The purpose of this study was to investigate the effectiveness of implementing the Self-Regulated Strategy Development (SRSD) model of instruction (Graham & Harris,
2005
; Harris & Graham,
1996
) on ...the writing skills and knowledge of six first grade students. A multiple-baseline design across participants with multiple probes (Kazdin,
2010
) was used to test the effectiveness of the SRSD intervention, which included story writing and self-regulation strategy instruction. All students wrote stories in response to picture prompts during the baseline, instruction, post-instruction, and maintenance phases and stories were assessed for essential story components, length, and overall quality. Participants also participated in brief interviews during the baseline and post-instruction phases. Results indicated that SRSD can be beneficial for first grade writers. Participants wrote stories that contained more essential components, were longer, and of better quality after SRSD instruction. Participants also showed improvement in writing knowledge from pre- to post-instruction.
The two studies reported here explored the factor structure of the newly constructed Writing Achievement Goal Scale (WAGS), and examined relationships among secondary students' writing achievement ...goals, writing self-efficacy, affect for writing, and writing achievement. In the first study, 697 middle school students completed the WAGS. A confirmatory factor analysis revealed a good fit for this data with a three-factor model that corresponds with mastery, performance approach, and performance avoidance goals. The results of Study 1 were an indication for the researchers to move forward with Study 2, which included 563 high school students. The secondary students completed the WAGS, as well as the Self-efficacy for Writing Scale, and the Liking Writing Scale. Students also self-reported grades for writing and for language arts courses. Approximately 6 weeks later, students completed a statewide writing assessment. We tested a theoretical model representing relationships among Study 2 variables using structural equation modeling including students' responses to the study scales and students' scores on the statewide assessment. Results from Study 2 revealed a good fit between a model depicting proposed relationships among the constructs and the data. Findings are discussed relative to achievement goal theory and writing.
Self-efficacy is an essential component of students' motivation and success in writing. There have been great advancements in our theoretical understanding of writing self-efficacy over the past 40 ...years; however, there is a gap in how we empirically model the multidimensionality of writing self-efficacy. The purpose of the present study was to examine the multidimensionality of writing self-efficacy, and present validity evidence for the adapted Self-Efficacy for Writing Scale (SEWS) through a series of measurement model comparisons and person-centered approaches. Using a sample of 1,466 8th-10th graders, results showed that a bifactor exploratory structural equation model best represented the data, demonstrating that the SEWS exhibits both construct-relevant multidimensionality and the presence of a global theme. Using factor scores derived from this model, we conducted latent profile analysis to further establish validity of the measurement model and examine how students disaggregate into groups based on their response trends of the SEWS. Three profiles emerged, differentiated by global writing self-efficacy, with substantively varying factor differences among the profiles. Concurrent, divergent, and discriminant validity evidence was established through a series of analyses that assessed predictors and outcomes of the profiles (e.g., demographics, standardized writing assessments, and grades). Theoretical and practical implications and avenues for future research are discussed.
This study examined differences in self-regulation among college-age expert, moderately expert, and non-expert video game players in playing video games for fun. Winne's model of self-regulation ...(Winne, 2001) guided the study. The main assumption of this study was that expert video game players used more processes of self-regulation than the less-expert players. We surveyed 143 college students about their game playing frequency, habits, and use of self-regulation. Data analysis indicated that while playing recreational video games, expert gamers self-regulated more than moderately expert and non-expert players and moderately expert players used more processes of self-regulation than non-experts. Semi-structured interviews also were conducted with selected participants at each of the expertise levels. Qualitative follow-up analyses revealed five themes: (1) characteristics of expert video gamers, (2) conditions for playing a video game, (3) figuring out a game, (4) how gamers act and, (5) game context. Overall, findings indicated that playing a video game is a highly self-regulated activity and that becoming an expert video game player mobilizes multiple sets of self-regulation related skills and processes. These findings are seen as promising for educators desiring to encourage student self-regulation, because they indicate the possibility of supporting students via recreational video games by recognizing that their play includes processes of self-regulation.
A multifactor perspective on writing self-efficacy was examined in 2 studies. Three factors were proposed-self-efficacy for writing ideation, writing conventions, and writing self-regulation-and a ...scale constructed to reflect these factors. In Study 1, middle school students (N = 697) completed the Self-Efficacy for Writing Scale (SEWS), along with associated measures. Confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) showed SEWS data fit the proposed 3-factor model well. In Study 2, a second CFA of data from 563 students from 2 high schools likewise showed good model fit. Scores based on the 3 writing self-efficacy factors were examined in relation to students' liking writing, self-reported writing grades, and statewide writing assessment (SWA) scores. Results showed writing ideation and self-regulation self-efficacy to be significantly more strongly related to liking writing than conventions self-efficacy but less related than conventions self-efficacy to SWA scores. All 3 writing self-efficacy dimensions showed moderate positive correlations with self-reported writing performance. Further analyses showed higher levels for all 3 dimensions of writing self-efficacy for students in more advanced English/language arts classes. Overall, results from the studies were interpreted as supporting multifactor models of writing self-efficacy and the utility of closer ties between self-efficacy measures and domains being assessed.
This study examined grade- and achievement-level differences in 4th-, 7th-, and 10th-grade students' control-related beliefs and relations between students' beliefs and their reading and writing ...achievement. MANOVA results indicated grade- and achievement-level differences in self-efficacy, causal attribution, and outcome expectancy beliefs but no interaction between grade and achievement level. Canonical correlations identified a single dimension linking students' beliefs to achievement in both reading and writing. Quadratic relations to achievement were found for outcome expectancy and intelligence attributions. As grade increased, beliefs for reading were more highly related to comprehension skill relative to component skills, whereas beliefs for writing were more highly related to component skills relative to communication skills. At all achievement levels, a similar pattern of beliefs was related to achievement.
Objectives: The purpose of this mixed-methods study was to explore the cognitive and motivational challenges sonography students encounter by examining the relationships between sonography students’ ...levels of self-regulation and self-efficacy and their performance in a 16-week introductory vascular sonography skills laboratory course. Materials and Methods: Measures for the study were designed to yield qualitative and quantitative data related to student goals, strategies, and course performance and were generated by both students and faculty. Qualitative data from the study included student self-reports of self-regulatory strategies and instructor evaluations of student performance, while quantitative data were provided by instructor and student ratings of performance, student self-efficacy ratings, and student reports on their use of deliberate practice. Results: The data showed that many students learning how to perform sonographic examinations encountered motivational challenges that appeared to be tied both to their self-efficacy and their ability to effectively use self-regulatory activities. Conclusion: The findings of this study suggest possibilities for improving sonography’s curricular models and teaching strategies toward the goal of making sonography instruction more efficient and effective.
This study was designed to explore the effects of different geographical background contexts and signalling for information about global warming on comprehension, recall and cognitive load. Two ...different geographical contexts, US and Korean, were employed to frame explanations of global warming phenomena to US students. Two signalling conditions were also adopted in which passages about global warming were either signalled or nonsignalled. Comparisons within the experimental framework of the study showed that context familiarity had positive effects on students' deep comprehension (knowledge application), self-reported levels of motivation and perceived levels of difficulty, and that signalling had a negative effect on deep comprehension. An expertise reversal effect was also noted. The findings of the current study imply that to-be-learned information framed within an unfamiliar context can create disadvantages for students' motivation, perceived difficulty and deep comprehension.
Writing is a highly valued skill that is often neglected in the classroom; one reason is that teachers often do not receive adequate training in writing assessment and instruction. Teachers, ...particularly preservice teachers, need practice making detailed assessments of student writing and to build their confidence for assessing student writing, but practical issues of time and resources often constrain the frequency and quality of training they receive. This mixed method study focused on the design and evaluation of an online tool for building preservice teachers’ writing assessment skills and self-efficacy for writing assessment. In the study, teacher education students interacted with actual 4th-graders’ writing samples via a Web-based critical thinking tool. They received scaffolded practice in assessing multiple student papers and justified their assessments using analytic criteria. After each paper, they received feedback that included access to expert assessments and those of their peers, along with both teacher and peer rationales for their ratings. Participants significantly improved in ability to accurately assess student writing using an analytic approach and in knowledge of the writing traits. They also showed significantly greater self-efficacy for assessing student writing and high levels of satisfaction with the Web-based tool and their overall learning experience.
Despite tremendous efforts to improve weather and climate predictions and to inform farmers about the use of such weather products, farmers’ attitudes toward forecast use remain poor and farmer use ...of forecasts has not increased. This paper describes features of a new conceptual model for facilitating farmers’ use of weather products and offers preliminary evidence for its effectiveness based on a test-of-concept prototype. The prototype system provides farmers with contextualized information, the opportunity to use that information in relevant farming contexts, and collaborative interaction with other users. In addition, scaffolding and feedback are incorporated in the model to enhance learning and motivation. Surveys before and after use of the prototype system, and focus-group discussion after system use, were conducted to obtain evaluations from 15 farmers in southeastern Nebraska. Farmers’ evaluations of the system were moderately positive and indicated greater intentions to use the products in the future than they had in the past. However, farmers only slightly increased their positive expectancies of various general categories of weather and climate products, supporting the difficulties associated with changing overall attitudes when attempting to transfer scientific improvements into practical uses. It is suggested that multiple exposures to such a system and more individualized and personally relevant use opportunities may further enhance the power of the proposed model.
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