Self-regulation in open-ended online assignment tasks: the importance of initial task interpretation and goal setting

Authors

Karley A. Beckman, University of WollongongFollow
Tiffani L. Apps, University of WollongongFollow
Sue Bennett, University of WollongongFollow
Barney Dalgarno, Charles Sturt UniversityFollow
Gregor Kennedy, University of MelbourneFollow
Lori Lockyer, University of Technology, SydneyFollow

RIS ID

138496

Publication Details

Beckman, K., Apps, T., Bennett, S., Dalgarno, B., Kennedy, G. & Lockyer, L. (2019). Self-regulation in open-ended online assignment tasks: the importance of initial task interpretation and goal setting. Studies in Higher Education, online first 1-15.

Abstract

With an increase in technology to mediate learning and a shift to more student-centred approaches, open-ended online assignment tasks are becoming more common in higher education. Open-ended tasks offer opportunities for students to develop their own interpretations of the requirements, and online technologies offer greater flexibility and afford new types of interactions with teachers and other students. This paper presents a study of students' task interpretation and self-set goals in the context of five open-ended online assignment tasks. The findings presented in this paper demonstrate the importance of a high-quality task understanding for goal setting and suggest practical implications for task design and support.

Grant Number

ARC/DP140100406