Interactions of Metacognition With Motivation and Affect in Self-Regulated Learning: The MASRL Model

TLDR

Self‑regulated learning involves interacting metacognition, motivation, and affect, with the MASRL model distinguishing person‑level trait interactions and task‑level metacognitive and affective processes that reciprocally influence each other. The paper discusses the implications of the MASRL model for research and theory.

Abstract

Metacognition, motivation, and affect are components of self-regulated learning (SRL) that interact. The "metacognitive and affective model of self-regulated learning" (the MASRL model) distinguishes two levels of functioning in SRL, namely, the Person level and the Task × Person level. At the Person level interactions between trait-like characteristics such as cognitive ability, metacognitive knowledge and skills, self-concept, perceptions of control, attitudes, emotions, and motivation in the form of expectancy-value beliefs and achievement goal orientations are hypothesized. These person characteristics guide top-down self-regulation. At the Task × Person level, that is, the level at which SRL events take place, metacognitive experiences, such as feeling of difficulty, and online affective states play a major role in task motivation and bottom-up self-regulation. Reciprocal relations between the two levels of functioning in SRL are also posited. The implications of the MASRL model for research and theory are discussed.