Self-Regulated Learning in Higher Education : Basic Dimensions, Individual Differences, and Relationship with Academic Achievement

The purpose of this doctoral thesis was to explore the basic dimensions of selfregulated learning (SRL) in higher education (HE) and to discover how students differ in SRL. The differences in SRL were examined on terms of SRL profiles and between discipline and gender groups. In addition, the relationship between self-regulated learning and academic achievement was investigated. It was examined how SRL measured in the first study years predicted later learning outcomes of students in terms of cumulative GPA and study progress. Secondly, academic achievement was explored by finding out how SRL is related to active learning and achievement of professional competencies in teacher education. For this doctoral thesis Paul Pintrich’s (2000a) General Model of SRL was used as a theoretical framework. This thesis is based on three original published studies. The IQ Learn online instrument measuring multidimensional SRL in HE was used for data collection concerning SRL in the original studies. Same data (N = 1248) were used to explore SRL differences in Study I and SRL profiles and interrelation between SRL and academic achievement in Study II. Study III examined how student teachers (N = 422) with different SRL profiles benefited from active learning to achieve professional competencies. Statistical research methods were used for the data analysis in this doctoral thesis. In addition to the three original studies, second-order analyses were conducted and reported in the summary of this thesis. The analyses within the Studies II and III and the second-order factor analyses showed consistent features in HE students’ SRL, which was composed of three basic components such as Resource management strategies, Advanced learning strategies, and Self-efficacy beliefs. Even though, HE students’ SRL was found to include also other important motivational and regulation components, and cognitive learning strategies. In Studies II and III, a total of five different SRL profiles were identified. The students with a profile Excellent in SRL had high self-efficacy, were persistent and used often management strategies and versatile advanced cognitive learning strategies. Also the students with the profiles Aiming high with insufficient SRL and Dissonant SRL had high self-efficacy, but they were less persistent and used less management, self-evaluation, and cognitive learning strategies. The students with the Distressed performers profile and the Moderate SRL profile had moderate self-efficacy and used more seldom the management strategies than the other students. Students with the two latter profiles rarely reflected upon their learning in order to improve their study strategies or self-evaluate their learning results. Study II showed statistically significant differences in SRL between HE students from different disciplines and genders. The students of Behavioural Sciences tend to score higher on SRL components and the students from Technology and Science in most cases scored lower than students from other disciplines. SRL measured in the first study year did not predict study success of later HE studies. However, the results showed that when student teachers’ experiences of active learning in teacher education increased, they achieved better professional competencies. Student teachers with Excellent SRL profile profited substantially from active learning methods’ use and achieved the best professional competencies. Similarly, student teachers with Moderate SRL profile also achieved statistically significantly better professional competencies when their active learning experiences increased. Meanwhile students with the Dissonant SRL profile benefited less from active learning. Active learning experiences had the strongest positive effect on all students’ competency Teachers’ own professional learning including researching of own work, critical assessment of teacher education, SRL, cooperative action research and interest in post-graduate studies of education. The results of this doctoral thesis can be used for development of student guidance and curriculums in HE.