Understanding self-regulated learning through the lens of motivation: Motivational regulation strategies vary with students’ motives

Successful learners should self-regulate their motivation to learn. Although 8 motivational regulation strategies (MRSs) have been described, their relations with student motivation remain underexplored. To analyze this relationship, we conducted a correlational study grounded in Wolters’ theory of MRSs and Ivannikov's adaptation of Leont'ev's activity theory. We considered four different motivational elements: motives-to-learn, mood, perceptions-of-instrumentality, and general self-efficacy. We found that two groups of MRSs could be distinguished by their relation to extrinsic and intrinsic motives. Three intrinsic-MRSs target interest, personal significance, and mastery orientation; four extrinsic-MRSs target performance-approach/performance-avoidance orientation, goal-setting, self-consequating, and environmental control. By making students aware of their own motives to learn (intrinsic vs extrinsic), we might help them choose more appropriate MRSs.