Why is externally-facilitated regulated learning more effective than self-regulated learning with hypermedia?

Abstract

We examined how self-regulated learning (SRL) and externally-facilitated selfregulated learning (ERL) differentially affected adolescents' learning about the circulatory system while using hypermedia. A total of 128 middle-school and high school students with little prior knowledge of the topic were randomly assigned to either the SRL or ERL condition. Learners in the SRL condition regulated their own learning, while learners in the ERL condition had access to a human tutor who facilitated their self-regulated learning. We converged product (pretest-posttest shifts in students' mental models and declarative knowledge measures) with process (think-aloud protocols) data to examine the effectiveness of self-versus externally-facilitated regulated learning. Findings revealed that learners in the ERL condition gained statistically significantly more declarative knowledge and that a greater number of participants in this condition displayed a more advanced mental model on the posttest. Verbal protocol data indicated that learners in the ERL condition regulated their learning by activating prior knowledge, engaging in several monitoring activities, deploying several effective strategies, and engaging in adaptive helpseeking. By contrast, learners in the SRL condition used ineffective strategies and engaged in fewer monitoring activities. Based on these findings, we present design principles for adaptive hypermedia learning environments, engineered to foster students' self-regulated learning about complex and challenging science topics.

Metacognitive scaffolding in an innovative learning arrangement

“…Research into the effects of metacognitive scaffolds has only occasionally been used to support metacognitive activities of individuals in innovative learning arrangements (Azevedo and Hadwin 2005;Azevedo et al 2008;Bannert 2006, Bannert et al 2009Lin and Lehman 1999;Veenman et al 2005). The main results from these studies are that scaffolding can increase problem-solving , domain knowledge (Azevedo et al 2008) and transfer of domain knowledge (Bannert 2006, Bannert et al 2009Lin and Lehman 1999).…”

“…Research, however, has shown that students lack the metacognitive skillfulness to perform the required regulation and that metacognitive scaffolds can support the regulation of their learning . Findings of studies into the effects of metacognitive scaffolding have shown that scaffolding can improve the learning outcomes of individual learners in innovative learning arrangements (Azevedo and Hadwin 2005;Azevedo et al 2008;Bannert 2006, Bannert et al 2009Lin and Lehman 1999;Veenman et al 2005).…”

Training self-assessment and task-selection skills: A cognitive approach to improving self-regulated learning

“…Self-regulated learning can occur at different levels, from learners controlling how long they engage in studying a given task or whether they want to restudy it (Karpicke, 2009;Metcalfe, 2009;Thiede & Dunlosky, 1999), to learners controlling what information they want to study (e.g., in a hypermedia learning environment; Azevedo, 2005;Azevedo & Cromley, 2004;Azevedo, Moos, Greene, Winters, & Cromley, 2008) or what learning tasks they want to work on (Corbalan, Kester, & Van Merriënboer, 2008;Kostons, Van Gog, & Paas, 2010;Ross, Morrison, & O'Dell, 1989). This article focuses on self-regulated learning in which learners can choose their own learning tasks.…”

“…This article focuses on self-regulated learning in which learners can choose their own learning tasks. Research has shown that having control over what information to study or what tasks to work on is not effective for novices' self-regulated learning (Azevedo et al, 2008;Goforth, 1994;Lawless & Brown, 1997;Niemiec, Sikorski, & Walberg, 1996;Williams, 1996). We assume that this may be due to novices' lack of self-assessment and task-selection skills, which play a crucial role in this kind of self-regulated learning.…”

“…Support for this assumption comes from studies that have shown that providing novice learners with control over their learning process may have beneficial effects on their motivation or involvement (e.g., Corbalan et al, 2008;Schnackenberg & Sullivan, 2000), but has detrimental effects on learning outcomes when compared to teacher or computer controlled fixed or personalized instruction (see e.g., Azevedo et al, 2008;Lawless & Brown, 1997;Niemiec et al, 1996;Williams, 1996). Beneficial effects on learning outcomes attained through selfregulated learning have been found mainly for learners with higher levels of prior knowledge (Lawless & Brown, 1997;Moos & Azevedo, 2008b, 2008cNiemiec et al, 1996;Scheiter & Gerjets, 2007;Schnackenberg & Sullivan, 2000;Steinberg, 1989), who, as mentioned above, are better able to monitor and assess their own performance than novices.…”