IDENTIFIERS *Self Regulation

Two studies of influences on self-regulated performance were conducted. The purpose of the first was to determine if the level of-perfotitance of college students would be higher if the allowable length of the assiynment was greater or smaller. Subjects were 126 education majors at a large state university participating in an extra-credit program called the Voluntary Homework System (VHS1 as part of a course in educational psychology. The maximum number of test items prepared for extra credit that could be submitted each week was set at 100 for one group and 25 for a second group. Students gave self reports of their own competence. Analysis of variance indicated that length limit and perceived self-competence level affected performance, with a significantly lower level of performance produced by the 100-item limit. In a second study, 63 students from the same course had a 25-item lenyth limit and were graded according to preset criteria of 300 points for a single bonus and 450 points for a double bonus. Other aspects of the VHS were ideptical. The grading criteria tended to affect performance diffe.'ently for the different self-competence levels. Its overall impact was not great, but students low in perceived self-competence tended to receive the greatest motivational boost. Implications for instruction are discussed. Four tables present study data. (SLD) *****************************************************************A**** Reproductions supplied by EDRS are the test that can be made from the original document