Self-Regulation, Mediators, and E-Learning: A Field Experiment in Rural Belize

Can lessons from IS research be applied on a small scale in rural environments to help a country develop? Students in rural schools in Belize often lack access to well-trained subject experts, score lower on national exams, and enroll in secondary schools at a lower rate than urban students. Utilizing mobile Internet technologies, students living without electricity can now access educational resources similar to urban students. How best to utilize these resources to improve students’ learning outcomes remains to be solved. This article first describes and compares a theory originating in the developed world (self-regulated learning) with one originating in the developing world (minimally invasive education). Second, it presents a framework combining constructs from both theories. Finally, it focuses on learning outcomes as measured by students’ cognitive ability, self-efficacy and motivation and compares a self-organized learning environment with one enhanced by self-regulated strategies, through a quasi-experimental design.