In this inquiry we draw on Activity Theory as a conceptual framework to get at the contextual nature of the phenomenon we are studying; specifically, we use it to develop data collection tools and to ground the data analysis and interpretation. Data collection includes progress logs collected over multiple years, pre-interview questionnaires, interviews, and focus group interviews. Multiple methods of qualitative data analysis have been employed.
Tactics, Metacognition and Self-Regulated Learning When Learners Restudy
Principal Investigator: Dr. Phil Winne
What's Proposed
The program of research proposed here will carry out a variety of studies of restudy-as-learning. One task is to carry out a thorough analysis of existing research to extend theoretical bases upon which to design experiments about restudy.
Another is to investigate how learners of different ages choose to implement restudy activities as self-regulating agents when posed various tasks (e.g., summarize, solve a problem).
A third focus is to research how learners decide to restudy and how they choose particular tactics for restudying.
The fourth goal is to investigate new methodological approaches that can be used in research on self regulated learning, particularly Bayesian statistical techniques.
The fifth aim is to develop principles to guide learners to restudy more effectively.
How This Project is Carried Out
Previous to this inquiry, we incorporated the current research about the factors influencing attrition into a model of nested contexts. We thus located the problem within three contexts: societal, institutional, and disciplinary.
Why This Project Matters
All four phases of self-regulated learning are addressed in the research: articulating methodologies that blend self-reports, tracing of cognition gathered by using advanced software, eye-tracking technologies, and employing new quantitative methods for describing cognitive strategies.
This greatly enhances the project’s capacity to advance theory by elaborating and sharpening theoretical models of learning. By building on and extending current research, the project will make important contributions to practices in education.