Self-directed learning is a process by which students take the lead, with or without the help of others, in determining their learning needs and managing their learning strategies and outcomes. Relatedly, self-directed learning readiness (SDLR) looks at the attitudes, abilities, and personality characteristics necessary for self-directed learning.…

A central tenet of self-regulated learning theories is that students are motivated towards learning in order to self-regulate. It is thus important to identify student motivations in order to inform efforts to improve instructional strategies that encourage self-regulation. Here we describe a study aimed at characterizing the important motivation…

The Emotional Regulation Related to Testing Scale (ERT Scale) assesses strategies students use to regulate emotion related to academic testing. It has four dimensions: Cognitive Appraising Processes (CAP), Emotion-Focusing Processes (EFP), Task-Focusing Processes (TFP), and Regaining Task-Focusing Processes (RTFP). The study examined the factor…

Duckworth, Peterson, Matthews, and Kelly (2007) defined "grit" as one's passion and perseverance toward long-term goals. They proposed that it consists of 2 components: consistency of interests and perseverance of effort. In a high school and college student sample, we used a multidimensional item response theory approach to examine (a)…

Although styles of self-reliance theoretically arise from early attachments, other research suggests the influence of attachment operates indirectly through internalized but modifiable beliefs about the self and others. The present study examined the relative contribution of parental attachment, social support perceptions, control beliefs, and…

Objective: Small-scale pilot testing of supplementing a required college health-related fitness course with a cognitive-behavioral exercise-support protocol (The Coach Approach). Participants: Three classes were randomly assigned to Usual processes (n = 32), Coach Approach-supplemented: Mid-size Groups (n = 32), and Coach Approach-supplemented:…

It is a well-known phenomenon that generally resourceful students are more likely to employ specific self-control skills, such as academic resourcefulness, to overcome stressors in their life, and as a result, are more likely to be better adjusted, to receive higher grades, and to remain in university than their less resourceful counterparts. To…

In college settings today, learners have increasing availability of choice between participating in Traditional group attendance courses, and participating individually in those same courses asynchronously Online. This study investigated the relationship between learner's characteristics and their performance in an educational psychology course.…