Abstract

Being able to properly regulate one’s own learning positively impacts student’s academic performance. Hence the relevance of understanding what they are, how they articulate, and how they change learning strategies and motivation patterns across academic training. Our aims are: (a) to describe cognitive / metacognitive learning strategies and motivation patterns used by students (mean and standard deviation); (b) to analyze the correlations between both groups of variables (Pearson’s index correlation); (c) to compare above results according to the basic level (1st year) and the higher level (5th year) of academic training (Student’s t test). The quantitative ex post facto study was based on the Argentine version of the MSLQ (Motivated Strategies Learning Questionnaire), also called MSLQe; it was applied to 114 students of Psychopedagogy. The results showed the following: (a) a varied repertoire of learning strategies and motivation patterns; (b) a greater use of metacognitive strategies for self-regulation, as well as of strategies for time and study environment management, was associated with higher levels of motivational patterns of goal orientation, task assessment, control beliefs, and self-efficacy of students; (c) statistical differences according to the academic cycle: in favor of the students who were beginners in cognitive strategies of review, metacognitive self-regulation, and organization; while the scores were higher for the advanced students in relation to critical thinking. Likewise, regarding the motivation patterns, the advanced students showed more tendencies towards intrinsic orientation goals, whereas the beginners did it in extrinsic motivation goals, beliefs of control and of self-efficacy, and anxiety. It is possible to conclude that the academic formation made possible a hierarchical integration of both superficial and deep strategies, as well as internal and external motivation patterns of the students. Thus, this article contributes to an analysis of cognitive dimensions (cold and warm), as contextually situated (initial and final levels of academic formation), of the learning strategies and motivation patterns of university students.

Keywords: Learning strategies; motivational patterns; MSLQe; university students