Social Cognitive Variables as Predictors of Online Learner Performance

1. Social Cognitive Variables as Predictors of Online Learner Performance  Maria PuzziferroVirtual College Florida Community College at Jacksonville

2. Background Given the rapid and ubiquitous proliferation of online courses and programs, it is critical that research investigates variables that can explain student performance in online courses Research focusing on cognitive learner attributes can help us identify success factors to build into our programs

3. Summary of Research Questions To what degree is there a relationship between self-efficacy for online course technologies, self-regulation strategies, experiential, demographic, and instructor variables and grade performance and satisfaction in an online course?

4. The Sample N=815 (163 individual course sections) 74% White 26 % minorities (12% African American) 80% female Mean age = 29 Sampling Criteria Liberal Arts 16 or 12-week ALL online College-owned content, only

5. Data Collection Questionnaire A Online Technologies Self-Efficacy Scale (OTSES) Motivated Strategies for Learning Questionnaire (MSLQ) Experiential factors Questionnaire B OR C Instructor factors Course factors

6. Results Dependent Variables: Final Grade and Satisfaction With Course

7. Summary of Findings OTSES and MSLQ There was no difference in the mean OTSES scores by final grade, by success, or by satisfaction Students who received higher grades tended to score higher on the MSLQ subscales: Time and Study Environment and Effort Regulation Students who reported higher levels of satisfaction were more likely to have scored higher on the MSLQ subscales: Rehearsal, Elaboration, Metacognitive Self-Regulation and Time and Study Environment

8. MSLQ: Metacognitive Learning Strategies Subscales *Rehearsal: refers to strategies involving rehearsing of items in order to remember them. *Elaboration: refers to the strategies students employ to remember information by paraphrasing, summarizing, and creating analogies. Organization: refers to the strategies students employ to select information, and construct connections. Critical thinking: refers to the degree to which students apply previous knowledge to new knowledge situations. *Metacognitive self-regulation: refers to the awareness of one’s learning strategies. *Time and study environment: refers to how students regulate their time and study environment. *Effort regulation: refers to the students’ ability to control their own effort, and overcome distractions. Help Seeking: refers to students’ tendency to actively seek help from others Peer learning: refers to students’ strategies for peer collaboration.

9. Summary of Findings: Experiential Variables There were no significant relationships between number of online courses taken, years in college, number of courses taken requiring Internet use, primary method of course access, and purpose for taking the course and final grade, success or satisfaction

10. Summary of Findings: Demographic Variables Older students did better than younger students, but there were no significant differences in satisfaction Men received higher grades than women There was no difference in mean final grade by race

11. Summary of Findings: Instructor Variables Students who thought their instructor was available and cared for their progress were more likely to successfully complete the course with an A,B, or C, and be more satisfied with the course Students in adjunct-taught courses were more satisfied than those students in full-time faculty taught courses

12. Thank you!