Getachew, Kinde

2 Publications in AERD

Author Publications

Self-Regulated Learning Strategies as Predictors of Perceived Learning Gains among Undergraduate Students in Ethiopian Universities

By Tadesse, Tefera

Despite increasing focus on the importance of self-regulated learning for undergraduate students in universities in recent years, very little is known about its specific features in universities in developing countries, in general, and Ethiopia, in particular. This study examined the relationships of self-regulated learning strategies (SRLSs) with perceived learning and further assessed the relationships within the SRLS components in Ethiopian public universities. For this, the authors adopted Pintrich's self-regulation theory as a guiding framework and used structural equation modeling (SEM) analysis. The sample used in the analysis pooled survey data from three randomly selected public universities and included volunteer undergraduate students having a major in Business and Economics and Engineering and Technology fields (n = 1142; male = 700 and female = 442), with mean age = 21.98 and SD = 2.50. The results indicated that the student SRLS and perceived learning gains scores were average values in terms of the magnitude of those measured variables. A two-step hierarchical regression analysis showed that the five components of SRLS that emerged from SEM analysis significantly predicted students' perceived learning over and above the control variables (Delta R-2 >= 0.38 and 39%) for the total samples. Moreover, the regression results showed that greater predictions were observed for the help-seeking component (0.35 <= beta >= 0.47) than others, significantly positively predicting the perceived learning for the total samples. Overall, the findings of this study indicate that the SRLSs are relevant mechanisms to aid student success in higher education. The implications of the study are highlighted.

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Constructivist learning environments and forms of learning in Ethiopian public universities: testing factor structures and prediction models

By Tadesse, Tefera

While most quality debates about undergraduate education center on topics such as test scores, learning standards, and teacher quality and retention, the environment in which students learn is often neglected. We examined the dimensions of constructivist learning environments and further tested their linkages with student learning experiences across the forms of formal, non-formal, and informal episodes. To this end, the involved a cross-sectional survey design with relevant data from samples (N = 1121, Female = 454 and Male = 663) of volunteer undergraduate students enrolled in three public universities in Ethiopia. Both exploratory factor analysis and confirmatory factor analysis supported the validity of 4-factor learning forms and 5-factor constructivist learning environment scales. Structural equation modeling analysis indicated good fit for these models. Moreover, results of multiple regression analyses illustrated that the domains of constructivist learning environments significantly predicted the different forms of learning, 0.22 <= R-2 >= 0.38, with personal relevance accounting for most of the variation (0.11 <= beta >= 0.38). It was concluded that undergraduate students learn in diverse ways within a constructivist learning environment, but that non-formal learning episodes were relatively rare. This could be attributed to the minimal opportunities that students have had for non-formal learning during the undergraduate years in the studied context. Implications of the findings, limitations in the existing research and suggested improvements are discussed.

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