Assessing the Interaction Between Self-Regulated Learning (SRL) Profiles and Actual Learning in the Chemistry Online Blended Learning Environment (COBLE)

Abstract

This chapter addresses the challenges and opportunities of virtual teaching of a complex scientific topic, such as chemistry, to high-school students. Chemistry Online Blended Learning Environment (COBLE) is a learning environment for students that are willing to expand their knowledge of Chemistry but have no opportunity to do so in their schools. It is claimed that certain skills help cope with learning, in general, and are vital in advancing learning, such as Self-Regulated Learning (SRL) skills. The chapter describes a recent study that investigated and characterized the students’ learning profiles, self-regulated learning processes (skills and strategies), and followed the change in these variables throughout the 3 year program learning Chemistry via COBLE in order to predict students’ success in learning Chemistry this way. Such prediction may enable teachers to be aware of possible problems earlier than usual and also help personalize the teaching and learning processes according to students’ profiles. Results indicate that there are some significant differences in some of the SRL categories between students studying via face-to-face and virtual environments and also among intervention students that possessed different SRL profiles when examining the involvement variable throughout their studies over time. On the basis of the data, influential indicators were isolated to enable future prediction of student success in studying Chemistry in a virtual manner and better planning of personalized support.