Motivational and Self Regulated Learning Components of Academic Performance

This investigation is concerned with the examination of cognitive, motivational and emotional components of learning strategies and with the ways in which combinations of those dimensions, are associated with academic achievement. Recent models of self-regulated learning stress the importance of integrating both motivational and cognitive components of learning (Garcia & Pintrich, 1994; Pintrich, 1994; Pintrich & Schrauben, 1992).The purpose of this study was twofold: first to gather psychometric information regarding the Learning and Study Strategies Inventory (LASSI) in Italian sample and second to analyze the relationship between student's academic performance and scales of LASSI. Data were provided by 412 Italian university students from 2 faculties: education and physical science. First results showed acceptable psychometric properties of LASSI and suggested a two factor model. Regression analyses revealed that Motivation, Organization and Self-Evaluation emerged as the best predictors of academic performance. These first results showed the importance of reflecting critically upon various aspects influencing the use of adequate self-regulation strategies.