Investigating the Relationship Between Technology-Related Variables and Middle School Students’ Self-Regulation and Self-Directed Learning with Technology

Self-regulation and self-directedness have recently become closely associated with technology. The aim of this study is to examine middle school students’ levels of self-regulation skills and self-directed learning (SDL) with technology in terms of technology-related variables. The study was conducted using the general survey model, and the participant group consisted of 468 middle school students. The study revealed that middle school students' self-regulation skills and their levels of SDL with technology significantly varied based on how frequently they used e-learning platforms outside of school, in favor of those who used them more frequently. It was also determined that students' self-regulation skills and their SDL with technology significantly differed based on their purpose of technology use, and students who used technology for educational purposes had significantly higher self-regulation skills and SDL with technology compared to those who used it primarily for communication or entertainment. The study also revealed that middle school students' self-regulation skills did not significantly differ based on their AI usage competence. However, their self-directed learning with technology levels significantly varied by this variable, with higher competence corresponding to higher SDL with technology. Additionally, the analysis showed that self-regulation skills and SDL with technology increased with greater access to technology, but the relationship was not significant. At this point, it is recommended that students be trained to use e-learning platforms outside of school and to employ technologies for educational purposes in order to enhance their levels of self-regulation and self-directedness. Furthermore, educating children on how to use GenAI tools such as ChatGPT more effectively in their self-regulated learning processes can also be presented as an important recommendation. At this point, it can be argued that, in addition to computer science courses, subjects like social studies that incorporate technology-related content may also serve these purposes.