Students' self-regulation for interaction with others in online learning environments

The purpose of this study was to explore variables explaining students' self-regulation (SR) for interaction with others, specifically peers and instructors, in online learning environments. A total of 407 students participated in the study. With hierarchical regression model (HRM), several variables were regressed on students' SR for interaction with others. These variables included demographic information, perceived importance of mastering content, perceived importance of interacting with the instructor, perceived importance of interacting with peers, and perceived instructor scaffolding for interaction. The results show that all the variables proposed above significantly explain 43% of the variance for SR for interaction with others. The combined variables show that instructors' scaffolding for interaction with others most significantly explains students' SR for interaction with others. Along with individual variables (e.g., perceived importance of mastering content), the results suggest that instructor scaffolding is critical for students' SR for interaction with others in online learning settings.