Perception of Class and Sense of School Belonging and Self-regulated Learning: A Causal Model

Abstract

The aim of this research is studying the relationships between Perception of class and sense of school belonging with self- regulated learning based on a causal model. For this goal, we selected a sample of two grade students from Tehran city High School. Size Sample was selected 800 (400 boys and 400 girls) which, were based on multistage cluster sampling. Motivated Strategies for Learning questionnaires Pintrich and De Groot (MSLQ) and Perceptions of class Jentry and his colleague (MCA) and psychological Sense of Membership Scale Goodnowe and Grady (PSSM) were administrated to students as a group.

Questionnaires validity and reliability were verified. Result of Pearson correlation showed that mutual correlation between components of class environmental perceptions (interest, challenge, choice and enjoy), sense of school belonging (belong, accept and respect) and self-regulated learning (learning believe control, self-efficacy, meta-cognitive self- regulating and helpless) were significant (p< 0.01). Results of structural equating modeling (SEM) showed that purposed model was acceptable and fit index was not significant (GFI= 0.95 and RSMEA= 0.07). Also all paths or structural coefficients of purposed model were significant (p< 0.01). Therefore self-regulated learning of students was predicted by class environmental perceptions and sense of school belonging. Also In investigated gender difference with ANOVA method showed that, there is no significant difference between girls and boys of class perceived (P>0.05). But the two genders were different of acceptance and belonging scales (P<0.001). Boys scored higher on belonging, but lower on acceptance scale. Also boys outperformed girls in all self-regulation learning components (P< 0.001).