Journal of Educational Psychology
2001, Volume 93, Number3, pp. 477-487

Context Moderates Students' Self-Reports About How They Study

Allyson F. Hadwin, Philip H. Winne, Denise B. Stockley,
John C. Nesbit and Carolyn Woszczyna

Simon Fraser University

Abstract
Models of self-regulated learning hypothesize that learners selectively match study tactics to varying tasks and diverse goals. In this study, relative to each of 3 contexts—reading for learning, completing a brief essay, and studying for an exam—students rated the frequency with which they applied 26 study tactics, used 20 textbook features and other resources, and adopted 30 goals for studying. Analyses revealed substantial context effects in these self-reports. Nine separate principal component analyses of ratings corresponding to cells in a 3 X 3 matrix of (a) tactics, resources, and goals by (b) contexts, identified considerable discrepancies in items' assignment to components, and heterogeneous loadings across contexts. These findings bolster the premise that students' reports of self-regulating studying behaviors are context specific. They also raise questions about using self-reports of self-regulated learning that do not reflect context effects.

Citation
Hadwin, A. F., Winne, P. H., Stockley, D. B., Nesbit, J. C., & Woszczyna, C. (2001). Context moderates students' self-reports about how they study. Journal of Educational Psychology, 93, 477-487.

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