How undergraduate engineering students regulate their learning: a qualitative comparison between different strategy users

While decades of research from cognitive psychology provided insight into effective learning strategies for long-term learning, there is a discrepancy between what research recommends and what students do. We investigated first-year engineering students' knowledge and use of learning strategies, and how they experience and adapt to learning strategy instruction. We conducted three focus group discussions with 18 students and took an in-depth qualitative approach of thematic analysis and crafted stories. While all students showed accurate knowledge about effective learning strategies, only highly self-regulated students also used these strategies outside class. Idiosyncratic ideas or a minimal effort approach towards studying hindered effective strategy use during self-study. The crafted stories provided an in-depth insight into factors that drive engineering students to apply specific learning strategies (or not) and their openness towards behaviour change based on teacher instruction: students' self-concept and study motivation, student-teacher interaction, and the role of assessment as driver for learning.