Fostering self-regulated learning in blended learning environments in higher education

This dissertation explores how self-regulated learning (SRL) strategies can be effectively supported and sustained in blended learning environments (BLEs) in higher education. It focuses on identifying, developing, and testing instructional strategies to support SRL, examining the roles of teacher and student characteristics, and assessing the impact of explicit, implicit, and combined approaches on academic success and SRL development over time.
The research comprises four studies: a systematic literature review, a survey, an experiment, and a mixed-methods follow-up. The review identified effective interactional methods and assessment tools for supporting and applying SRL in BLEs. Most studies emphasized metacognitive strategies, while motivational and management strategies received limited attention. The survey showed that SRL receives little attention in BLEs’ online components. Teachers with online experience focused more on metacognitive and management strategies. Older students used cognitive strategies more than younger peers, and students’ use of human and non-human interactional methods was positively related to their SRL strategy use.
The experiment found that explicit SRL instruction significantly improved students’ use of cognitive, metacognitive, motivational, and management strategies, as well as academic performance and persistence. Students with initially low SRL skills benefited the most. The mixed-methods follow-up included focus group interviews, which revealed that students in the explicit instruction group demonstrated proactive SRL behaviors. However, quantitative data collected one year later showed that these improvements declined without continued support.
Based on our findings, we highlight the importance of ongoing, structured SRL support. Embedding SRL systematically into curricula can strengthen student learning, reduce dropout, and support academic resilience in blended learning environments in higher education.