Dynamic Interactions Between Cognitive Load and Self-Efficacy Drive Goal Setting Within a Self-Regulation Framework

Goal setting, a self-regulated learning (SRL) strategy, is anchored in interactions between the individual and the task with which they are engaging. Using the Metacognitive and Affective Model of Self-Regulated Learning (MASRL) framework, this study uses a multilevel cross-classified analysis to assess use of goal setting as a function of cognitive load and self-efficacy over time using data from university students engaged in an online course. Findings indicate that the main and interaction effects of cognitive load and self-efficacy on goal setting, although small and consistent, are positive and significant. Holding self-efficacy constant at low, median, and high values increased the strength of the relationship between cognitive load and goal setting, respectively, indicating that self-efficacy is especially important when course content is challenging. Implications of these findings suggest that models of SRL are fundamentally incomplete without accounting for the dynamic interactions between cognitive load and self-efficacy.