Individual differences in self-regulated learning: Exploring the nexus of motivational beliefs, self-efficacy, and SRL strategies in EFL writing

• Published in: Language teaching research : LTR Vol. 28; no. 2; pp. 366 - 388
• Main Author: Teng, Lin Sophie
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: London, England SAGE Publications 01.03.2024; Sage Publications Ltd
• Subjects: Academic Achievement; Behavior; Beliefs; Cognition & reasoning; College students; Curriculum Design; Education; Educational psychology; English as a second language; English as a second language learning; Foreign language learning; Individual differences; Language; Language Skills; Learning Activities; Learning Processes; Learning strategies; Linguistics; Metacognition; Motivation; Regulation; Second language writing; Self-efficacy; Social factors; Students; Writing instruction; motivation beliefs; self-regulated learning strategies; self-efficacy; writing
• ISSN: 1362-1688; 1477-0954
• DOI: 10.1177/13621688211006881

This study examines the predictive effects of motivational beliefs and self-efficacy on multiple dimensions of self-regulated learning (SRL) strategies in English as a foreign language (EFL) writing. Undergraduate students (n = 389) were recruited voluntarily from four universities in mainland China. They were invited to complete a set of questionnaires to measure their motivational beliefs (extrinsic and intrinsic goal orientation, task value, and control of learning belief), self-efficacy (linguistic self-efficacy, performance self-efficacy, and self-regulatory efficacy) and SRL strategies (cognition, metacognition, social behavior, and motivational regulation). Multiple regression analyses revealed that motivational beliefs had significant predictive effects on SRL strategies; among which task value and intrinsic goal orientation were significant predictors of nine sub-factors of SRL strategies. Self-efficacy was a strong predictor of metacognitive, cognitive, and motivational regulation strategies. While linguistic self-efficacy had a significant predictive power on text processing alone, self-regulatory efficacy generated a significant effect on a collection of SRL strategies including knowledge rehearsal, goal-oriented monitoring, idea planning, peer learning, and interest enhancement. Pedagogical implications are also discussed.