Co-regulation strategies and their associations with writing self-efficacy in a computer-mediated collaborative writing setting

This study examined the structural relationship between learners’ co-regulation strategies and writing self-efficacy in a computer-mediated collaborative writing setting. Two questionnaires about Co-Regulation Strategies (CRS) and English Writing Self-Efficacy (EWSE) were developed and administered to 219 college English language learners following six-week computer-mediated collaborative writing activities. The results of factor analysis indicated that learners’ co-regulation strategies consist of five factors: co-planning, co-monitoring, co-evaluation, effort regulation, and help-seeking, while writing self-efficacy involves learners’ confidence in writing ideation, writing conventions, and writing self-regulation. The path analysis revealed that students with better co-planning and co-evaluation strategies tended to be more confident in writing ideation and writing conventions. More interestingly, effort regulation and help-seeking acted as powerful predictors of self-efficacy for writing self-regulation. Learners’ self-efficacy for writing ideation and conventions could also positively explain their self-efficacy for writing self-regulation. Suggestions were given regarding how to improve students’ writing self-efficacy through promoting co-regulation in collaborative learning.