Daily automated feedback enhances self-regulated learning: a longitudinal randomized field experiment

The goal of the present study was to investigate the effects of automatically generated, adaptive feedback on daily self-regulated learning (SRL) in an experimental field study. University students reported their application of SRL strategies in the morning and in the evening over the course of 36 d...

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Main Authors: Henrik Bellhäuser, Charlotte Dignath, Maria Theobald
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Frontiers Media S.A. 2023-05-01
Series:Frontiers in Psychology
Subjects:
Online Access:https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fpsyg.2023.1125873/full
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author Henrik Bellhäuser
Charlotte Dignath
Maria Theobald
author_facet Henrik Bellhäuser
Charlotte Dignath
Maria Theobald
author_sort Henrik Bellhäuser
collection DOAJ
description The goal of the present study was to investigate the effects of automatically generated, adaptive feedback on daily self-regulated learning (SRL) in an experimental field study. University students reported their application of SRL strategies in the morning and in the evening over the course of 36 days using electronic learning diaries. Students were randomly assigned to the experimental group with feedback (LDF, n = 98) or the control group without feedback (LD, n = 96). Based on their self-reports, students in group LDF received daily written feedback regarding their satisfaction with the study day, adherence to time schedule, procrastination, and effort. This feedback either reinforced students in their study approach (confirmative feedback), encompassed information on learning outcomes or processes (informative feedback), or included feed forward on how to improve learning processes (transformative feedback). Multilevel analysis of daily process data revealed better average goal setting, planning and adherence to time schedule, as well as higher self-efficacy, and satisfaction with the study day in group LDF compared to group LD. Motivation, procrastination and effort were not affected by feedback. In contrast to the process measures, pre-post comparisons of students’ self-reported general use of SRL strategies (trait measures) did not reveal any effects of feedback on SRL. Further explorative analyses investigated the effects of confirmative, informative, and transformative feedback on next day’s learning behavior, showing that confirmative and transformative feedback had stronger effects on students’ satisfaction and procrastination than informative feedback. Transformative feedback, which included specific strategies for moving forward, was effective in improving time management. Results provide theoretical insight into the interplay of feedback and SRL and offer practical implications regarding the design of feedback in a learning context.
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spelling doaj.art-66f71ae734d44486b503111db9c707b72023-05-18T07:33:45ZengFrontiers Media S.A.Frontiers in Psychology1664-10782023-05-011410.3389/fpsyg.2023.11258731125873Daily automated feedback enhances self-regulated learning: a longitudinal randomized field experimentHenrik Bellhäuser0Charlotte Dignath1Maria Theobald2Department of Psychology, Faculty 02: Social Sciences, Media, and Sports, Johannes Gutenberg-University Mainz, Mainz, GermanyCenter for Research on Education and School Development, TU Dortmund University, Dortmund, GermanyIndividualised Interventions, Education and Human Development, DIPF Leibniz Institute for Research and Information in Education, Frankfurt, GermanyThe goal of the present study was to investigate the effects of automatically generated, adaptive feedback on daily self-regulated learning (SRL) in an experimental field study. University students reported their application of SRL strategies in the morning and in the evening over the course of 36 days using electronic learning diaries. Students were randomly assigned to the experimental group with feedback (LDF, n = 98) or the control group without feedback (LD, n = 96). Based on their self-reports, students in group LDF received daily written feedback regarding their satisfaction with the study day, adherence to time schedule, procrastination, and effort. This feedback either reinforced students in their study approach (confirmative feedback), encompassed information on learning outcomes or processes (informative feedback), or included feed forward on how to improve learning processes (transformative feedback). Multilevel analysis of daily process data revealed better average goal setting, planning and adherence to time schedule, as well as higher self-efficacy, and satisfaction with the study day in group LDF compared to group LD. Motivation, procrastination and effort were not affected by feedback. In contrast to the process measures, pre-post comparisons of students’ self-reported general use of SRL strategies (trait measures) did not reveal any effects of feedback on SRL. Further explorative analyses investigated the effects of confirmative, informative, and transformative feedback on next day’s learning behavior, showing that confirmative and transformative feedback had stronger effects on students’ satisfaction and procrastination than informative feedback. Transformative feedback, which included specific strategies for moving forward, was effective in improving time management. Results provide theoretical insight into the interplay of feedback and SRL and offer practical implications regarding the design of feedback in a learning context.https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fpsyg.2023.1125873/fullself-regulated learningindividual feedbacklearning diariesambulatory assessmentmultilevel analysis
spellingShingle Henrik Bellhäuser
Charlotte Dignath
Maria Theobald
Daily automated feedback enhances self-regulated learning: a longitudinal randomized field experiment
Frontiers in Psychology
self-regulated learning
individual feedback
learning diaries
ambulatory assessment
multilevel analysis
title Daily automated feedback enhances self-regulated learning: a longitudinal randomized field experiment
title_full Daily automated feedback enhances self-regulated learning: a longitudinal randomized field experiment
title_fullStr Daily automated feedback enhances self-regulated learning: a longitudinal randomized field experiment
title_full_unstemmed Daily automated feedback enhances self-regulated learning: a longitudinal randomized field experiment
title_short Daily automated feedback enhances self-regulated learning: a longitudinal randomized field experiment
title_sort daily automated feedback enhances self regulated learning a longitudinal randomized field experiment
topic self-regulated learning
individual feedback
learning diaries
ambulatory assessment
multilevel analysis
url https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fpsyg.2023.1125873/full
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