EFFECTS OF THE QUALITY OF INSTRUCTIONAL OBJECTIVES ON SELF-REGULATION AND COURSE PERFORMANCE OF STUDENTS IN UNDERGRADUATE ONLINE AND NON-ONLINE CLASSES

Abstract

Many studies have investigated web-based learning in higher education and the effects it has on academic performance including self-regulation (Janicki & Liegle, 2001; MacDonald, Stodel, Farres, Breithaupt, & Gabriel, 2001; McKeachie, 1999). While many theoretical and operational definitions exist on self-regulation, researchers agree that it includes metacognitive, motivational, and behavioral factors of one's learning process (Zimmerman, 1990). Metacognitive self-regulation refers to an individual who "plans, sets goals, organizes, self-monitors, and self-evaluates at various points during the process of acquisition" (Zimmerman, 1990, pp. 4-5). While some studies have examined the relationship between academic self-regulation and web-based learning in higher education, researchers believe that the relationship requires further investigation (e.g., Hodges, 2005; Whipp & Chiarelli, 2004). One element of the relationship that Hodges identifies as requiring further study is guided self-regulation for students in web-based courses. He states that "research indicates that building self-regulatory scaffolding into web-based course or simply providing instruction on self-regulation can be effective components of a course" (p. 381). Given Hodges' emphasis on self-regulatory guidance, also supported by Pintrich (1999) and Ley and Young (2001), the author believes that well-written instructional course objectives can provide students in web-based courses with self-regulatory guidance. To date, online searches with several key terms related to syllabus(or syllab*), instructional objectives, and self-regulation in any medium (e.g., face-to-face or online course) using PsycARTICLES, PsychINFO, ERIC, and Google Scholar have not yielded any relevant results. While no studies seem to exist in this area, McKeachie (1999) and Ford (2002) discuss the elements of a good syllabus (e.g., course goals) related to the positive effects on academic performance, which include clear instructional objectives. Therefore, the purpose of this study is to examine the relationship between instructional objectives as it affects academic self-regulation and academic performance among undergraduate students enrolled in a web-based class and a non-web-based class.