One of the main goals of education is to enable students to acquire knowledge independently; i.e. to learn and to work in a self-regulated mode. Definitions of self-regulated learning in educational research have in common that learners initiate, organise and control their learning behavior to be successful (Baumert et al. 2005; Schiefele & Pekrun 1996; Zimmerman & Schunk 2001). We are conducting an empirical study which is based on the “three-layered model of self-regulated learning” by Boekaerts (1999; Boekaerts et al. 2000). This model integrates three schools of thoughts concerning self-regulated learning. The innermost layer is related to the learner's self-regulated processes at the cognitive level (e.g. appropriate use of learning strategies). These processes is managed by behavior assigned to the middle – the metacognitive layer (e.g. planning, controlling and regulating learning behavior). These two layers are embedded in the outer layer referred to the motivational and volitional regulating processes of the self (e.g. goal orientation, motivational beliefs, actual motivational variables. In our study the ability to work independently is measured by assessing how students accomplish the so-called “Facharbeit”. This is a written assignment in 12th grade in German Grammar schools done mainly at home over a period of four to six weeks, in order to practice scientific writing. The “Facharbeit” is a complex task, which demands self-regulated working behavior at a high level. This task involves finding a topic to write about, planning and organising this work independently as well as self-managing (e.g. time, self-motivation, dealing with problems or coping frustrating moments) and applying the rules of scientific work. The following research questions are to be analyzed: - Which effect has prior experience of self-regulated working in schools and familial socialisation on self-regulation competence? - Which effect has the student's strategic proceeding at each of the three layers of self-regulated learning on the quality of the work results? - How do actual and habitual motivational variables and motivational beliefs influence the independent working behavior? The sample of the study comprises approximately 500 12th-grade students at ten Grammar schools. The students complete two questionnaires: one before they start working on the assignment (pre-questionnaire), and one shortly after having accomplished the assignment (post-questionnaire). The pre-questionnaire refers to goal-orientation, academic self-concept, outcome-anticipation regarding the task, parental educational behavior and educational background as well as the learning climate in the class. The post-questionnaire includes a reflection of the working process in terms of cognitive, metacognitive and volitional aspects as well as actual motivational variables concerning the task. Furthermore, the grades, which the students receive for their papers, will be included in the data as a measure of the performance quality perceived by the teachers. The teachers who supervise the task are interviewed about their support given to the students in the classes (Reeve & Jang 2006). The school-programs are analyzed regarding the general encouragement of independent working. A specific attention is paid to the transfer of the study’s results to the educational practice in the participating schools. All schools will obtain an anonymized feedback about their individual outcomes. By doing so, a contribution for further development of educational processes will be made and the important networking between research and practice will be supported. The study is still in progress. The proposed paper will provide insight into the theoretical background, the design, the instruments, the data collection and first central findings. This project is part of the research program of the “Graduate School of Excellence (UpGradE)”, founded by Andreas Helmke and Wolfgang Schnotz at the University of Koblenz-Landau, Germany.

The proposed paper describes a field study based on two standardised questionnaires. The data will mainly be analysed quantitatively. The study follows a micro-analytical approach to investigate learning processes and their effects.

The purpose of our study is to contribute to the quality of teaching in self-regulated learning environments to enhance students learning. Regarding to our research questions we expect to deliver evidence about the influencing factors of student's independent working on a complex learning task. Further on, we examine the relationship between strategic proceeding and the quality of the performance as well as the impact of different motivational traits on the working process of a learning task.