What Can Off- and Online Measures Tell about Students’ Self-Regulation and Their Achievement While Learning Science Expository Hypertext

Abstract

Self-regulated learning (SRL) plays an important role in successful learning with hypertexts. The use of appropriate SRL strategies helps students acquire new knowledge more efficiently. We investigated the use of SRL strategies in individual learning from expository science hypertext, the correlations between different measures of self-regulation, and the differences in SRL between more and less successful students. A sample of 443 ninth graders from 15 different schools participated in the study. A variety of off- and online measures were used to measure SRL. Data were collected from student traces, questionnaires, tests scores, and notes. Low correlations between the off- and online measures of SRL suggest that they measure different aspects of SRL use in learning digital science texts. Student achievement in science positively correlated with their use of SRL strategies. Students with higher knowledge gains reported the higher use of deep cognitive strategies, higher motivation for learning, and used a higher number of strategies in note-taking while learning. The results of this study may have practical implications for teachers to support student SRL and for developers of digital learning materials to incorporate SRL scaffolding into learning topics.