Self-regulated learning (SRL) perspectives and strategies of Australian primary school students: a qualitative exploration at different year levels

The topicality of the study was determined by the increasing role of self-regulated learning (hereinafter SRL) in primary education. The aim of the study is to compare the teacher’s assessment with the students’ self-assessment, to identify whether there are differences in awareness of the required level of SRL skills in music learning. Previous researches on SRL have been analysed, and an empirical study involving 86 (N=86) 4th- grade students of primary school has been conducted to achieve the aim of the study. To determine the level of primary school students’ SRL skills in music learning, the SRL skills of each student during music lessons were observed by the music teacher and were recorded in the observation protocol according to four criteria: motivation, setting learning outcomes, monitoring of learning and outcomes assessment. The questionnaire provided an opportunity to reveal the self-assessment of each student’s SRL skills and compare them with the results obtained by pedagogical observation. The study found that there is no difference between the teacher’s assessment and students’ self-assessment. Both teacher and students believe that the students’ skill of setting learning outcomes in a music lesson is at a low level, while the skills of monitoring their learning and assessing the outcomes are at a medium level. The study concluded that primary school students understand their SRL skills level, which is a prerequisite of monitoring learning and outcomes assessment strategies for joint learning.

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Motivation and self-regulated strategy use: Relationships to primary school students’ English writing in Hong Kong

Language Teaching Research ◽

10.1177/1362168819859921 ◽

2019 ◽

pp. 136216881985992 ◽

Cited By ~ 3

Author(s):

Barry Bai ◽

Wenjuan Guo

Keyword(s):

Primary School ◽

Self Efficacy ◽

Growth Mindset ◽

Strategy Use ◽

Low Achievers ◽

High Achievers ◽

Primary School Students ◽

School Students ◽

English Writing ◽

Self Regulated Learning

This study was to examine the individual differences in primary school students’ motivation (i.e. growth mindset, self-efficacy, and interest), self-regulated learning strategy use in English writing and the relationships between motivation, strategy use and English writing competence. Participants were 523 4thgrade primary school students in Hong Kong. Although the findings showed a general pattern that the high achievers reported higher levels of motivation (i.e. growth mindset, self-efficacy, and interest) and self-regulated learning (SRL) strategy use than the average achievers, who in turn outperformed the low achievers, all the students showed quite a low level of interest in English writing. Interestingly, motivation impacted SRL strategy use very differently for students of different writing competence groups on the whole. Three-group Structural Equation Modelling (SEM) suggested that growth mindset had the strongest and most significant correlations with all students’ use of SRL strategies. However, interest and self-efficacy had different relationship patterns with SRL strategy use among the high, average and low achievers. Interest had no significant relations with the high achievers’ SRL strategy use, while self-efficacy had no significant relations with the low achievers’ SRL strategy use. Implications for English teachers to improve differentiated instruction are discussed.

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