The impact of a socio-cognitive training program on self-processes and the self-regulatory functioning of low achieving students in Singapore

Abstract

This study investigates the effects of a classroom-based intervention program aimed at enhancing low achieving students' self-perceptions of their own ability, agency, control, and efficacy. The quasi-experimental study with 89 secondary school students was carried out over ten 35-45 minute weekly sessions in two Singapore schools. By adopting a socio-cognitive perspective in which self regulatory processes and personal agency beliefs are incorporated, the program aimed at fostering the students' will through helping them to appraise their role in assuming personal responsibility in change processes, and their skill through using various metacognitive and cognitive strategies to effect personal changes. The exposures to the instructional activities showed a positive impact on the self-efficacy and self-regulation in the academic domain but not on aspects of self-concept, social efficacy and social regulation, suggesting that these two socio-cognitive variables may be more amenable to change than social constructs that are less definable and more general conceptually. Qualitative data provided useful feedback on how the concepts could be refined to help create greater metacognitive knowledge and awareness of school-related skills in the students. Educational implications for the classroom were discussed in the light of these findings.