Reliability and Predictive Validity of the Motivated Strategies for Learning Questionnaire (Mslq)

Abstract

This paper reports on a new self-report, Likert-scaled instrument that was designed to assess motivation and use of learning strategies by college students. The motivation scales tap into three broad areas: (1) value (intrinsic and extrinsic goal orientation, task value), (2) expectancy (control beliefs about learning, self-efficacy); and (3) affect (test anxiety). The learning strategies section is comprised of nine scales which can be distinguished as cognitive, metacognitive, and resource management strategies. The cognitive strategies scales include (a) rehearsal, (b) elaboration, (c) organization, and (d) critical thinking. Metacognitive strategies are assessed by one large scale that includes planning, monitoring, and regulating strategies. Resource management strategies include (a) managing time and study environment; (b) effort management, (c) peer learning, and (d) help-seeking. Scale reliabilities are robust, and confirmatory factor analyses demonstrated good factor structure. In addition, the instrument shows reasonable predictive validity to the actual course performance of students.

Goals, Efficacy and Metacognitive Self-Regulation A Path Analysis

“…For example, a mastery oriented student who sets a goal such as understanding the topic will end up using deep level learning strategies, such as organization, elaboration, and critical thinking and persist when they are faced with difficult tasks. This is in line with previous findings suggesting that achievement mastery goal oriented students are more inclined to persistently engage in their learning although the tasks may be perceived as difficult (Elliot, 1999;Kaplan & Maehr, 2002;Pintrich, Smith, Garcia, & McKeachie, 1993). Contrary to this, the path ISSN 1948-5476 2010 analysis showed that there were no direct or indirect effects of performance-approach and performance-avoid goals on metacognitive self-regulation.…”

“…This sub-scale was adopted form Motivated Strategies for Learning Questionnaire (MSLQ; Pintrich et al, 1991). It contains a total of 8 items.…”

“…One might question how the effect of self-efficacy on self-regulatory strategies (effort, time, and environment) is mediated by achievement goal orientation. To investigate, subscales from MSLQ (Pintrich, Smith, Garcia, & McKeachie, 1991) were used to measure students' self-efficacy and self-regulatory strategies. Students' goal orientation was measured by using Elliot's (1999) measure.…”

“…One purpose of the current study was to determine if there are specific types of achievement goals metacognitive self-regulated learners set and how metacognitive self-regulation may direct students with different achievement goals to deep or surface learning and self-regulatory strategies. In the current study, learning strategies are defined as specific processes which students may use alone or in combination to learn content of the curriculum (Graham & Robinson, 1987), and a subscale from MSLQ (Pintrich et al, 1991) was adopted to measure each of four components of learning strategies: rehearsal, elaboration, organization, critical thinking. Rehearsal, the reciting or repeating of information, is a low-level strategy used for simple tasks and is thought to be helpful for encoding new information.…”

An Exploratory Analysis of Personality, Attitudes, and Study Skills on the Learning Curve within a Team-based Learning Environment

“…In addition, to gauge students' study habits and motivations within this particular course, the MSLQ was administered at week 8 of the semester. 23 The MSLQ assesses different components of motivation (intrinsic goal orientation, extrinsic goal orientation, task value, control beliefs, self-efficacy for learning, and performance and test anxiety) and learning strategies (rehearsal, elaboration, organization, critical thinking, metacognitive self-regulation, time and study environment, effort regulation, peer learning, and help seeking). We hypothesized that practice, motivation, and learning strategies would partially explain interindividual variability in learning.…”