Mind Wandering, Self-Regulated Learning, and the Role of Goals in Relation to Thought Content

This presentation presents findings from ongoing research investigating the relationship between mind wandering, meta-awareness, and self-regulated learning during video-based learning. A theoretical framework integrating mind wandering, meta-awareness of mind wandering, and self-regulated learning (COPES facets) is introduced. Two studies are discussed: a naturalistic study in an authentic course setting observing reactions following mind wandering, and an experiment testing whether rewinding following mind wandering balances out the effect of frequent mind wandering. Results indicate that higher Online Effort Regulation relates to mind wandering frequency in both studies, that rewinding rarely occurs, and that all relationships are in the opposite direction to what was expected. The presentation discusses the proposition that ad-hoc regulation following mind wandering only occurs if mind wandering is perceived as a threat to goal achievement, and outlines current and planned work studying mind wandering in relation to goals set by learners.

09/2026