The Role of Self-Regulated Learning in Enhancing Conceptual Understanding of Rate of Chemical Reactions

Abstract

The authors have investigated the effects of self-regulated learning (SRL) prompts on the academic performance of 30 year 9 students (12-13 year olds) learning science in a computer-based simulation environment by randomly assigning participants to either a SRL prompted or non-SRL prompted group. Mixed methods approaches were adopted for data collection and data analysis. Students in the SRL prompted group were given activity sheets which contained SRL prompts, whereas students in the non-SRL prompted group received no SRL-prompts in their activity sheets but some general prompts regarding how to follow the activity sheet. The incorporation of SRL prompted instructions into a computer-based simulation environment that teaches the rates of chemical reactions facilitated the shift in learners’ academic performance more than the non-SRL-prompted condition did. This shift was associated with the presence of the SRL behavioural prompts in the activity sheets. This study is a starting point in understanding the impact of the application of SRL-prompted instructions to the teaching of topics in a computer-based learning environment with a view to improving students’ academic attainment.