The challenge of change: understanding the role of habits in university students' self-regulated learning (2024)

David, L., Biwer, F., Crutzen, R. (2024). The challenge of change: understanding the role of habits in university students' self-regulated learning. Higher Education. Advance online publication. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10734-024-01199-w

David, Louise ; Biwer, Felicitas ; Crutzen, Rik et al. / The challenge of change : understanding the role of habits in university students' self-regulated learning. In: Higher Education. 2024.

@article{d36faf396af6493f8ba96fb006d6ab28,

title = "The challenge of change: understanding the role of habits in university students' self-regulated learning",

abstract = "Study habits drive a large portion of how university students study. Some of these habits are not effective in fostering academic achievement. To support students in breaking old, ineffective habits and forming new, effective study habits, an in-depth understanding of what students' study habits look like and how they are both formed and broken is needed. Therefore, in this study, we explored these aspects among first-year university students in six focus group discussions (N = 29). Using a thematic analysis approach, we clustered the data in five themes: Goals Matter, Balancing Perceived Efficiency and Effectiveness when Studying, Navigating Student Life: from Structured Routines to Self-Regulation Challenges, the Quest for Effective Habits with Trying to Break Free From the Screen as subtheme, and the Motivation Roller Coaster. Findings suggest that students had different study habits depending on their goals. Students had quite accurate metacognitive knowledge about effective learning strategies for long-term learning, but often used other learning strategies they deemed most efficient in reaching their goals. Students indicated intentions to change, but did not prioritize change as their current habits enabled them to pass exams and change was not perceived as adding value. Fluctuations in motivation and transitioning to a self-regulated life hampered students' intentions to form new and break old habits. Next to insights into factors affecting students' behavioral change intentions, the findings suggest the importance of aligning assessment methods with life-long learning and supporting students in their long-term academic goal setting to prioritize study habits which target lasting learning to optimally foster their self-regulated learning.",

keywords = "Habits, Desirable difficulties, Self-regulated learning, Behavioral change, Higher education, FUTURE TIME PERSPECTIVE, COLLEGE-STUDENTS, STRATEGIES, REFLECTIONS, BEHAVIOR, ASSOCIATION, RETRIEVAL, EDUCATION",

author = "Louise David and Felicitas Biwer and Rik Crutzen and {de Bruin}, Anique",

year = "2024",

month = apr,

day = "1",

doi = "10.1007/s10734-024-01199-w",

language = "English",

journal = "Higher Education",

issn = "0018-1560",

publisher = "Springer",

}

David, L, Biwer, F, Crutzen, R 2024, 'The challenge of change: understanding the role of habits in university students' self-regulated learning', Higher Education. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10734-024-01199-w

The challenge of change: understanding the role of habits in university students' self-regulated learning. / David, Louise; Biwer, Felicitas; Crutzen, Rik et al.
In: Higher Education, 01.04.2024.

Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › Academic › peer-review

TY - JOUR

T1 - The challenge of change

T2 - understanding the role of habits in university students' self-regulated learning

AU - David, Louise

AU - Biwer, Felicitas

AU - Crutzen, Rik

AU - de Bruin, Anique

PY - 2024/4/1

Y1 - 2024/4/1

N2 - Study habits drive a large portion of how university students study. Some of these habits are not effective in fostering academic achievement. To support students in breaking old, ineffective habits and forming new, effective study habits, an in-depth understanding of what students' study habits look like and how they are both formed and broken is needed. Therefore, in this study, we explored these aspects among first-year university students in six focus group discussions (N = 29). Using a thematic analysis approach, we clustered the data in five themes: Goals Matter, Balancing Perceived Efficiency and Effectiveness when Studying, Navigating Student Life: from Structured Routines to Self-Regulation Challenges, the Quest for Effective Habits with Trying to Break Free From the Screen as subtheme, and the Motivation Roller Coaster. Findings suggest that students had different study habits depending on their goals. Students had quite accurate metacognitive knowledge about effective learning strategies for long-term learning, but often used other learning strategies they deemed most efficient in reaching their goals. Students indicated intentions to change, but did not prioritize change as their current habits enabled them to pass exams and change was not perceived as adding value. Fluctuations in motivation and transitioning to a self-regulated life hampered students' intentions to form new and break old habits. Next to insights into factors affecting students' behavioral change intentions, the findings suggest the importance of aligning assessment methods with life-long learning and supporting students in their long-term academic goal setting to prioritize study habits which target lasting learning to optimally foster their self-regulated learning.

AB - Study habits drive a large portion of how university students study. Some of these habits are not effective in fostering academic achievement. To support students in breaking old, ineffective habits and forming new, effective study habits, an in-depth understanding of what students' study habits look like and how they are both formed and broken is needed. Therefore, in this study, we explored these aspects among first-year university students in six focus group discussions (N = 29). Using a thematic analysis approach, we clustered the data in five themes: Goals Matter, Balancing Perceived Efficiency and Effectiveness when Studying, Navigating Student Life: from Structured Routines to Self-Regulation Challenges, the Quest for Effective Habits with Trying to Break Free From the Screen as subtheme, and the Motivation Roller Coaster. Findings suggest that students had different study habits depending on their goals. Students had quite accurate metacognitive knowledge about effective learning strategies for long-term learning, but often used other learning strategies they deemed most efficient in reaching their goals. Students indicated intentions to change, but did not prioritize change as their current habits enabled them to pass exams and change was not perceived as adding value. Fluctuations in motivation and transitioning to a self-regulated life hampered students' intentions to form new and break old habits. Next to insights into factors affecting students' behavioral change intentions, the findings suggest the importance of aligning assessment methods with life-long learning and supporting students in their long-term academic goal setting to prioritize study habits which target lasting learning to optimally foster their self-regulated learning.

KW - Habits

KW - Desirable difficulties

KW - Self-regulated learning

KW - Behavioral change

KW - Higher education

KW - FUTURE TIME PERSPECTIVE

KW - COLLEGE-STUDENTS

KW - STRATEGIES

KW - REFLECTIONS

KW - BEHAVIOR

KW - ASSOCIATION

KW - RETRIEVAL

KW - EDUCATION

U2 - 10.1007/s10734-024-01199-w

DO - 10.1007/s10734-024-01199-w

M3 - Article

SN - 0018-1560

JO - Higher Education

JF - Higher Education

ER -

David L, Biwer F, Crutzen R, de Bruin A. The challenge of change: understanding the role of habits in university students' self-regulated learning. Higher Education. 2024 Apr 1. Epub 2024 Apr 1. doi: 10.1007/s10734-024-01199-w