Self-regulation in university students: a comparative analysis between face-to-face and online education
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.29076/issn.2528-7737vol19iss50.2026pp30-42pKeywords:
self-regulated learning, higher education, face-to-face modality, online education, metacognitive strategies, university studentsAbstract
This study analyzes differences in self-regulated learning between face-to-face and online university students. A quantitative comparative-correlational design was employed with 3,303 students from Education programs at a public Higher Education Institution in Ecuador during the April-July 2025 academic period. Self-regulation was assessed using the Self-Regulated Learning Scale (EA-ARA) comprising 40 items organized into three dimensions: Motivation and attitude toward learning (MAHA), Cognitive strategies (EC), and Metacognitive self-regulation (ARM). The instrument demonstrated excellent psychometric properties with alpha coefficients above 0.99 and average variance extracted values between 0.937-0.951. Results revealed statistically significant differences between modalities, with slightly higher scores in online education students (p < 0.001), although with small effect size (d ≈ 0.20-0.22). Age was positively associated with self-regulation (r ≈ 0.12), while gender showed no significant relationships. The three dimensions presented very high correlations (r > 0.97), supporting an integrated conception of the construct. The multiple regression model explained 1.6% of the variance, identifying age and modality as significant predictors. The findings suggest that virtual environments stimulate self-regulatory strategies, providing evidence for developing contextualized pedagogical interventions.
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