Effects of tutoring model (instructional versus assignment-assisted) on college undergraduate student reports of self-regulated behavior and academic motivational beliefs

The purpose of this study was to examine the effects of tutoring model (instructional and assignment-assisted) on undergraduate college student reports of self-regulated behavior and academic motivational beliefs. The sampling frame was students who willingly sought out on-campus tutoring services at four of six selected colleges in the Northeast United States. A total of 211 students participated in the study. The quantitative approach used to answer the research question was a quasi-experimental design; the exact method used to collect the data was an online survey. The data was analyzed using descriptive statistics and inferential statistics (Multivariate Analysis of Variance, MANOVA). The MANOVA results of this study revealed that students participating in instructional tutoring reported significantly higher scores on the Learning Self-Regulation Questionnaire (SRQ-L) and Motivated Strategies for Learning Questionnaire (MSLQ), when compared to those that participated in assignment-assisted tutoring. The multivariate effect size was estimated at .193, which implies that 20% of the variance in the canonically derived dependent variable was accounted for by tutoring model. The results support the current line of research in regard to the advantages of implementing an instructional tutoring model. Acknowledging whether or not instructional or assignment-assisted tutoring programs promote students' self-regulated behavior and academic motivational beliefs could be an important factor when designing on-campus tutoring programs for undergraduate students. Educators providing on-campus tutoring to undergraduate college students could use the MSLQ and the SRQ-L to gain insight into those students who feel that they are still struggling academically and are not benefiting from the extra support. Lastly, suggestions for further research are offered.