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Enhancing self-regulation and approaches to learning in first-year college students: a narrative-based programme assessed in the Iberian Peninsula

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Abstract

A programme to enhance first-year college students’ self-regulated learning strategies is proposed and assessed in two samples, one from the University of Oviedo (Spain) and the other from the University of Minho (Portugal). Each sample was divided into two groups (experimental and control). The Spanish sample comprised 44 students in the experimental group and 40 in the control group, whereas in the Portuguese sample, the number of students was 48 and 44, respectively. The narrative-based intervention programme is organised around a set of fictional letters from a first-year college student in which he reports his own academic experiences. Each letter focuses on a learning strategy as an opportunity to teach and enhance the students’ deep approaches to learning and their self-regulated learning processes. In both samples, findings confirm the programme efficacy to teach efficient learning strategies and to promote self-regulation. Implications for college students and for teaching are discussed.

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Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Psychology Department, University do Minho, Campus de Gualtar, 4710, Braga, Portugal

    Pedro Rosário

  2. Psychology Department, University de Oviedo, Oviedo, Spain

    José C. Núñez & Julio González-Pienda

  3. Psychology Department, University de A Coruña, La Coruña, Spain

    Antonio Valle

  4. Psychology Department, University Católica Portuguesa, Porto, Portugal

    Luísa Trigo

  5. Psychology Department, University Beira Interior, Covilhã, Portugal

    Carina Guimarães

Authors
  1. Pedro Rosário
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  2. José C. Núñez
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  3. Julio González-Pienda
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  4. Antonio Valle
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  5. Luísa Trigo
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  6. Carina Guimarães
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to Pedro Rosário.

Additional information

Pedro Rosário. Psychology Department of University of Minho, Campus de Gualtar, 710-057, Braga, Portugal. E-mail: prosario@iep.uminho.pt; Web site: www.iep.uminho.pt, www.guia-psiedu.com

Current themes of research:

Self-regulated learning. Programs to enhance self-regulation. Study skills and approaches to learning. Homework.

Most relevant publications in the field of Psychology of Education:

Rosário, P., Mourão, R., Núñez, J. C., González-Pienda, J. A., & Solano, P. (2008). Storytelling as a promoter of Self-Regulated Learning (SRL) throughout schooling. In A. Valle, J. C. Núñez, R. G. Cabanach, J. A. González-Pienda, & S. Rodríguez (Eds.), Handbook of instructional resources and their applications in the classroom (pp. 107–122). NY: Nova Science.

Rosário, P., Mourão, R., Núñez, J. C., González-Pienda, J. A., Solano, P., & Valle, A. (2007). Evaluating the efficacy of a program to enhance college students’ self-regulation learning processes and learning strategies. Psicothema, 19, 422–427.

Rosário,P., Costa, M., Núñez, J. C., González-Pienda, J., Solano, P., & Valle, A. (2009). Academic Procrastination: Associations with personal, school, and family variables. Spanish Journal of Psychology, 12(1), 118–127.

Rosário, P., Salgado, A., Núñez, J. C., González-Pienda, J., & Valle, A. (2008). Ansiedad ante los exámenes: relación con variables personales y familiares. Psicothema, 20(4), 563–570.

Rosário, P., Grácio, L., Núnez, J. C., & González-Pienda, J. (2007). Voix d’élèves sur l’apprentissage à l’entrée et à la sortie de l’université: un regard phénoménographique. Revue des Sciences de l’éducation, 3(1), 237–262.

José Carlos Núñez. Psychology Department of University of Oviedo, Plaza Feijoo s/n, 33003, Oviedo, España. E-mail: jcarlos@telecable.es; Web site: www.uniovi.es/zope/departamentos/Psicologia

Current themes of research:

Self-regulated learning. Motivation in higher education. Approaches to learning. Homework and school achievement. Assessment.

Most relevant publications in the field of Psychology of Education:

Núñez, J. C., Solano, P., González-Pienda, J., & Rosário, P. (2006). El aprendizaje autorregulado como medio y meta de la educación. Papeles del Psicólogo, 2(3), 139–146.

Núñez, J. C., González-Pienda, Bernardo, A., Alvarez, L., Rosário, P., Valle, A., Cabanach, R., Rodríguez, S., & Castejón, J. L. (2008). Intellectual Abilities, Thinking Styles, and Academic Achievement. In A. Valle, J. C. Núñez, R. G. Cabanach, J. A. González-Pienda, & S. Rodríguez (Eds.), Handbook of instructional resources and their applications in the classroom (pp. 45–66). NY: Nova Science.

Rosário, P., Mourão, R., Núñez, J. C., González-Pienda, J. A., & Solano, P. (2008). Storytelling as a promoter of Self-Regulated Learning (SRL) throughout schooling. In A. Valle, J. C. Núñez, R. G. Cabanach, J. A. González-Pienda, & S. Rodríguez (Eds.), Handbook of instructional resources and their applications in the classroom (pp. 107–122). NY: Nova Science.

Valle, A., Cabanach, R. G., Rodríguez, S., Núñez, J. C., González-Pienda, J. A., Solano, P., & Rosário, P. (2007). A motivational perspective on the self-regulated learning in higher education. In P. B. Richards (Ed.), Global issues in higher education (pp. 99–125). New York: Nova Science Publishers.

Valle, A., Núñez, J. C., Cabanach, R., González-Pienda, J., Rodríguez, S., Rosário, P., Cerezo, R., & Muñoz-Cadavid, M. (2008). Self-Regulated Profiles and Academic Achievement. Psicothema, 20(4), 724–731. (ISI Impact Factor, 0.965)

Julio González-Pienda. Psychology Department of University of Oviedo, Plaza Feijoo s/n, 33003, Oviedo, España. E-mail: julioag@uniovi.es; Web site: www.uniovi.es/zope/departamentos/Psicologia

Current themes of research:

Self-regulated learning. Family and school relations. Mathematics education. Motivation and school achievement.

Most relevant publications in the field of Psychology of Education:

González-Pienda, J., Núnez, J., Gonzalez-Pumarienga, S., Alvarez, L., Roces, C., González, P., Bernardo, A., Valle, A., Cabanach, R., Rodríguez, S., & Rosário, P. (2004). Estilos de Pensamiento: análisis de su validez estructural a través de las respuestas de adolescentes al Thinking Styles Inventory, Psicothema, 16(1), 139–148. (ISI Impact Factor, 0.965).

Núñez, J. C., González-Pienda, Bernardo, A., Alvarez, L., Rosário, P., Valle, A., Cabanach, R., Rodríguez, S., & Castejón, J. L. (2008). Intellectual Abilities, Thinking Styles, and Academic Achievement. In A. Valle, J. C. Núñez, R. G. Cabanach, J. A. González-Pienda, & S. Rodríguez (Eds.), Handbook of instructional resources and their applications in the classroom (pp. 45–66). NY: Nova Science.

Rosário,P., Costa, M., Núñez, J. C., González-Pienda, J., Solano, P., & Valle, A. (2009). Academic Procrastination: Associations with personal, school, and family variables. Spanish Journal of Psychology, 12(1), 118–127. (ISI Impact Factor, 0.558).

Valle, A., Cabanach, R. G., Rodríguez, S., Núñez, J. C., González-Pienda, J. A., Solano, P., & Rosário, P. (2007). A motivational perspective on the self-regulated learning in higher education. In P. B. Richards (Ed.), Global issues in higher education (pp. 99–125). New York: Nova Science Publishers.

Núñez, J. C., Solano, P., González-Pienda, J., & Rosário, P. (2006). El aprendizaje autorregulado como medio y meta de la educación. Papeles del Psicólogo, 2(3), 139–146.

António Valle. Department of Developmental and Educational Psychology, University of A Coruña, Campus de Elviña, 15071, A Coruña, España. E-mail: vallar@udc.es; Web site: http://www.udc.es/dep/psee

Current themes of research:

Goals. Self-regulated learning. Higher education. School achievement.

Most relevant publications in the field of Psychology of Education:

Valle, A., Cabanach, R. G., Rodríguez, S., Núñez, J. C., González-Pienda, J. A., Solano, P., & Rosário, P. (2007). A motivational perspective on the self-regulated learning in higher education. In P. B. Richards (Ed.), Global issues in higher education (pp. 99–125). New York: Nova Science Publishers.

Valle, A., Núñez, J. C., Cabanach, R., González-Pienda, J., Rodríguez, S., Rosário, P., Cerezo, R., & Muñoz-Cadavid, M. (2008). Self-Regulated Profiles and Academic Achievement. Psicothema, 20(4), 724–731.

Valle, A., Núñez, J. C., Cabanach, R., González-Pienda, J., Rodríguez, S., & Rosário, P. (2009). Academic Goals and Learning Quality in Higher Education Students. Spanish Journal of Psychology, 12(1), 96–105.

Valle, A., Núñez, J. C., Cabanach, R., Rodríguez, S., González-Pienda, J., & Rosário, P. (2009) Perfiles Motivacionales en Estudiantes de Secundaria: Análisis Diferencial en Estrategias Cognitivas, Estrategias de Autorregulación y Rendimiento Académico. Revista Mexicana de Psicología, 26 (1), 113–124.

Valle, A., Cabanach, R. G., Núñez, J. C., González-Pienda, J. A., Rodríguez, S., & Piñeiro, I. (2003). Multiple goals, motivation and academic learning. British Journal of Educational Psychology, 73, 71–87.

Luísa Trigo. Psychology Department of University Católica Portuguesa, Rua Diogo Botelho 1327, 4169 - 005 Porto, Portugal. E-mail: mtrigo@porto.ucp.pt; Web site: http://www.porto.ucp.pt, www.guia-psiedu.com

Current themes of research:

Self-regulated learning. Approaches to learning. Higher education.

Carina Guimarães. Psychology Department of University Beira Interior, Convento de Sto. António, 6201-001 Covilhã, Portugal. E-mail: scmg@ubi.pt; Web site: http://www.ubi.pt, www.guia-psiedu.com

Current themes of research:

Self-regulate learning. Approaches to learning. Higher education.

Most relevant publications in the field of Psychology of Education:

Rosário, P., Almeida, L. S., Guimarães, C., Faria, A., Prata, L., Dias, M., & Nuñez, C. (2001). Como enfrentam os alunos universitários as suas tarefas académicas? Um enfoque sobre o ano escolar e a sua relação com o rendimento escolar. Revista Galego-Portuguesa de Psicoloxia e Educación, 5(7), 429–437.

Rosário, P., Almeida, L. S., Guimarães, C., & Pacheco, M. (2001). Como estudam os alunos de elevado rendimento académico? Uma análise centrada nas estratégias de auto-regulação. Sobredotação, 2(1), 103–116.

Rosário, P., Trigo, J., & Guimarães, C. (2003). Estórias para estudar, histórias sobre o estudar: narrativas auto-regulatórias na sala de aula. Revista Portuguesa de Educação, 16(2), 117–133.

This study was supported, in Portugal, partially by a grant of Fundação para a Ciência e a Tecnologia/Foundation for Science and Technology, Portugal (PTDC/CED/66503/2006) to the first author, and in Spain by the Ministerio de Educación y Ciencia/Education and Science Ministry (MEC06-SEJ2006-08814) to the second author.

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Rosário, P., Núñez, J.C., González-Pienda, J. et al. Enhancing self-regulation and approaches to learning in first-year college students: a narrative-based programme assessed in the Iberian Peninsula. Eur J Psychol Educ 25, 411–428 (2010). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10212-010-0020-y

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10212-010-0020-y

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