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Metacognitive awareness and self-regulation learning strategies among students in self-directed learning situations: An exploratory study
Published on: April 11, 2022

Research team

  1. Dr Dorothy Ofoha
  2. DrJolly Okoza

Duration: 2014

Funded by: Commonwealth of Learning

Project objectives

Considering the peculiar nature of distance learners, success in distance learning is said to depend largely on learners’ deployment of metacognitive and self-regulatory processes. Although NOUN has put in place various support programmes designed to help students navigate through learning and progress in their studies, assessment records indicate that some students perform below expectation, particularly in pen-on-paper semester examinations. Therefore, the quest for a solution to improve NOUN students’ learning efficiency prompted the need for the study. The main aim of the study was to explore the extent to which NOUN students possess metacognitive awareness processes and how well they regulate those processes in learning. The specific objectives were to:

  • ascertain the level of metacognitive awareness and self-regulatory strategies attained by NOUN students;
  • examine the extent to which NOUN students use meta-cognitive awareness and self-regulation strategies in learning and study of course modules;
  • compare the high and low achievers on their level of metacognitive awareness and self-regulated strategies;
  • determine the relationship between metacognition, self-regulation, and academic achievement of NOUN students;
  • determine whether students’ level of metacognitive awareness and self-regulated strategies tend to differ according to gender, age, year of study, and study location.

Participants included 600 students drawn from various undergraduate programmes from 12 Study Centres. Data collection tools included survey questionnaires, focus group discussions and academic achievement measures.

Summary of the outcomes

A significant number of NOUN students appeared to possess a high level of metacognitive awareness as well as a high level of self-regulatory strategies. A majority of NOUN students seem to use metacognitive awareness skills and self-regulatory strategies in the learning process to a large extent. No significant difference was found between the high and low achievers in their level of metacognitive awareness and self-regulation strategies. There was no significant relationship between metacognitive awareness and self-regulation on the academic achievement of NOUN students. Metacognitive awareness and self-regulation explained only 0.3% of the variance in the academic achievement of NOUN students. The variable of age was not a factor influencing the level of metacognitive awareness and self-regulation among NOUN students. The findings of this study showed that NOUN students appeared to possess a high level of metacognitive awareness and self-regulated learning strategies. The results of this study are promising even though they did not unravel what we set out to achieve. It could be deduced from the findings of the study that these are not the factors contributing to poor academic achievement among NOUN students. Therefore, other potential factors not identified in this study should form the focus of future research.