Self-regulated learning (SRL) in digital environments

About

Self-regulated learners plan, set goals, engage in strategies to achieve these goals, and reflect about their learning trajectory. Self-regulated learning is crucial for academic success and lifelong learning. This is particularly relevant in higher education and digital environments, where a greater level of student autonomy is required.

Technology can play an important role in promoting self-regulated learning. The projects below share the broad aim of better understanding the conditions – both of environments and students’ personal factors – in which technology can effectively support and develop self-regulated learning.

Projects

  • SRL and scientific inquiry learning in digital environments

    About

    This project investigates how learning analytics can be used to support students’ use of SRL skills in inquiry-based learning designs in STEM education. The project will generate new knowledge in the relationship between SRL and scientific inquiry learning, SRL development and the use of learning analytics to foster SRL in higher education.

    Funding

    Postdoctoral Fellowship, Melbourne Graduate School of Education, The University of Melbourne

    Research team

    • Dr Paula de Barba, The University of Melbourne
    • Professor Gregor Kennedy, The University of Melbourne
    • Associate Professor Kristine Elliott, The University of Melbourne

    Outcomes

    de Barba, P., Elliott, K., & Kennedy, G. (2019) Students’ self-regulated learning skills and attitudes in online scientific inquiry tasks. In proceedings of ASCILITE, p. 407.

    More information

    Dr Paula de Barba, Melbourne CSHE, The University of Melbourne

  • SRL and writing analytics

    About

    Essay writing is a fundamental part of higher education. Students’ use of self-regulatory skills while writing essays has been found to predict better writing quality. This project investigates novel approaches to examine students’ use of self-regulation strategies in essay writing using learning analytics.

    Researchers

    • Dr Paula de Barba, The University of Melbourne
    • Dr Eduardo Araujo Oliveira, TheUniversity of Melbourne
    • Prof Gregor Kennedy, TheUniversity of Melbourne
    • Dr Kelly Trezise, Loughborough University
    • Rianne Conijn, Eindhoven University of Technology

    Outcomes

    Oliveira, E. A., Conijn, R., De Barba, P., Trezise, K., van Zaanen, M., & Kennedy, G. (2020) Writing analytics across essay tasks with different cognitive load demands. In proceedings of ASCILITE (pp. 60).

    Trezise, K., de Barba, P. G., Jennens, D., Zarebski, A., Russo, R., & Kennedy, G. (2017). A learning analytics view of students’ use of self-regulation strategies for essay writing. In proceedings of ASCILITE (pp. 411).

    More information

    Dr Paula de Barba, Melbourne CSHE, The University of Melbourne

  • Personalised feedback to support SRL in STEM education

    About

    This project investigates how personalised analytics-based feedback delivered through personalised dashboards and prompts can support students’ use of self-regulated learning (SRL) skills in STEM education. This research addresses a gap in current understanding on how to use learning analytics to support SRL at scale in STEM higher education.

    Funding

    Early Career Researcher Grant, The University of Melbourne.

    Researchers

    • Dr Paula de Barba, The University of Melbourne
    • Professor Gregor Kennedy, The University of Melbourne

    More information

    Dr Paula de Barba, Melbourne CSHE, University of Melbourne

  • Dispositional and situational SRL

    About

    Students come to a learning experience with a set of self-regulated learning skills (dispositional SRL), and a level of motivation about the content. However, students do not necessarily apply their self-regulated learning skills during a learning experience; that is, when engaged on a specific learning task level (task-based SRL). This project examines the relationship between students’ dispositional SRL and motivation towards a topic, and their use of task-based SRL skills.

    Funding

    ARC Special Research Initiative, Science of Learning Research Centre.

    Researchers

    • Dr Paula de Barba, The University of Melbourne
    • Dr Tracii Ryan, The University of Melbourne
    • Professor Gregor Kennedy, The University of Melbourne

    More information

    Dr Paula de Barba, Melbourne CSHE, The University of Melbourne

  • ePortfolio use and self-regulated learning in higher education

    About

    Research indicates that the use of ePortfolios in higher education can develop and evidence aspects of self-regulated learning (SRL). However, such research frequently demonstrates limitations in methodology and scope of inquiry. This project advances understanding of the relationship between SRL and ePortfolios in higher education by critically examining the benefits of ePortfolios using an SRL framework that corresponds with high-impact practice, and utilising an ecologically valid, naturalistic approach

    Researchers

    • Dr Chris Deneen, The University of Melbourne
    • Associate Professor Mike Prosser, The University of Melbourne
    • Dr Tracii Ryan, The University of Melbourne
    • Dr Jason Lodge, University of Queensland
    • Professor Paul Hanstedt, Washington and Lee University

    More information

    Dr Chris Deneen, Melbourne CSHE, The University of Melbourne