The Influence of Self-Regulation Behaviors on University Students’ Intentions of Persistance

Abstract

The implementation of the European higher education area (EHEA) is a true paradigm change in university education in which the student, with particular consideration given to autonomous work, takes the place of the teacher as the central element of the teaching-learning process. In this autonomous work, the strategies the students regularly use become particularly important, given the supposition that doing that work will lead to academic success. The objective of this study is to analyze the variables that influence students’ expectations of success, measured through their intention to persist on the course they are doing. A questionnaire designed ad hoc was given to a sample of 1037 university students. It included aspects related to reasons for choosing the course, institutional integration, use of self-regulation strategies, and intention to drop out. Data analysis allowed the identification of satisfaction with the course chosen and appropriate study skills acquired in secondary education as predictors of expectations of academic persistance, with some differences in terms of gender. Other strategies such as class attendance or going deeply into course content did not figure. These results are at odds with the principles underlying the EHEA and show that they have not yet been interiorized by the students, who continue to perceive their studies more traditionally.

Visualising weekly learning outcomes (VWLO) and the intention to continue using a learning management system (CIU): the role of cognitive absorption and perceived learning self-regulation

“…There is academic evidence that PLSR and CIU are positively associated. The relationship between PLSR and CIU was studied in Concannon et al (2018) and Bernardo et al (2019). Bernardo et al (2019) found that integrating self-regulation strategies in the educational process increases the intention to persist in the course.…”

“…The relationship between PLSR and CIU was studied in Concannon et al (2018) and Bernardo et al (2019). Bernardo et al (2019) found that integrating self-regulation strategies in the educational process increases the intention to persist in the course. Similarly, Concannon et al (2018), in their phenomenological study, found that courses that are designed to improve learners' perceived self-regulation strengthen their persistence on the course and their intention to take similar courses in the future.…”

Student dropout at university: a phase-orientated view on quitting studies and changing majors

“…Particularly, Tinto (1975) claimed that "dropout represents the failure of individuals, of given ability and goal commitment, to achieve desired educational goals" (p. 78). In line with this definition, student dropout is from an individual perspective associated with dysfunctional self-regulation (Achtziger & Gollwitzer, 2010;Bernardo et al, 2019;de la Fuente-Arias, 2017;Nota et al, 2004). Heublein and Wolter (2011) extended this view to a perspective that also considers environmental factors: The authors conceptualized student dropout as a complex event where individual, institutional, and social factors that affect studying are superimposed.…”

“…Here, focusing on individual determinants is particularly interesting, since these have a direct influence on the course of studies (Gensch & Kliegl, 2012). Especially individual determinants such as test anxiety or a lack of motivation in self-regulated learning have increasingly been analyzed in association with student dropout (Bardach et al, 2019;Bernardo et al, 2019;Blüthmann et al, 2008;Respondek et al, 2017;Schnettler et al, 2020a, b). Hence, it is of great interest to take a closer look at these correlates of student dropout when analyzing its process-as it can be assumed that different phases of developing a dropout intention relate to a different degree to them.…”

Drop-Out and Transfer-Out Intentions: The Role of Socio-Cognitive Factors

“…Here, academic skills provide a crucial stepping-stone to the solution. Academic skills have been consistently shown to promote students' performance, attrition intentions, and actual attrition behavior (Bean and Metzner, 1985;Rovai, 2003;Robbins et al, 2004;Credé and Kuncel, 2008;Cathey et al, 2016;Hattie and Donoghue, 2016;Bernardo et al, 2019).…”