Learning opportunities to support student self-regulation: comparing different instructional formats

Abstract

Background Secondary vocational schools are engaged in a process of innovation and improving their instructional formats to help students acquire the necessary skills in occupational settings. Teachers in vocational education are increasingly being required to offer instructional environments that stimulate students to organize their own learning and take responsibility for extending their knowledge and skills. Among these skills, self-regulated learning strategies have become basic for both school and work. Purpose In this study, we analysed learning environments for self-regulation in secondary vocational schools in The Netherlands. Student perceptions of learning environments were related to their motivation and learning strategies used for self-regulation. Sample Data for this study were collected based on a sample of 623 students participating in five differently arranged programmes of vocational education in The Netherlands. Design and methods Questionnaires were used and partly developed to measure student motivation, perceived teaching behaviour and use of self-regulation strategies. A categorization scheme to analyse learning environments was developed for the purpose of this study. Results Our findings indicate that some types of learning environments presently offered in secondary vocational schools do offer positive experiences for self-regulation of students. Positive relationships were found between students' motivation for learning and the strategies used for self-regulated learning. Conclusions Based on a categorization of design features of learning environments, we suggest some directions on how to create powerful learning environments in vocational schools.