Investigating Students' Usage of Self-regulation of Learning Scaffoldings in a Computer-based Programming Learning Environment

Learning programming is a multifaceted process shaped by diverse factors, including effectively utilizing self-regulation of learning (SRL) skills. However, students frequently require a certain level of support to effectively engage in SRL, prompting a question regarding the optimal means of providing such assistance. The current literature is limited in identifying which types of support are most effective, and it's also noted that some students do not benefit from its usage. The underlying causes remain underexplored, and a deeper understanding of this phenomenon can offer insights into improving the design of regulatory support. This research is situated within this scope and was guided by the following research questions: RQ1) How does the use of self-regulation of learning support differ among students with high and low-performance levels? RQ2) How do students use and evaluate the self-regulation of learning support? Fifty-four students enrolled in an online introductory programming course participated in this investigation. The findings indicate that higher-performance students made more extensive use of the provided regulatory support, implying the potential utilization of this resource as a learning aid. Simultaneously, it's noted that some students either avoided or utilized this support to a lesser extent, underscoring that the mere provision of resources is insufficient for their effective usage. A qualitative analysis revealed some factors that might have influenced this behavior.