Self-regulation of learning and its relationship to peer learning and study-related exhaustion: a triad among university students

Abstract

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Self-regulation of learning refers to the actions that students perform before, during and after their learning processes take place and has a social and collaborative component. This article analyses key dimensions of learning regulation in a sample of 697 students from different subject areas (Education, Engineering, Economics and Law studies) at a Spanish university. The study determines how sex and subject area influence learning regulation, and analyses its relationship to peer learning, perceived value of peer learning and Study-Related Exhaustion (SRE). Our findings indicate that women usually have greater external regulation, place greater value on peer learning and suffer from greater academic exhaustion; however, they have higher levels of academic satisfaction. In relation to subject area, Education students disclose higher levels of self-regulation than students from other subject areas. Engineering and Economics students seem to engage more actively with peer learning, and Engineering students value peer learning the most. Engineering students also display fewer problems in their self-regulation of learning yet have higher levels of SRE and lower academic satisfaction. Our study also shows a positive relationship between external regulation and SRE, and a negative relationship between self-efficacy and SRE. Furthermore, findings suggest that peer learning may improve academic performance and student satisfaction, especially among those students with less external regulation. Our study lends support to the value and positive impact that formative feedback can have on students and to encourage autonomous and self-related forms of learning, which would ultimately improve student academic performance and well-being.