An Empirical Study on the Relationship between Cognition and Metacognition in Technology-Enhanced Self-Regulated Learning

Self-regulated learning (SRL) has become an indispensable ability for learners to succeed in self-study. A fast-growing number of learners worldwide opt for studying via technology-enhanced learning environments (TELEs) to enrich their education. Since the outbreak of the global COVID-19 pandemic, learners have relied more and more on online and distance learning for their own education purposes; this circumstance urges learners to self-regulate their learning processes. Striving for understanding learners’ SRL ability in TELEs to provide them with sufficient support, this research analyzed the relationship between the two key factors of SRL, cognition and metacognition, from the context of self-study in TELEs. Applying our proposed hypothetical model on the relationship between cognition and metacognition, we conducted a pilot study in which 20 postgraduate students solved a complex academic task delivered via a TELE—the learning management system Moodle. In this experiment, the correlation between the students’ cognitive and metacognitive scores was analyzed. The experimental results showed that there is a positive linear correlation between cognition and metacognition of a learner when he or she performs a complex task in TELEs, and such a correlation can be classified into different profiles. Implications include opportunities to help learners understand their SRL profiles and provide recommendations for further research on the granularity of SRL characteristics.