Using Self-Regulated Digital Storytelling in Primary Students' English Learning: An Exploratory Factor Analysis

Successful learners are cultivated by good learning habits and essential skills. Among them, self-regulated learning (SRL) is proven to be an effective learning strategy and pedagogical approach to develop independent learning, enhance learning outcomes, improve learning motivation, and finally achieve lifelong success. In language education, Digital Storytelling (DST) has been an emerging strategy for teachers to guide their students to learn a language by expressing ideas and meanings. However, little research has been done to explore the effectiveness of such integration on students' language learning. The present study designed and developed a self-regulated digital storytelling (SRDST) curriculum for teachers to teach and students to learn English writing. About 110 primary grade 4 students of 9-10 years old participated in this study. A SRDST scale with 13 items in forethought, performance, and reflection phases was developed and validated. The results of exploratory factor analysis ( EFA) from the primary students (N=70) on a pre-/post-test design yielded three factors that were similar to the three phases of SRL, namely, forethought, performance and reflection stages. The paired-samples t-test results indicated a significant increase in forethought, suggesting that the students realized certain preparation needs to be done before their study, and they also preferred autonomy on managing their own learning. Further, the data demonstrated a significant result in the performance phase where the students can seek for help when encountering difficulties, and determine to keep up with the overall learning progress and complete the tasks on time. The results also revealed that the students tended to reflect on whether there were better ways to improve their final projects. Finally, the research found that young learners preferred to set learning goals during the performance stage which is different from adult learners.