What is it about?
Among a multitude of variables that are involved in self-regulated learning and that define the student’s profile, we find learning strategies and academic motivation. The aim of this study was to analyze relationships between learning strategies, attitude toward study, self-concept, and academic achievement. A total of 519 students from upper primary education in Cantabria (Spain) were participants in this cross-sectional study, which used non-experimental, descriptive, correlational methodology. The results confirmed a tendency for greater use of learning strategies, along with optimal motivation towards schoolwork, to be positively related to overall academic achievement. Moreover, low-medium-high levels of learning strategy use and of academic motivation were differentially associated with academic achievement. This study has confirmed that complementary learning strategies such as group work or extracurricular activities, as well as academic self-concept, are predictive of achievement in the subjects considered, as well as of academic achievement in general. Educational contexts that take into account learning strategies and academic motivation are called for, both as a means and as an end in themselves, in order to achieve meaningful, practical and functional learning that leads to higher academic achievement.
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Why is it important?
The article provides evidence on how learning strategies and academic motivation relate to school performance in Language, Mathematics, and English among primary school students. It identifies groups of students with varying levels of strategic and motivational use, showing significant differences in achievement. It highlights the importance of academic self-concept and complementary strategies as predictors of academic success, as well as relevant motivational variables in different areas. Although the explained variance is modest, the study emphasizes how limited use of strategies can affect school performance and underscores the need to foster both cognitive skills and motivation to improve learning. Overall, it offers a rigorous scientific framework to understand the impact of strategic and motivational profiles on academic achievement in primary education, with important implications for designing more effective educational interventions.
Perspectives
My goal in writing this article was to provide empirical evidence to understand how learning strategies and academic motivation influence the school performance of primary school students. I approached the topic from an analytical and applied perspective because I consider it crucial to demonstrate that students who more effectively employ self-regulation strategies and maintain optimal motivation achieve better academic results. To me, variables such as academic self-concept and complementary strategies are not only relevant but also act as key predictors of success in fundamental subjects like Language, Mathematics, and English. From this practical perspective, I seek for my findings to serve as a foundation for designing educational programs and learning environments that integrate both cognitive and metacognitive strategies as well as motivational components.
Marta Martínez-Vicente
Universidad Internacional de La Rioja
Read the Original
This page is a summary of: Strategic-motivational profile and academic achievement in primary school students, Educación XX1, January 2023, UNED - Universidad Nacional de Educacion a Distancia,
DOI: 10.5944/educxx1.31852.
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