Motivation and self-regulated learning: A type analysis with process variables

Abstract

Theories on self-regulated learning assume that motivational and cognitive variables interact during the learning process. Vollmeyer & Rheinberg's (1998) model tries to specify the nature of such interactions, so to test that model we had 107 participants learn a linear system. We measured the participants' initial motivation and their ability, then during learning we collected indicators for strategy systematicity, motivational state and knowledge about the system. The final performance was measured as how well the participants could reach given goals. We explored the patterns in learning by running a cluster analysis on the variables recorded during learning. This analysis revealed five types of learners. These learner types differed in which of the motivational and/or cognitive variables collected during learning were the most important determinants of performance.