Reflections: Literature as data
Zimmerman, Barry J. (2008) Investigating Self-Regulation and Motivation: Historical Background, Methodological Developments, and Future Prospects. American Educational Research Journal Vol. 45, No. 1 (Mar., 2008), pp. 166-183
Barry Zimmerman discusses the history and how “initial attempts to measure self-regulated learning using questionnaires and interview were successful in demonstrating significant predictions of students’ academic outcome”, and he discusses more recent development of online measures which include “computer traces, think-aloud protocols, diaries of studying, direct observation and microanalysis.” Zimmerman goes on to suggest that self-regulated learning is viewed as “especially important during personally directed forms of learning” but he also makes note that SRL is crucial “in social forms of learning, such as seeking help from peers, parents, and teacher.”
During the 1980’s, a number of different SRL assessment tools were developed and the specific assessments that Zimmerman discussed were: the Learning and Study Strategies Inventory, the Motivated Strategies for Learning Questionnaire, and the Self-Regulated Learning Interview. One of the more recent SRL innovations is a program, created by Philip Winnie, called gStudy. This program “enables learners to make notes, create glossaries, label and index content, construct concept maps, search for information, chat and collaborate, and receive coaching.” This program then creates logs that document “students’ methods of study to academic outcome in real time.” There is an option for the student to keep a personal learning journal, which helps facilitate reflection within the self-regulatory feedback loop.
There have been think-aloud protocols developed that “involve students’ reports about their thoughts and cognitive processes while performing a task” which I think is a valuable, but a very labour intensive methodology. I tend to be more drawn towards quantitative and qualitative measures such as “observations forms, portfolio assessments, and interviews of students” to study changes in SRL in my classroom.
