Exploration of self-regulatory behaviours of undergraduate nursing students learning to teach: A social cognitive perspective

Self-regulated learning is a model of learning situated in social cognitive theory that views learners as active participants in their learning. Similarly, peer-learning is a pedagogical approach that assigns greater autonomy to the student and known to enhance student learning. The objective of this study was to determine the self-regulated learning strategies used by final year undergraduate nursing students enrolled in a teaching unit that included a component of peer-teaching. A mixed methods study was conducted across four campuses of one university. Three hundred and five undergraduate nursing students completed The Motivational Strategy for Learning Questionnaire and fourteen students consented to interviews. Key findings included the high level of reported motivational and learning strategies used by students in their approach to learning, and in their roles as near-peer teachers. Learning strategies were associated with higher-order learning and near-peer teaching enhanced shared regulation using dyadic teaching. This study has shown how participating in a formal teaching unit prior to graduating may positively influence self-regulatory behaviours and increase student confidence and is therefore uniquely situated to promoting students’ anticipatory control over similar opportunities in the clinical setting once they graduate. •Teaching embedded into curriculum prepares students for teaching once they graduate.•Learning to teach increases student confidence and self-regulatory strategy use.•Dyadic teaching enhances socially shared metacognition.•Affective behaviours and prior experience influences the way students learn to teach.