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Fostering self-monitoring of university students by means of a standardized learning journal—a longitudinal study with process analyses

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Abstract

The self-regulation of learning behavior is an important key competence for university students. In this presented study, we aimed at fostering students’ self-regulation of learning by means of a standardized learning journal. In two of four courses that were included in the study, students had to keep a structured learning diary and/or received further intervention on self-regulated learning through a weekly course. Students who received these interventions were compared to students who received no treatment whatsoever in their self-regulation and learning achievement. The study reports pre–post measures as well as process analyses. Results revealed that keeping a structured learning diary without any further intervention did not improve students’ self-regulation. Those students who only kept learning diaries even showed a decrease in their motivation. Students who kept the learning diary and at the same time received further information on self-regulation showed increases in their strategy use and their self-efficacy. However, no improvements were found for students’ academic performance. It can be concluded that in order for students to profit in keeping a structured learning diary, they should be informed on the benefits of self-monitoring to increase their motivation.

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Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Educational Psychology, Goethe-University Frankfurt, Grüneburgplatz 1, 60323, Frankfurt, Germany

    Sabine Fabriz & Gerhard Büttner

  2. Department of Educational Psychology, University of Mannheim, A 5, 6, 68131, Mannheim, Germany

    Charlotte Dignath-van Ewijk

  3. Institute for English and American Studies, Goethe-University Frankfurt, Grüneburgplatz 1, 60629, Frankfurt, Germany

    Gregory Poarch

Authors
  1. Sabine Fabriz
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  2. Charlotte Dignath-van Ewijk
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  3. Gregory Poarch
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  4. Gerhard Büttner
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to Sabine Fabriz.

Additional information

Sabine Fabriz. Department of Educational Psychology, Goethe-University Frankfurt, Grüneburgplatz 1, 60323 Frankfurt, Germany. E-mail: fabriz@psych.uni-frankfurt.de; Web site: www.psychologie.uni-frankfurt.de

Current themes of research:

Training in Higher Education. Self-regulated learning and learning strategies. Learning with new media.

Most relevant publications in the field of Psychology of Education:

Fabriz, S., Dignath, C., Poarch, G. J. (2007). Förderung von Selbstregulationskompetenz mit standardisierten Lerntagebüchern. In M. Krämer, S. Preiser, K. Brusdeylins (Eds.), Psychologiedidaktik und Evaluation VI (pp. 95–104). Göttingen: V&R Unipress.

Lauterbach, U., Hesse, H.-G., Hellwig, W., Fabriz, S. (2005). Evaluation of EU and international programs related to education and training. In P. Descy et al. (Eds.), Evaluation of systems and programmes. Third report on vocational training research in Europe: background report (pp. 93–160). Luxembourg: Office for Official Publications of the European Communities.

Charlotte Dignath-van Ewijk. Department of Educational Psychology, University of Mannheim, A 5, 6, 68131 Mannheim, Germany. E-mail: cdignath@mail.uni-mannheim.de; Web site: http://paed-psych.uni-mannheim.de

Current themes of research:

Self-regulated learning and learning strategies. Teacher beliefs and teacher knowledge. Epistemological beliefs.

Most relevant publications in the field of Psychology of Education:

Dignath-van Ewijk, C., & van der Werf, G. (2012). What teachers think about self-regulated learning: investigating teacher beliefs and teacher behavior of enhancing students’ self-regulation. Education Research International, 2012, 10 pages. doi: 10.1155/2012/741713.

Dignath-van Ewijk, C. (2011). Evaluating the effects of self-regulation trainings using meta-analysis. In B. Zimmerman & D. Schunk (Eds), Handbook of self-regulation of learning and performance. New York: Routledge.

Perels, F., Dignath, C., Schmitz, B. (2009). Is it possible to improve mathematical achievement by means of self-regulation strategies? Evaluation of an intervention in regular math classes. European Journal of Psychology of Education, 24, 17–32.

Dignath, C. & Büttner, G. (2008). Components of fostering self-regulated learning among students. A meta-analysis on intervention studies at primary and secondary school level. Metacognition & Learning, 3, 231–264.

Dignath, C., Büttner, G., Langfeldt, H.-P. (2008). How can primary school students acquire self-regulated learning most efficiently? A meta-analysis on interventions that aim at fostering self-regulation. Educational Research Review, 3, 101–129.

Gregory Poarch. Institute for English and American Studies, Goethe-University Frankfurt, Grüneburgplatz 1, 60629 Frankfurt, Germany. E-mail: poarch@em.uni-frankfurt.de; Web site: www.uni-frankfurt.de/fb/fb10/ieas/abteilungen/sprachpraxis

Current themes of research:

Multilingual cross-language activation and interaction. Bilingual memory representation. Cognitive Control and conflict resolution in multilinguals.

Most relevant publications in the field of Psychology of Education:

Poarch, G. J., & Van Hell, J. G. (2012). Executive functions and inhibitory control in multilingual children: evidence from second language learners, bilinguals, and trilinguals. Journal of Experimental Child Psychology, 113, 535–51. doi: 10.1016/j.jecp.2012.06.013

Poarch, G. J., & Van Hell, J. G. (2012). Cross-language activation in children’s speech production: evidence from second language learners, bilinguals, and trilinguals. Journal of Experimental Child Psychology, 111(3), 419–438.

Gerhard Büttner. Department of Educational Psychology, Goethe-University Frankfurt, Grüneburgplatz 1, 60323 Frankfurt, Germany. E-mail: buettner@psych.uni-frankfurt.de; Web site: www.psychologie.uni-frankfurt.de

Current themes of research:

Self-regulated learning in children. Working memory in children with learning and intellectual disabilities. Teaching quality.

Most relevant publications in the field of Psychology of Education:

Büttner, G., & Hasselhorn, M. (2011). Learning disabilities: debates on definitions, causes, subtypes, and responses. International Journal of Disability, Development and Education, 58 (1), 75–87.

Kistner, S., Rakoczy, K., Otto, B., Dignath-van Ewijk, C., Büttner, G., Klieme, E. (2010). Promotion of self-regulated learning in classrooms: investigating frequency, quality, and consequences for student performance. Metacognition and Learning, 5(2), 157–171.

Poloczek, S., Büttner, G., Hasselhorn, M. (2012). Relationships between working memory and academic skills: are there differences between children with intellectual disabilities and typically developing children? Journal of Cognitive Education and Psychology, 11(1), 20–38.

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Fabriz, S., Dignath-van Ewijk, C., Poarch, G. et al. Fostering self-monitoring of university students by means of a standardized learning journal—a longitudinal study with process analyses. Eur J Psychol Educ 29, 239–255 (2014). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10212-013-0196-z

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