Predicting homework completion and academic achievement: The role of motivational beliefs and self-regulatory processes

This study sought to examine the roles of motivational beliefs and self-regulatory processes on predicting homework completion and academic achievement among college students enrolled in an urban technological college. This investigation was conceptualized under the umbrella of Zimmerman's (2000) cyclical model of self-regulation. Specifically, the aim of the present study was to find answers to the following questions: (a) Are self-regulatory processes associated with the quality of students' homework completion? (b) Is a willingness to delay gratification important in students' homework completion? (c) What are the motivational sources of students' use of self-regulated learning strategies, delay of gratification, and homework completion? To answer these questions, participants responded to a questionnaire and maintained homework logs. A path analysis was conducted to test a self-regulated model of homework completion.; As it was hypothesized, highly self-efficacious students engaged in academic tasks for the sake of learning and mastering homework assignments. Students who reported completing their homework assignments indicated that they (a) used diverse and effective self-regulatory learning strategies, (b) were willing to delay gratification for the sake of long-term academic goals, (c) were more motivated as indicated by their high self-efficacy, outcome expectancy, and intrinsic interest, and (d) obtained higher grades than students who did not successfully complete their homework assignments. These results provide support for Zimmerman's cyclical view of the role of self-regulatory processes in college students' homework practices and engagement. More specifically, these results indicate that high self-regulated learners with high self-efficacy beliefs and intrinsic interest in the course adopted a proactive approach to complete their homework.