Self-Regulation Profiles and Learning Preferences: A Study of Spanish University Students
Saved in:
| Title: | Self-Regulation Profiles and Learning Preferences: A Study of Spanish University Students |
|---|---|
| Language: | English |
| Authors: | I. Muñoz-San Roque (ORCID |
| Source: | European Journal of Education. 2026 61(2). |
| Availability: | Wiley. Available from: John Wiley & Sons, Inc. 111 River Street, Hoboken, NJ 07030. Tel: 800-835-6770; e-mail: cs-journals@wiley.com; Web site: https://www.wiley.com/en-us |
| Peer Reviewed: | Y |
| Page Count: | 15 |
| Publication Date: | 2026 |
| Document Type: | Journal Articles Reports - Research |
| Education Level: | Higher Education Postsecondary Education |
| Descriptors: | Foreign Countries, College Students, Self Management, Student Characteristics, Cognitive Style, Profiles, Teaching Methods, Evaluation Methods, Homogeneous Grouping, Self Efficacy |
| Geographic Terms: | Spain |
| DOI: | 10.1111/ejed.70667 |
| ISSN: | 0141-8211 1465-3435 |
| Abstract: | Self-regulation of learning is a crucial factor in how students learn and manage their own emotional, cognitive and metacognitive resources. This study has three main goals: first, to identify self-regulation of learning profiles among 697 Spanish university students using cluster analysis, second, to differentiate these profiles based on sex, academic year, and field of study (Education, Humanities and Social Sciences, Economics and Engineering); and finally, to uncover their preferred ways of learning, teaching methodologies, and assessment methods. Our study has revealed four types of learners: strategic (28.12%), non-strategic (26.11%), external (22.81%) and anxious (22.96%). Findings revealed that strategic learners, characterised by the highest levels of self-regulation and self-efficacy, preferred active and applied methodologies, whereas anxious learners exhibited the highest levels of study-related exhaustion (p < 0.001). Our study highlights the importance of recognising the diversity of self-regulated learning profiles among university students to tailor teaching, learning, and assessment strategies, that improve academic performance across a broader range of learners. To support less effective learner profiles, it is essential to provide additional scaffolding through personalised tutorials, enhance planning skills, and deliver structured feedback. Additionally, diversifying teaching and assessment methods--such as incorporating video-based resources for anxious learners and offering practical, step-by-step guidance--can help these students gradually develop autonomy and improve self-regulation. |
| Abstractor: | As Provided |
| Entry Date: | 2026 |
| Accession Number: | EJ1506899 |
| Database: | ERIC |
| Abstract: | Self-regulation of learning is a crucial factor in how students learn and manage their own emotional, cognitive and metacognitive resources. This study has three main goals: first, to identify self-regulation of learning profiles among 697 Spanish university students using cluster analysis, second, to differentiate these profiles based on sex, academic year, and field of study (Education, Humanities and Social Sciences, Economics and Engineering); and finally, to uncover their preferred ways of learning, teaching methodologies, and assessment methods. Our study has revealed four types of learners: strategic (28.12%), non-strategic (26.11%), external (22.81%) and anxious (22.96%). Findings revealed that strategic learners, characterised by the highest levels of self-regulation and self-efficacy, preferred active and applied methodologies, whereas anxious learners exhibited the highest levels of study-related exhaustion (p < 0.001). Our study highlights the importance of recognising the diversity of self-regulated learning profiles among university students to tailor teaching, learning, and assessment strategies, that improve academic performance across a broader range of learners. To support less effective learner profiles, it is essential to provide additional scaffolding through personalised tutorials, enhance planning skills, and deliver structured feedback. Additionally, diversifying teaching and assessment methods--such as incorporating video-based resources for anxious learners and offering practical, step-by-step guidance--can help these students gradually develop autonomy and improve self-regulation. |
|---|---|
| ISSN: | 0141-8211 1465-3435 |
| DOI: | 10.1111/ejed.70667 |
