Self-regulated learning with hypermedia: The role of prior domain knowledge

Think-aloud and pre-test data were collected from 49 undergraduates with varying levels of prior domain knowledge to examine the relationship between prior domain knowledge and self-regulated learning with hypermedia. During the experimental session, each participant individually completed a pretest on the circulatory system, and then one 40-min hypermedia learning task during which he or she learned about the circulatory system. Think-aloud data were collected during the 40-min learning task to measure each participant’s use of specific self-regulated learning processes related to planning, monitoring, and strategy use. Results indicate that prior domain knowledge is significantly related to how the participants self-regulated their learning during the 40-min learning task with hypermedia. Specifically, prior domain knowledge is positively related to participants’ monitoring and planning and negatively related to their use of strategies during the hypermedia learning task. 2007 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.