Effect of motivational scaffolding on self-efficacy, procrastination, and learning achievement in students of different cognitive styles

Abstract

This research analyzes the effects of motivational scaffolding on procrastination, learning achievement, and academic and online self-efficacy in students with differing cognitive styles in the dimension of field dependence-independence (FDI), that are learning mathematical content in m-learning environments. This study involved 87 students from two seventh-grade classes from a public school in the municipality of Cundinamarca, Colombia. The research followed a quasi-experimental design. A group of students worked through an m-learning environment, which included within its structure a motivational scaffolding. Another group worked through an m-learning environment that did not include a scaffolding. All students were given the EFT masked figures test to classify them into field-dependent, intermediate and independent. A MANCOVA factor analysis was performed. The results indicate that scaffolding favored academic and online self-efficacy. It is possible to assert that field-dependent subjects are inclined to procrastinate and exhibit low levels of academic self-efficacy versus intermediate and field-independent peers. The data show that students with different cognitive styles achieved equivalent learning because of scaffolding in the m-learning environment. It was also concluded that both academic and online self-efficacy of field-dependent students may be favored by the interaction of scaffolding included in the m-learning environment and their cognitive style.