Online Self-Regulated Learning Profiles: A Study of Chinese as a Foreign Language Learners.

Lin Lin,Yang Gong,Nuo Xu

doi:10.3389/fpsyg.2021.797786

Abstract

The role of self-regulated learning (SRL) in achieving academic success has been widely investigated for campus-based college students. However, research on online learners’ SRL is limited, while the number of online learners has been increasing tremendously in recent years, especially after the COVID-19 pandemic worldwide. As SRL is context-bound, differences caused by classroom and home environments may be expected. This study investigated the factor structures of online learners’ SRL in Chinese as a foreign language education and the existence of SRL profiles in online learners. Data were collected from 378 international students enrolled in online Chinese language courses in 2020. Ten latent factors were revealed by exploratory factor analysis with motivation and learning strategies scales of the Motivated Strategies for Learning Questionnaire (MSLQ). A follow-up latent profile analysis showed three profiles of low, moderate, and high self-regulated learners. The study supports the context-bound nature of SRL and calls for developing adaptive training programs according to SRL profiles of Chinese language learners.

Highlights

Over the past 20 years, the number of Chinese as a foreign language (CFL) or second language (CSL) learners has grown significantly within and outside China (Gong et al, 2020a,c, 2021c)
Influenced by the COVID-19 pandemic worldwide, international students enrolled in Chinese universities were required to learn Chinese language courses in their home countries via the internet (Ministry of Education, 2020)
Most of the participants were from Teaching Chinese as a Foreign Language (TCFL) (n = 272)

Summary

Introduction

Over the past 20 years, the number of Chinese as a foreign language (CFL) or second language (CSL) learners has grown significantly within and outside China (Gong et al, 2020a,c, 2021c). In 2018, more than 500,000 international students participated in various courses and short-term immersion programs in over 820 educational institutions in mainland China (Ministry of Education, 2019). Influenced by the COVID-19 pandemic worldwide, international students enrolled in Chinese universities were required to learn Chinese language courses in their home countries via the internet (Ministry of Education, 2020). The nature of online classes is considerably different from face-to-face traditional classroom settings, which requires learners to be more autonomous and self-regulated (Stevens and Switzer, 2006). Few studies have explored the SRL of non-traditional learners studying in an online learning environment. As SRL is contextbound, differences caused by classroom and home environment can be expected (Duncan and McKeachie, 2005; Meijs et al, 2019). Since studying online requires more SRL than in traditional education, it is necessary to determine whether the SRL structure developed

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