Self-Regulated Learning Process in MOOCs: Examining the Indicators of Behavioral, Emotional, and Cognitive Engagement

Abstract

Self-regulated learning (SRL) and engagement are important for an individual learner to learn in a MOOC. SRL stresses the learners' learning processes from goal setting and planning to task performance monitoring and controlling, and to reflection of task performance, while engagement highlights three interrelated components including behavioural, emotional and cognitive engagement aspects. To date, no study has examined the two constructs together to investigate participants' learning in a MOOC. This study provides a detailed picture about the specific indicators of behavioural engagement, emotional engagement, and cognitive engagement that participants display when they self-regulate their learning in MOOCs. 83 validated email interviews data were collected and coded based on 9 sub-processes in the three phase SRL model [1], and indicators in the three-component engagement model [2]. The results indicated that behavioural regulation was activated during the forethought phase (e.g. goal setting and strategic planning) and frequently enacted during the performance phase (e.g. task strategies, time management); emotional regulation was reported during the forethought phase (e.g. goal orientation and self-efficacy) and evaluated during the self-reflection phase (e.g. self-satisfaction) but was not explicit during the performance phase; cognitive regulation was reported during all the phases, such as expecting outcomes at the beginning, monitoring comprehensions during the learning, and evaluate the learning after learning).