Relationship between learning strategies and academic performance: a comparison between accreditation of prior experiential learning (APEL) and regular entry undergraduates

Abstract

PurposeThe purpose of this study aims to compare the academic performance and types of learning strategies used by APEL and regular entry undergraduates. It also explored the relationship between the academic performance and the types of learning strategies utilised by these two groups of undergraduate.Design/methodology/approachThis quantitative study involved 400 undergraduates from an open distance learning (ODL) institution. A correlational research design was used in this study. Data were collected through archival data and questionnaire. Independent t-test and Pearson’s correlation analyses were performed using SPSS.FindingsRegular entrants were found to perform slightly better than APEL entrants. There is no significant difference between the types of learning strategies used by APEL and regular entrants. For both groups, the higher performers adopted time and study environment management as well as effort regulation strategies. Besides this, there was no correlation between cognitive skills and peer learning with their academic performance. Meta-cognitive self-regulation and help-seeking which were found to affect the regular entrants’ academic performance did not correlate with those of APEL entrants.Research limitations/implicationsThis study was conducted within only one institution. The generalisation of findings may therefore be limited. Future studies could be conducted to include students from several institutions.Practical implicationsTime management training could be provided to students. Additional support, like foundation courses and supplementary readings, could be provided to APEL entrants to support their learning.Originality/valueThe findings would be beneficial to ODL institutions who offer APEL entry to understand the academic performance and learning strategies used by APEL entrants relative to regular entrants.

Influencia de factores personales e institucionales en el rendimiento académico de estudiantes universitarios mexicanos

“…Autores como Ramos et al (2020) han profundizado en factores personales y han encontrado que, la competencia cognitiva se asocia con el éxito académico. demostraron que los alumnos que estudian sistemáticamente obtienen rendimientos 15 veces superiores, mientras que, aquellos que están motivados por su carrera tienen tres veces mayor posibilidad de obtener mejores calificaciones; lo anterior coincide con Najarro et al (2020) y Tan et al (2021) y Almoslamani (2022) quienes sostienen la importancia de los hábitos de estudio pues cuando los estudiantes tienen un entorno favorable de estudio, adoptan estrategias que les permitan administrar su tiempo y regulan su esfuerzo tienen un mayor desempeño académico que aquellos que no lo hacen. Dicha proactividad e iniciativa de parte del estudiante es importante, Gkorezis et al (2017) encontraron que los estudiantes que buscan información y novedosas experiencias tienen un mayor desempeño en sus tareas académicas.…”