Examining the relations between self-regulation and achievement in third grade students

The relationship between self-regulation, cognitive flexibility, and resilience among students: a structural equation modeling

BACKGROUND

Cognitive flexibility is an important construct that contributes to one's own thoughts, behaviors, and feelings to achieve his or her goals. Thus, it could play an essential role in students' educational achievements. This study aimed to investigate the mediating role of cognitive flexibility in the relationship between self-regulation and resilience among students.

METHOD

This was a cross-sectional study conducted on a sample of students during the 2022 and 2023 academic years. Students were selected from Tehran and Karaj universities (two metropolitans in central Iran). Data collection instruments included the Bouffard's Self-Regulation Scale, the Cognitive Flexibility Inventory (CFI), and the Connor-Davidson Resilience Scale (CD-RSC). Subsequently, the data were analyzed using structural equation modeling via SPSS and AMOS software to examine the relationships among variables.

RESULTS

In all 302 students participated in the study. The mean age of students was 25.8 (SD = 4.05) years. The findings indicated that self-regulation had a marked positive direct effect on cognitive flexibility (β = 0.23, p < 0.001), and resilience (β = 0.88, t = 19.50, p < 0.001). Similarly, cognitive flexibility displayed a strong positive influence on resilience (β = 0.1, p < 0.001) it showed an indirect mediating role between self-regulation and resilience (0.02), while resilience demonstrated a negative indirect effect on self-regulation and cognitive flexibility (-0.23). The goodness of fit indices validated the proposed model. Furthermore, the analysis revealed the significance of the final model's direct path coefficients, underscoring the mediating role of cognitive flexibility between self-regulation and resilience among students.

CONCLUSION

The findings indicated a pivotal interrelationship among self-regulation, cognitive flexibility, and resilience in students. The significant positive relationship among these constructs underscores the importance of fostering cognitive flexibility practices and self-regulation in educational settings.

Self-Regulated Learning and Working Memory Determine Problem-Solving Accuracy in Math

This study aims to understand the role of self-regulated learning (SRL) and its different processes in the relationship between working memory (WM) and problem-solving accuracy in math in primary school children. A sample of 269 primary school children (M_age = 8.84, SD = 0.81, 58% boys) participated in this study. Tasks were used as intervention resources to assess children's WM (i.e., reading and computation span tasks), SRL (i.e., a digital game), and performance (i.e., the performance in the game, as well as a traditional math problem). Through structural equation modeling, results revealed that WM predicted children's SRL and their problem-solving accuracy in math, such that those with higher capability for temporary storage attained better accuracy. Accordingly, children's SRL explained the relationship between WM capacity and problem-solving accuracy in math; such that the indirect effect of WM capacity through SRL was lower on problem-solving accuracy in math. Results indicated that the planning phase was a greater indicator of students' SRL in problem-solving accuracy in math. These results highlight the importance of SRL competencies in explaining children's performance in problem-solving in math.

Contribution to Family, Friends, School, and Community Is Associated With Fewer Depression Symptoms in Adolescents - Mediated by Self-Regulation and Academic Performance

The tendency to get involved in helping one’s family, friends, school, and community has many potential benefits such as greater compassion, concern for others, and social responsibility. Research interest in the benefits of contribution in adolescents has increased recently, but there are not many studies examining the effect of contribution on adolescents’ mental health. The present study focused on whether the contribution is associated with fewer self-rated depression symptoms in adolescents. We further tested whether self-regulation and academic performance can have a mediating role in this association. A total of 423 secondary school students (233 female) from eastern Croatia participated in the study. Mean age was 16.78 (SD = 1.21). Students completed measures of self-regulation, depression symptoms, and contribution (helping one’s family, friends, or neighbors, mentoring peers, volunteering in one’s community, and participating in school organizations or boards), and gave information about age, gender, and academic performance. A hierarchical regression analysis revealed that contribution, self-regulation, and academic performance were related with lower levels of self-rated depression symptoms. Furthermore, mediation analysis indicated a significant indirect effect through two mediators, self-regulation and academic performance, which was stronger than a path containing only self-regulation. Academic performance alone was not a significant mediator. Our findings suggest that contribution could protect against depression by promoting self-regulation, leading to higher academic performance, and consequently fewer depression symptoms.

Observing individual children in early childhood classrooms using Optimizing Learning Opportunities for Students (OLOS): A feasibility study

In this study, we present a newly developed observational system, Optimizing Learning Opportunities for Students (OLOS). OLOS is designed to elucidate the learning opportunities afforded to individual children within early childhood classrooms and as they transition to formal schooling (kindergarten through third grade). OLOS records the time spent in different types of learning opportunities (e.g., play, literacy, math) and the frequency of specific discourse moves children and teachers use (child talk and teacher talk). Importantly, it is being designed to be used validly and reliably by practitioners. Using OLOS, we explored individual children's experiences (n = 68 children in 12 classrooms) in four different types of early childhood programs; state-funded, state-funded PK serving children with disabilities, Head Start, and a tuition-based (non-profit) preschool. Results of our feasibility study revealed that we could feasibly and reliably use OLOS in these very different kinds of pre-kindergarten programs with some changes. OLOS provided data that aligned with our hypotheses and that our practitioner partners found useful. In analysing the observations, we found that individual children's learning opportunities varied significantly both within and between classrooms. In general, we observed that most of the PK day (or half day) was spent in language and literacy activities and non-instructional activities (e.g., transitions). Very little time in math and science was observed yet children were generally more likely to actively participate (i.e., more child talk) during academic learning opportunities (literacy, math, and science). The frequency of teacher talk also varied widely between classrooms and across programs. Plus, the more teacher talk we observed, the more likely we were to observe child talk. Our long-term aim is that OLOS can inform policy and provide information that supports practitioners in meeting the learning and social-behavioral needs of the children they serve.

A modified student personalized learning approach to prompt academic acquisition in health sciences

BACKGROUND

Metacognition activation is described as a pillar of a driver in the learning process. The current study investigated the effectiveness of a modified protocol of "student personalized learning" (SPL) (integrating elements of differentiation approach) on metacognitive skills development.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

A cross-sectional study was conducted among 22 bachelors during the academic period of 2016-2017. A SPL program was designed in magnetic resonance physical principles (16 courses of 2 h). The participants underwent pre-SPL evaluation tests as to assess their respective prior knowledge, learning style, and metacognitive skills. Attendant advisory meeting allocated personalized educational planning and educational resources. During SPL, students were regularly monitored by advisory supervising meetings. Descriptive statistics were used to describe the features of the data (sums, frequencies, percentages, means, and standard deviations).

RESULTS

The results showed a visual learning style emerging as prevalent (61.9%). The completion rate of SPL was 73%. SPL participants passed the educational module with a mean final examination score reaching 16.72 ± 3 versus 10.7 ± 5 assessed by prior knowledge testing (P < 0.05). The average global metacognition score enhanced from average to very good. Knowledge and control of self, knowledge and control of process planning, and knowledge of process regulation increased from average to very good levels.

CONCLUSIONS

The resorted SPL proved its efficacy in recruiting and developing metacognitive skills. Nevertheless, knowledge and control of process-evaluation metacognitive component needs to be further investigated, especially when SPL relies on a short-term program.