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Wayne State University

Self-Directed Learning And The Development Of Self-Efficacy In Basic Writing

Abstract

dc:description.abstract

<p>This dissertation examines and analyzes the work of two sections of basic writing over the course of one semester. I explore relevant research in Writing Studies, Cognitive Psychology, and Educational Psychology to build a framework within which to discuss pedagogical strategies implemented to support student’s self-directed learning behaviors and to positively affect their efficacy beliefs. Through an analysis of students’ written work, I determined whether and how this pedagogy facilitated students’ articulation of efficacy beliefs as evidence through the language of their reflective writing assignments. Analysis of the data suggests three major arguments: first, that while self-efficacy is a complex construct to identify and analyze qualitatively, the multi-causal construct of goal articulation serves as a helpful tool with which to measure it; second, that students’ development and discussion of personal learning objectives – in which students break down those objectives into component parts making the monitoring of their learning accessible and task-based – appears to facilitate students’ use of multi-causality in their writing; third, that identifying task-based learning throughout the course of a semester can lead teachers and researchers to see students’ own language as it relates to their perceptions of success in a writing classroom.</p>

Degree

thesis:*
Name thesis:degree_name
Ph.D.
Level thesis:degree_level
Open Access Dissertation
Discipline thesis:degree_discipline
English
Year dc:date.available
2016

Author and committee

dc:creator, dc:contributor.*
Author dc:creator
  • Latawiec, Amy Ann
Contributors dc:contributor
  • Gwen Gorzelsky

Subjects

dc:subject × 8

Identifiers

dc:identifier.*
OAI identifier oai:identifier
oai:digitalcommons.wayne.edu:oa_dissertations-2456

Chain of custody

source
Harvested from
Wayne State University
Base URL
digitalcommons.wayne.edu/do/oai/
Last updated
2026-07-24
Source record
OAI-PMH GetRecord
citation

Latawiec, Amy Ann. Self-Directed Learning And The Development Of Self-Efficacy In Basic Writing. Open Access Dissertation thesis, 2016. https://digitalcommons.wayne.edu/oa_dissertations/1457