

Metacognitive writing strategies, critical thinking skills, and academic writing performance: A structural equation modeling approach

“…Metacognitive skills/strategies consist of orientation, planning, cognitive processing, monitoring, and evaluation approaches (Veenman & Elshout, 1999). Efklides et al (2003) argued that metacognitive skills are not analogous to self-regulation. However, Pintrich et al (2000) suggested that metacognitive skills constitute part of the self-regulation process.…”