Self-Regulated Learning (SRL) Lab at Utah State University

This study utilized a task-specific, structured interview (microanalysis) to examine self-regulated learning (SRL; e.g., self-efficacy, strategic planning, strategy use, and self-evaluation) while students engaged in a creative problem-solving task. Participants included 58 fifth and sixth graders. Regressions examined the variance explained by SRL processes in relation to four creative performance outcomes including fluency (i.e., number of solutions generated), flexibility (i.e., number of categories of solutions generated), originality (i.e., uniqueness of the answer), and usefulness (i.e., quality of response). Results indicated that specific SRL variables are differentially related to creative outcomes. After controlling for prior performance on a standardized language test, self-efficacy significantly predicted fluency and flexibility. Regarding the strategic planning measures, plans regarding how to complete the task predicted fluency and flexibility, whereas plans of how to address a challenge predicted fluency and originality. A measure of self-evaluation accuracy significantly explained the usefulness of ideas, but was significantly, negatively related to originality. Although strategy use significantly correlated to fluency and flexibility, it did not explain a significant amount of unique variance in these creative outcomes.​