Self-regulation in Online Environments: A Content Analysis

 Abstract : The present study seeks to extend previous research regarding self-regulation in online environments, by presenting the results from a content analysis of studies published in seven peer reviewed educational technology journals from 2005 to 2012. The selected articles had to include research participants, so meta-analyses and book reviews were excluded. The purpose of the analysis was to identify similarities and differences, to identify patterns and to look for the common themes on self-regulation in online environments. The analysis of the studies revealed three main sub-themes related to self-regulation in online environments. The themes that emerged from the analysis are: (1) the effects of online environments on subscales of self-regulation, (2) the relationship between self-regulatory skills and academic achievement in online courses, and (3) the relationship between immersing in online courses and self-regulation.