How Finnish and Swedish Learners’ Academic Self-Control Relates to Time Spent Online in Class, Perceptions of Educator Qualities, and School Appreciation: A Cross-Sectional Comparison

Abstract

Abstract:In school settings, self-control is central to the ability of learners to complete their academic work successfully. Learners' self-control is directly influenced by the ways in which educators execute their work, including their instructional explanations, their classroom management, and the expectations that they express to their learners. Our research on this phenomenon investigated Finnish and Swedish learners in upper secondary schools. Not only is the use of digital technology very different in these two countries; the autonomy and status of educators are as well. This article compares the empirical significance of antecedents of learners' academic self-control in the two national settings by surveying 2191 learners in Swedish and Finnish schools. Our analysis applies structural equation modeling to two cross-sectional datasets, and the results reveal that the associations between educators' instructional explanations, classroom management, and their high expectations on the one hand and learners' academic self-control on the other are stronger overall among Finnish students than among Swedish students. Furthermore, the association between digital technology use and learners' perceptions of conflict between school norms and Internet opportunities are much stronger in the Swedish sample than the Finnish sample. Lastly, we discuss the meaning of these results and their possible implications for research and practice.

Model of Competency Approach in Management of Study Program/Concentration

“…Recently, competency needed by world of business is more emphasized on good quality of soft skills than high specific scientific knowledge, so the ability to handle uncertainty is a key to survive in work community. This is in accordance with opinion, "knowledge-based society, educational equality, the devolution of decision power at the local level, a teacher education are named as the most important educational policy issues" [5].…”

“…(4) Developing critical way of thinking and actions toward and in their environment, and for having ability to implement science, knowledge, and technology, although only in its simplest form, so that it can give additional value for their own and community life. (5) Developing attitude and moral, social responsibility, preservation of cultural values, student's participation in community changes with future orientation [12].…”

The Relationship Between Academic Self-Control and Online Vigilance Among High School Students: A Multi-Group Analysis

“…This research is important when discussing the need for schools to adapt to the widespread use of the Internet. The research was concerned with internet use in the school environment (Arnesen et al, 2017), and did not examine individuals' out-of-school internet or smart device use and academic self-efficacy.…”

Ortaokul öğrencilerinde akademik öz denetim ölçeğinin geliştirilmesi: Geçerlik ve güvenirlik çalışması

“…Another important factor in academic self-control in students is schools. The ways in which educators manage the classroom and perform education, such as explaining a difficult subject, directly affect the behavior of the student (Arnesen, Elstad, & Christophersen, 2017;Mortimore, 1993).…”

“…Based on the literature review presented above, the study reported in this article set out to develop a reliable and valid instrument that can be used to measure academic self-control skills of secondary school students between the ages of 11 and 14. Self-control lies at the heart of learners' efforts to achieve successful academic performance (Arnesen et al, 2017). In Turkey, the development of academic selfcontrol in the secondary school process is regarded as important in terms of both career and development.…”