Abstract
Learning strategies, emotional intelligence, and academic performance have been proposed as variables with great impacts on language learning processes, which can be reinforced in distance university education. In this educational modality, learning is completely autonomous and independent, which implies the need to develop particular skills that make it possible to take advantage of previously provided learning experiences and resources. This chapter reports a study on the relationships between learning strategies, emotional intelligence, and academic performance in a course of English 3. Data were collected from a sample of 132 students in distance education at a university in Spain. For the analysis of the variables, a non-experimental design was used, making use of descriptive and correlational statistics. The results showed a high average rating on the learning strategies scales, as well as adequate understanding and emotional regulation in the students, in contrast to emotional perception, a dimension that obtained a low average rating.
Top1. Introduction
Students who opt for distance education are acknowledged to employ self-regulation to succeed on the learning journey, suggesting the need for learners’ greater responsibility, dedication, and effort. Their learning does not depend primarily on the teacher but results from their interaction with learning resources, technologies, and other people, which differs from face-to-face traditional education. Learning becomes autonomous and independent, requiring maximum development of students’ cognitive, affective, and procedural potential (Moore & Fodrey, 2021).
Learning strategies, an individual learner variable, have aroused great interest from the academic community. Learning strategies enable the development of skills, autonomous processes, and strategies that allow learners to accomplish their studies. Strategies can be conceived as promoters of independent and autonomous learning (Hajar, 2019). Also, the literature on language learning strategies suggests behavioral, cognitive, social, and affective dimensions (Bui et al., 2023). According to Mandasari and Oktaviani (2018), explorations into second language (L2) learning strategies usually have implications for language education.
Although the existing literature suggests the relationships between learning strategies, emotional intelligence, and academic performance (Guillén et al., 2021; Halimi et al. (2021)), there is scant literature on these learner variables in L2 English contexts and how these variables are related. Considering the implications and challenges of distance education, it is interesting to analyse the university students’ learning strategies and emotional intelligence in this modality. The dynamics, means, and mediations of their learning processes differ from those of students whose training is face-to-face. Most of the research on these variables has been conducted on university students in face-to-face education.
To this end, this study aims to identify and analyse the relationship between learning strategies, emotional intelligence, and academic performance in a sample of university students taking the subject of English 3 in the open and distance modality. The intention is to provide a descriptive basis on which to generate intervention strategies that respond to students' educational and emotional needs, in accordance with the demands and conditions of distance education. To this end, a number of specific objectives have been determined: to conduct a theoretical review on learning strategies and emotional intelligence in university education; to identify and analyse the dimensions of students’ emotional intelligence and the use of learning strategies; and to study the relationship between learning strategies, emotional intelligence, and students’ academic performance.
Key Terms in this Chapter
Learning Strategies: A learning strategy is an individual’s way of organizing and using a particular set of skills to learn content or accomplish other tasks more effectively and efficiently.
Academic Performance: Academic performance is the measurement of student achievement across various academic subjects. Teachers typically measure achievement using classroom performance, graduation rates, and results from standardized tests
Emotional Intelligence: Emotional intelligence is defined as the ability to understand and manage one’s emotions, as well as recognize and influence the emotions of those around. The term was first coined in 1990 by researchers John Mayer and Peter Salovey but was later popularized by psychologist Daniel Goleman.
University Students: Undergraduates are students at universities and colleges who have graduated from high school and have been accepted to college, but they have not graduated yet.
Distance Education: Distance education is the education of students who may not always be physically present at school, or where the learner and teacher are separated in both time and distance.