The role of conscious self-regulation in the dynamics of cognitive activity and cognitive engagement of students during the transition from secondary to high school: a longitudinal study

Background. A decrease in cognitive activity and the occurrence of various deficits with a general decrease in a positive attitude to learning creates difficulties in learning during the transition to high school. It becomes important to identify regulatory resources for development of cognitive activity and engagement during the period before the 9th grade, as well as at the beginning of high school.

Objective — to identify the dynamics of cognitive activity and engagement during the transition from middle to high school and to assess the contribution of conscious self–regulation of eighth graders to this dynamic in the 9th and 10th grades.

Sample. 156 eighth graders aged M=13.88; SD=0.445. In the 9th and 10th grades, repeated examinations were carried out using the same methods. As a result, longitudinal data was collected at three points.

Methods. "Attitude to learning in middle and high school" (I.N. Bondarenko, I.Yu. Tsyganov, V.I. Morosanova). "Multidimensional scale of school engagement" (T.G. Fomina, V.I. Morosanova). Questionnaire of V.I. Morosanova "Style of self-regulation of learning activity, SRLAQ-M" (V.I. Morosanova, I.N. Bondarenko).

Results. We revealed between individual differences in the trajectories of cognitive engagement, but they were not revealed for cognitive activity. It is shown that in order to successfully maintain cognitive activity and engagement in high school, it is important to achieve the maximum level of their development in the 8th grade, a year before the state exams. Longitudinal analysis has shown that school engagement is more associated with conscious self-regulation in comparison with cognitive activity, which significantly depends on external factors. Conscious self–regulation, fulfilling its resource role, on the one hand, makes a direct contribution to the level of development of these characteristics, on the other hand, prevents their sharp decline in case of difficulties or temporary failures.

Conclusion. The development of conscious self-regulation in secondary school is able to compensate for the negative trends of falling cognitive activity and engagement that occur in high school students.

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