Abstract

In this study participants were exposed to different approaches on how to apply metacognitive strategies within an online instructional context. Eighty-five participants were randomly assigned to one of three treatment groups. A self-regulated learning inventory was administered to determine the influence of this factor within the experiment. This study used a posttest only control group design with three levels of the instructional independent variable. All groups received an instructional package on how to apply metacognitive skills in an instructional context. One group, the control group had no additional experimental intervention and went straight through the instructional material and posttests. This group provided the baseline data for comparison with the other treatments. The two other groups, the meta-cognitive strategy conditions, were prompted at key moments of the experiment and asked to apply the metacognitive strategies they had learned. Participation in these activities was optional for the second group and mandatory for the third. Results obtained did not provide strong support for the first of the experimental hypotheses. No significant correlation was found between the self-regulated learning inventory used and the performance measures. The experimental data showed that participants exposed to mandatory metacognitive activities obtained significantly better results than those exposed only to the instructional package on how to apply metacognitive skills. Analysis provides some preliminary support for the use of mandatory embedded metacognitive activities with an online instructional context. Additional information was also gathered and discussed on the benefits and challenges of running an online experiment.