1. 4/25/2017
Getting Students to think about their learning, attitudes, and motivation
David Budd
University of Colorado

2. Several students score poorly on your first exam.
They come to you for help, what advice would you give them?

3. Three Principles of Learning
UC - Boulder
Three Principles of Learning
4/25/2017
Prior Knowledge and Misconceptions
Developing Expert Knowledge
Deep foundation
Contextual framework
Organizational structure
3. Metacognition – thinking about learning
Bransford et al. (2000)

4. Metacognitive Knowledge Metacognitive Control
Metacognitive Components of Expert Learners
UC - Boulder
4/25/2017
Metacognitive Knowledge
(declarative, procedural, conditional)
Metacognitive Control
(self-regulation)
Plan
Personal
Resources
Prior Knowledge
Available Strategies
Task
Requirements
Type of Learning
Appropriate Strategies
Strategies: cognitive, motivational, environmental
Strategies: self regulation, planning, monitoring, correcting errors, self-assessment
Reflection
Goals
Beliefs
Attitudes
Motivation
Reflection
Evaluate
Monitor
Reflection
Reflection
Modified from Ertmer and Newby (1996), Butler (1997), Winne and Hadwin (1998), Pintrich (2000), Lovett (2008)

5. Solving a Problem Novices Experts Schoenfeld (1987) 4/25/2017
Elapsed Time (mins) 2 4 6 8 10 12 14 16 18
Read
Analyze
Explore
Plan
Implement
Verify
Novices
Elapsed Time
(mins) 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19
Read
Analyze
Explore
Plan
Implement
Verify
Experts
Schoenfeld (1987)

6. Pedagogical Challenge – Many factors influence learning
Personal Characteristics of Student
(age, gender, academic rank, experience)
Course Context (tasks, grading policy, pedagogy, instructional resources)
Course Outcomes (effort, interest, performance)
Student Metacognition
(studying and/or learning behaviors – i.e., planning, choosing appropriate strategies, monitoring, evaluation, reflection)
Student motivations
(things that drive learning- i.e., goal orientation, task value, self-­‐efficacy, control of learning)
adapted from Pintrich and Zusho, 2007

7. Self-Efficacy is the belief that one will be successful at a given task/course.
Students who believe they are capable of doing the coursework and learning the content are much more likely to succeed
Predicts performance - (up to ¼ of the final grade has been attributed to Self-Efficacy)5
Predicts learning strategy usage (students are more likely to use more effective learning strategies that lead to deeper comprehension of content.
5Pintrich & Zusho (2007)
Self-Efficacy

8. Control of Learning Control of Learning encompasses the beliefs a
student possess about what factors contribute
to their success or failure (internal or external;
controllable or uncontrollable)
David & Jenifer received a similar disappointing
grade on an assignment.
David knows he didn’t do as well as he could because he did not set aside enough time and he vows to make better use of his time
Jenifer shrugs her shoulders and says, “ugh, this teacher makes everything confusing”
Both students have had set backs, what differentiates their response is their Control of Learning Beliefs.

9. Goal Orientation Goal Orientation predicts how students will
approach learning based on their goals for
a given topic/course
“Jackie” is interested in the content, wants
to work hard in order to learn as much as she can.
“Paul” does the minimum he can to get the grade he needs, learning may or may not happen and that’s ok with him.
“Jackie” has more of an intrinsic motivation or a mastery orientation
“Paul” has more of an extrinsic motivation or a performance orientation
Intrinsic motivation is generally linked to deeper learning and effective use of learning strategies5.
5Pintrich & Zusho (2007)
Goal
Orientation

10. Task Value Task Value reflects whether students see
the material and work as interesting, useful, or
important to them.
In an intro geology class, the instructor talks about
coastal erosion and makes an assignment to predict future erosion trends.
“Heather” has a family home on the coast, and so she is very engaged in the topic, asking questions and looking up
additional information.
“Jonathan” has never left Boulder, he has no idea what the ocean looks like and doesn’t have any plans in the near future to go to the ocean. He sees little value in this material or exercise.
Context provides an additional value for Heather, because she can relate the content to something she cares about.
Task
Value

11. Motivation “Pie”
Key determinants in whether a student chooses to engage and persevere
Goal Orientation
Goals that drive how one responds
Self-­‐ Efficacy
Belief in the ability to be successful
Control of Learning
Attribution of one‘s success and failures
Task Value
Valuing of a task

12. Pedagogical Challenge – Many factors influence learning
Personal Characteristics of Student
(age, gender, academic rank, experience)
Course Context (tasks, grading policy, pedagogy, instructional resources)
Course Outcomes (effort, interest, performance)
Student Metacognition
(studying and/or learning behaviors – i.e., planning, choosing appropriate strategies, monitoring, evaluation, reflection)
Student motivations
(things that drive learning- i.e., goal orientation, task value, self-­‐efficacy, control of learning)
adapted from Pintrich and Zusho, 2007

13. Metacognitive Control Metacognitive Knowledge
Metacognition
UC - Boulder
4/25/2017
Knowing what to do Know how to do it well
Evaluate
Monitor
Plan
Reflection
Metacognitive Control
(self-regulation)
Metacognitive Knowledge
(declarative, procedural, conditional)
Personal
Resources
Prior Knowledge
Available Strategies
Task
Requirements
Type of Learning
Appropriate Strategies
Goals
Beliefs
Attitudes
Motivation
Strategies: cognitive, motivational, environmental
Strategies: self regulation, planning, monitoring, correcting errors, self-assessment
Modified from Ertmer and Newby (1996), Butler (1997), Winne and Hadwin (1998), Pintrich (2000), Lovett (2008)

14. Metacognitive Knowledge Metacognitive Control
Metacognition
UC - Boulder
4/25/2017
Knowing what to do
Rehearsal – reciting or naming items from a list. Activates information in working memory & helps with encoding, but does not help construct connections.
Elaboration – paraphrasing, summarizing, creating analogies, generative note-taking. Help store info in long-term memory by building internal connections between new and old information.
Organization – outlining, clustering, concept sketching. Constructs connections and puts information into learners own frameworks.
(Pintrich et al. 1991)
Metacognitive Knowledge
(declarative, procedural, conditional)
Metacognitive Control
(self-regulation)
Personal
Resources
Prior Knowledge
Available Strategies
Task
Requirements
Type of Learning
Appropriate Strategies
Plan
Strategies: cognitive, motivational, environmental
Strategies: self regulation, planning, monitoring, correcting errors, self-assessment
Reflection
Goals
Beliefs
Attitudes
Motivation
Reflection
Evaluate
Monitor
Rehearsal - naming the fault is rehearsal
Elaboration - describing it in your own words
Organization - linking the geometry & process
to stress types & general tectonic setting
Reflection

15. Knowing how to Learn - Self-Regulated Learning Cycle
Metacognition
Knowing how to Learn - Self-Regulated Learning Cycle
Evaluate
Progress
Monitor
Learning
Plan, Set Goals
Reflection

16. Expert Learners are “Self-Regulating”
4/25/2017
Expert Learners are “Self-Regulating”
Expert learners are highly motivated, independent, and strive toward self-direction and autonomy. They diagnose their learning needs, formulate learning goals, identify resources for learning, select and implement learning strategies, and evaluate their learning outcomes.
Savin-Baden and Major (2004)

17. Understanding Student Learning
Learning Assessment System
More instructor understanding of student learning
On-going assessment through student dialog in small classes
Instructor grading of short answer and essay questions
De-evolution of awareness of student learning often tied to increased demands on faculty and increased class size
Computer grading of multiple choice questions using bubble-sheets
Less instructor understanding of student learning
It is difficult for instructors in large classes to recognize student learning difficulties.
Students need to know how to assess their own learning and make adjustments.

18. Solving a Problem Novices Experts
4/25/2017
Elapsed Time (mins) 2 4 6 8 10 12 14 16 18
Read
Analyze
Explore
Plan
Implement
Verify
Novices
But as we have already seen, most students are not Expert learners, many do not know how to self-regulate
Elapsed Time
(mins) 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19
Read
Analyze
Explore
Plan
Implement
Verify
Experts
Schoenfeld (1987)

19. Underperforming Students are the worse at Self-Assessment
Low scoring students
overestimate their own skill level
failed to recognize the degree of their insufficient knowledge
recognized their lack of skill, only if they are trained to improve
Dunning et al., Current directions in psychological science, v.12 #3, p.83-87

20. Reflect on this
In the next minute, write down as much as you can remember about the first part of this presentation

21. Pedagogical Challenge – What can we do?
Motivation
Task Value
Goal Orientation
Self-­‐ Efficacy
Control of Learning
Personal Characteristics of Student
(age, gender, academic rank, experience)
Self-Regulated Learning interventions
will impact motivation and outcomes
Course Outcomes (effort, interest, performance)
Reflection
Metacognitive Knowledge
Personal Resources
Task Requirement
Evaluate
Monitor
Plan
Metacognitive Control
Course Context (tasks, grading policy, pedagogy, instructional resources)

22. Types of Self-Regulated Learning Interventions
UC - Boulder
4/25/2017
Types of Self-Regulated Learning Interventions
Activity
Knowledge or Skills
How I Earned an “A”
Goal-setting & Reflection
Reading Reflections
Reflection & Monitoring
Exam Wrappers
Reflection & Evaluation
Reflective Journaling
Reflection, Monitoring, Evaluation
Knowledge Surveys
Goal-setting, Monitoring, Evaluation
Retrieval Practice
Monitoring & Evaluation
Mastery Exercises (quizzes)
Monitoring, & Evaluation

23. Instructor Feedback is Key
All interventions have minimum impact without feedback

24. Reading Reflections What is the main point of this reading?
UC - Boulder
Reading Reflections
4/25/2017
Completed after each reading assignment
Short responses to three questions
Submitted online before class
Credit awarded for “reflective”submissions
Addresses: summarizing, misconceptions monitoring, evaluation, and reflection
What is the main point of this reading?
What did you find surprising? Why?
What did you find confusing? Why?

25. Impact of Reading Reflections
100 80 60 40 20
With reflection assignment
Percent of Students
Doing the Reading
Without reflection assignment
Week Week 14
Budd, Univ. Colorado

26. Impact of Reading Reflections
Self-Reported Depth of Reading
Wirth, Macalester College

27. Impact of Reading Reflections
UC - Boulder
4/25/2017
Impact of Reading Reflections
Effect Size = 1.35 (Large)
Effect Size = 1.08 (Large)
Effect Size = 0.71 (Large)
Wirth, Macalester College

28. Classroom Reflections
After lectures on topic X
List y items that are clear
List y items that are muddy
Do individually for 2-3 min then discuss in small groups (2-3 students)
Call upon groups to report out (list on board)
Close the feedback loop by clarifying the “mud”, reflecting on why their might be mud, and offering strategies for students to self-clarify in the future
Write down list of muddy and clear items and address each muddy item in the next class.

29. Exam “Wrapper” Pre and Post Exam Self Evaluation
UC - Boulder
Wirth - Cutting Edge Metacognition Workshop
Exam “Wrapper”
4/25/2017
4/25/2017
Pre and Post Exam
Self Evaluation
Preparation Strategies
Performance Analysis
Planning
Achacoso (2004)
Lovett (2008) 29
Wirth, Macalester College

30. Exam “Wrapper” Results
UC - Boulder
Wirth - Cutting Edge Metacognition Workshop
Exam “Wrapper” Results
4/25/2017
4/25/2017
Low scoring students most likely to overestimate results
Must discuss options for next exam to close the feedback loop 30
Wirth, Macalester College

31. Exam “Wrapper” Results
What, if anything, will you do differently in preparing for the second exam?
Study Differently
Study More
No change
other
I might try to study earlier than the night before.
I will study more, a lot more.
I will definitely study more by reading something then try to write it.
Quiz myself instead of just looking over notes.
Study differently. Summarize more.
Make sure I understand the visuals.
Study longer and actually practice drawing things out.
I will use more charts and organizers . . .
I will make sure I understand the learning objectives better.
I will make a better outline and study more in small increments.
I will try to study more, as well as stopping as I study to test myself on the material I am reviewing.
Spend more time preparing and reading over the notes.
I have to study more and actually know what material to study.
I will take the learning journals more seriously and read them when it comes to studying.
McConnell, NC State Univ.

32. Exam “Wrapper” Results
UC - Boulder
Wirth - Cutting Edge Metacognition Workshop
Exam “Wrapper” Results
4/25/2017
4/25/2017
Study Strategies
Analysis of Errors
Wirth, Macalester College 32

33. Retrieval Practice Study material for initial study period
Put material away and on a blank piece of paper practice retrieval by recalling and writing down as much information as possible.
Do it the first time within 24 hours
Repeat retrieval process at regular intervals prior to exam (e.g., weekly)
Answer the questions that will help you evaluate your responses and monitor your self-efficacy.

34. Repetition Aids Retention
Learning to Learn - Lake Forest
4/25/2017
Repetition Aids Retention
The more effort we put into encoding information at the moment of learning, the more we remember
Listening  writing  drawing/ organizing
Long-term memory – Remember to repeat
Thinking or talking about an event immediately after it occurs enhances memory of the event
Reviewing material at fixed, spaced intervals enhances memory (after class reflection, online quizzes, recitations, tutorials, study groups, etc.)
Medina (2009) 34

35. The Value of Retrieval
Experimental Group: Three 2-minute pauses per lecture, student discussion of lecture content with peer.
Control Group: No pauses for discussion in lecture.
Students completed a free recall exercise after lecture
Experimental Group – number of facts recalled: 23.0*
Control Group – number of facts recalled: 16.6
Ruhl, Hughes, and Schloss., Teacher Education and Special Education, v.10 #1, p.14-18

36. Figure from Karpicke and Blunt 2011 (SciencExpress)
The Value of Retrieval
Figure from Karpicke and Blunt 2011 (SciencExpress)
Careful retrieval practice is more effective than standard study methods.
Figure from Karpicke and Blunt 2011 (SciencExpress)

37. Summary
Students’ motivations (goals, self-efficacy, task value, control of learning) and metacognition (study strategies, planning, monitoring, evaluation, reflection) affect their learning.
Not all students have intrinsic motivations and the metacognitive skills of many are lacking
Poor-performers in particular need help in learning how to be a self-regulated learner
Metacognitive interventions can help
Students will learn to test themselves and reflect on their learning, and build self-efficacy
Students will learn more and learn more effectively
But instructors must monitor students and provide feedback to help them become more independent learners.