Faculty Mentor
Dr. Ty Boyer
Location
Russell Union Ballroom
Type of Research
On-going
Session Format
Poster Presentation
College
Jack Averitt College of Graduate Studies
Department
Psychology
Abstract
During the first semester of college, students experience drastic changes in their independence, and learning strategies. This transitional period from high school to the first semester of college requires researchers to understand students’ self-regulated learning (SRL) processes during their first year. It is important to understand the connection between students’ experiences, learning strategies, and persistence in college. Knowledge on this connection can support funding for institutional resources like first-year seminar classes. These classes can improve students’ commitment for graduating on time, and academic achievement. For this reason, the proposed project aims to investigate students’ engagement in SRL by answering the following research question: How do students characterize shifts in their engagement in SRL? A multi-method approach was used to sample college students (N=1385) enrolled at a large public university in the Southeast, where students completed two self-report surveys. This approach allowed students to reflect on their first-semester experiences at college. Qualitative analyses are on-going, but aims to gain a deeper understanding of SRL. Findings will support future students during their first year of college.
Program Description
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DOI
10.20429/GS4.2026.006
Start Date
4-23-2026 10:00 AM
End Date
4-23-2026 12:00 PM
Recommended Citation
Rodriguez, Nancy E. and Brady, Anna C., "Exploring the Changes in First-Year Students’ Self-Regulated Learning from High School to College" (2026). GS4 Student Scholars Symposium. 71.
https://digitalcommons.georgiasouthern.edu/research_symposium/2026/2026/71
Exploring the Changes in First-Year Students’ Self-Regulated Learning from High School to College
Russell Union Ballroom
During the first semester of college, students experience drastic changes in their independence, and learning strategies. This transitional period from high school to the first semester of college requires researchers to understand students’ self-regulated learning (SRL) processes during their first year. It is important to understand the connection between students’ experiences, learning strategies, and persistence in college. Knowledge on this connection can support funding for institutional resources like first-year seminar classes. These classes can improve students’ commitment for graduating on time, and academic achievement. For this reason, the proposed project aims to investigate students’ engagement in SRL by answering the following research question: How do students characterize shifts in their engagement in SRL? A multi-method approach was used to sample college students (N=1385) enrolled at a large public university in the Southeast, where students completed two self-report surveys. This approach allowed students to reflect on their first-semester experiences at college. Qualitative analyses are on-going, but aims to gain a deeper understanding of SRL. Findings will support future students during their first year of college.
