Self-regulated learning in a digital context: Conditions for successful learning and teaching
The research project centres on exploring self-regulated learning and its effective facilitation in digital learning environments. It includes two sub-studies, each of which focuses on a specific educational context: the secondary school level and the tertiary university level. Through a co-constructive approach involving both learners and teachers, the project seeks to identify the conditions required for successful self-regulated learning and to improve teaching and learning practices through adaptive learning technology.
1. Project description
Using a mixed-method approach in the fields of science of education, educational psychology, sports pedagogy, and instructional design, this research project examines the processes of promoting and facilitating self-regulated learning skills through adaptive learning technology. Both sub-studies implement adaptive learning applications –"studybuddy” for secondary school students and “SwimMap” for university students-- for understanding, assessing, and promoting self-regulatory skills of learners. Based on this evidence-based practice approach, action-oriented guidelines for advancing self-regulated learning with adaptive learning technology and digital transformation in the two educational settings will be made available to interested stakeholders.
2. Background
In response to the challenges posed by globalization and digitalization, educational institutions are called upon to redesign and innovate learning environments that promote lifelong learning. Self-regulated learning --encompassing cognitive, metacognitive, motivational, and emotional/affective skills-- is recognized as essential for individuals to thrive in the digital age. Moreover, the emergence of learning analytics and educational data mining underscores the importance of leveraging data-driven insights to optimize teaching and learning processes in digital contexts. Given this backdrop, there are concerted endeavors within educational technology and research to expedite the meaningful integration of advanced technologies in adaptive learning platforms with the aim of creating digital learning environments conducive to fostering students’ self-regulated learning skills. In line with these collective efforts, we (1) engage in an iterative design and testing process aimed at further enhancing our learning applications “studybuddy” and “SwimMap” to effectively align with self-regulated learning principles and achieve a high degree of adaptivity; (2) identify factors influencing the self-regulated learning of different learners at different educational levels and examine how they change; and, (3) analyze how digital learning environments must be designed and used in teaching and learning practice to sustainably promote self-regulated learning across disciplines in secondary education (“studybuddy”) and within the domain of sports science in higher education (“SwimMap”).
3. Goal and objectives
The overarching goal of this research project is to investigate the promotion and facilitation of self-regulated learning in digital learning environments. Through a comprehensive examination utilizing theoretical frameworks and empirical analyses, the project aims to identify the conditions necessary for effective self-regulated learning and enhance teaching and learning practices through the utilization of adaptive learning technology (studybuddy and SwimMap). Specifically, the project seeks to achieve the following objectives:
- Explore the processes of promoting self-regulated learning skills through adaptive learning technologies in both secondary and tertiary education settings.
- Utilize mixed-method approaches to assess and enhance self-regulatory skills, processes, and behaviors of learners, as well as explore how these skills can be fostered by teachers in digital learning environments.
- Develop evidence-based guidelines for advancing self-regulated learning with adaptive learning technologies, contributing to digital transformation efforts in education.
4. Significance
This research project on self-regulated learning in digital learning contexts holds significant potential benefits. Through comprehensive analyses and mixed-method approaches, we develop actionable recommendations and evidence-based guidelines for enhancing self-regulated learning with adaptive learning applications. The findings of our project do inform teaching and learning practices and also contribute to broader digital transformation initiatives in education at large. By providing essential insights and foundational knowledge, the project aims to advance the understanding and promotion of self-regulated learning across educational contexts, fostering improved learning outcomes and empowering instructors to thrive in the digital age.
