Examining cyclical phase relations and predictive influences of self-regulated learning processes on mathematics task performance

Abstract

The current study used microanalytic interviews and behavioral traces to examine sequential phase relations among forethought, performance, and self-reflection processes, and to investigate the predictive influence of these processes on mathematics performance of 96 eighth grade students. Consistent with expectations, students’ microanlaytic goals and strategic plans (i.e., forethought phase) correlated at a statistically significant level with students’ strategy use (i.e., performance phase), which, in turn, correlated with their attributions following performance (i.e., self-reflection phase). Regression analysis revealed that goal-setting and planning each explained a unique and medium amount of the variance in performance phase strategy use. Further, as expected, the two forethought phase processes did not predict any self-reflection phase processes. Contrary to expectations, however, metacognitive-monitoring (i.e., performance phase) did not correlate with most SRL processes, and students’ strategy use were not empirically linked with students’ adaptive inferences (i.e., self-reflection phase). In terms of predictive influences, students’ strategic planning, strategy use, and metacognitive-monitoring correlated significantly and positively with mathematics performance, with strategy use and metacognitive-monitoring emerging as unique predictors of performance.