The effect of self-regulated learning on college students' perceptions of community of inquiry and affective outcomes in online learning

The purpose of this study was to examine the effects of students' self-regulated learning (SRL) levels on their perceptions of community of inquiry (CoI) and their affective outcomes (task-specific attitudes and self-efficacy). Participants were 180 college students enrolled in a required online course. Using the cluster analysis method, SRL levels were grouped into four levels (High regulators, Mid regulators lacking efforts, Mid regulators lacking values, and Low regulators). ANOVA revealed that highly self-regulated students demonstrated a stronger sense of CoI and achieved higher affective outcomes, compared to low self-regulated students. The finding confirms that SRL could play an important role in the framework of community of inquiry.