The effects of achievement goals and self-regulated learning behaviors on reading comprehension in technology-enhanced learning environments

• Published in: Contemporary educational psychology Vol. 37; no. 2; pp. 148 - 161
• Main Authors: Bernacki, Matthew L., Byrnes, James P., Cromley, Jennifer G.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Amsterdam Elsevier Inc 01.04.2012; Elsevier; Elsevier BV
• Subjects: Academic Achievement; Achievement goals; Achievement Need; Behavioural approaches; Biological and medical sciences; Comprehension; Educational Environment; Educational psychology; Educational Technology; Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology; Goal Orientation; Goals; Hypermedia; Information Seeking; Learning; Learning Processes; Learning Strategies; Log-file analyses; Mastery Learning; Metacognition; Notetaking; Path Analysis; Prediction; Psychology. Psychoanalysis. Psychiatry; Psychology. Psychophysiology; Pupil and student. Academic achievement and failure; Reading Comprehension; School environment; Scores; Self-regulated learning; Selfreport; Student behavior; Student Motivation; Technology-enhanced learning environments; Undergraduate Students; Self-regulated learning; Achievement goals; Comprehension; Technology-enhanced learning environments; Log-file analyses; Human; Verbal comprehension; environments; University environment; Student; Learning; Reading; Acquisition process; Language; Self regulation; Strategy; Technology-enhanced learning
• ISSN: 0361-476X; 1090-2384
• DOI: 10.1016/j.cedpsych.2011.12.001

► Self-regulated learning was traced and analyzed using behavioral logs. ► Mastery goals predicted more note-taking, information-seeking, marginally more monitoring. ► Monitoring and highlighting predicted increased comprehension scores. Studies examining students’ achievement goals, cognitive engagement strategies and performance have found that achievement goals tend to predict classes of cognitive strategy use which predict performance on measures of learning. These studies have led to deeper theoretical understanding, but their reliance on self-report data limit the conclusions that can be drawn. We employed a behavioral approach instead and assessed learning processes by logging learners’ behaviors as they used educational technology. We examined the relationship between achievement goals, strategy use, and comprehension scores of 160 undergraduates who studied a hypertext passage in a technology-enhanced learning environment (TELE) equipped with tools that support learning behaviors including highlighting, taking notes, review of annotations, seeking additional information and monitoring understanding. Results of a path analysis indicated that higher mastery goals predicted more information-seeking and note-taking and marginally more monitoring of learning. Performance avoidance goals negatively predicted note-taking and information-seeking. Performance approach goals did not predict the behaviors we traced. Of the behaviors we traced, highlighting and monitoring predicted increases in comprehension scores. A behavioral approach to assessing learning processes confirmed only a subset of paths from achievement goals to learning processes to learning outcomes originally discovered with self-report data.