Educational Technology International

The Korean Society for Education Technology (한국교육공학회)
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A Study of the Effects of Learner Characteristics on the Self-Regulated Learning Ability: A Comparison of Korea and China

  • Received : 2016.03.10
  • Accepted : 2016.04.26
  • Published : 2016.04.30
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Abstract

The purpose of the study is to report differences in the effects of learner characteristics on the self-regulated learning (SRL) abilities between Chinese and Korean distance learners by using a structured SRL scale. A standardized 54-item self-regulated learning scale (SRAS) was used. The reliability was tested both in China and Korea which showed the scale had good reliability. The comparative study were conducted by administering the SRAS on 1999 Chinese distance learners from the Open Distance Education Center of Beijing Normal University and 1941 Korean distance learners from H Cyber University. Data on four dimensions of SRL - planning, control, regulating, and evaluation - were analyzed using 't-test' and 'ANOVA' with regards to the learner characteristics such as gender, age, prior education level, semesters, location and major. Results indicated that the average participant had an above medium level of SRL ability in all of the four dimensions. There were significant differences in the self-regulated learning ability between Chinese and Korean distance learners. Chinese distance learners scored higher in SRAS than Korean distance learners. The effects of learner characteristics on the SRL ability showed different patterns in the two countries. As for gender, male learners scored better in SRL than female learners in China, whereas it was just the opposite in Korea. No age differences were found in China, but Korean data exhibited a consistent age effect in all dimensions. In Korea, the age group older than 46 scored the highest, followed by the group between 35 to 45 years old, the group between 26 to 35 years old and the group younger than 25. As for location, Korean distance students from metropolitan were better than those from other regions, whereas it was on the contrary in China, albeit the location effect was not statistically significant. Prior education level had a clear and consistent effect on the SRL ability in both countries: the distance learners from junior colleges had better planning, regulating and evaluating abilities than those who came from senior high schools. These results have been discussed in various contexts of distance/online education as well as in relation to different culture between China and Korea. The results will also have implications for designing distance and online learning generally.

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