Temporal Assessment of Self-Regulated Learning by Mining Students' Think-Aloud Protocols.

Area of Science:

• Educational Psychology
• Learning Sciences
• Cognitive Science

Background:

• Self-regulated learning (SRL) is consistently linked to improved academic performance, particularly in transfer tests.
• Research increasingly focuses on the specific SRL strategies and activities learners use during different learning phases.
• Think-aloud protocols offer deeper insights into SRL processes compared to traditional self-report surveys.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the role and temporal patterns of SRL in an online learning environment.
• To replicate previous findings on the link between SRL activities and learning outcomes in a new context.
• To explore differences in SRL temporal structures between successful and less successful learners.

Main Methods:

• Utilized concurrent think-aloud protocols to measure SRL in 29 university students.
• Employed a pre-post design within a 45-minute online learning session.
• Analyzed temporal structures of SRL activities in relation to learning gains and transfer performance.

Main Results:

• Confirmed significant learning gains and replicated the established link between SRL activities and transfer performance.
• Identified distinct temporal patterns in SRL strategies differentiating successful from less successful learners.
• Demonstrated the replicability of SRL-process-outcome links in an online learning setting.

Conclusions:

• SRL patterns in online learning settings are replicable, reinforcing previous research findings.
• Effective use of SRL involves not only the choice of strategies but also their timing and application.
• Future research should consider the dynamic and contextual nature of SRL strategy deployment.