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Visible Learning™
Visible Learning MetaX™
Version 1.4 – Updated February 2026

Self-regulation strategies

Overview

  • Influence: Self-regulation strategies
  • Domain: Student Learning Strategies
  • Sub-Domain: Meta-cognitive/self-regulated learning
  • Potential to Accelerate Student Achievement: Potential to accelerate
  • Influence Definition: Self-regulated learner requires motivation (for instance, to attempt to solve a math problem), cognition (to think through the problem), and metacognition (to review whether they are performing the task correctly).

Evidence

  • Number of meta-analyses: 28
  • Number of studies: 1,897
  • Number of students: 396,009
  • Number of effects: 3,818
  • Weighted mean effect size: 0.52
  • Robustness index: 5

Meta-Analyses

Meta-Analyses
Journal Title Author Article Name Year Published Variable Number of Studies Number of Students Number of Effects Effect Size
Dissertation Ragosta The effectiveness of intervention programs to help college students acquire self-regulated learning strategies: A meta-analysis 2010 Self regulation with college students 55 6,669 93 0.34
Dissertation Benz Improving the Quality of E-Learning by Enhancing Self-Regulated Learning: A Synthesis of Research on Self-Regulated Learning and an Implementation of a Scaffolding Concept 2010 Self regulated interventions 44 4,047 44 0.45
Asia Pacific Education Review Zheng The effectiveness of self-regulated learning scaffolds on academic performance in computer-based learning environments: A meta-analysis. 2016 Self-regulated learning strategies 29 2,648 29 0.44
Book Danisman The Effect of Self-regulation on Student Achievement 2017 Self-regulation 346 215,452 346 0.54
Internet and Higher Education Broadbent & Poon Self-regulated learning strategies & academic achievement in online higher education learning environments: A systematic review 2015 Self-regulated learning strategies 12 NA 12 0.26
Egitim Arastirmalari - Eurasian Journal of Educational Research Ergen & Kanadli The Effect of Self-Regulated Learning Strategies on Academic Achievement: A Meta-Analysis Study 2017 Self-regulation strategies 21 NA 21 0.86
Dissertation Dent The Relation Between Self-Regulation and Academic Achievement: A Meta-Analysis Exploring Variation in the Way Constructs are Labeled, Defined, and Measured 2013 Self-regulated learning 145 NA 173 0.56
Dissertation Lavery Self-regulated learning for academic success: An evaluation of instructional techniques. 2008 Self-regulated learning 30 1,937 223 0.46
Educational Research Review Dignath, Buettner, & Langfeldt How can primary school students learn self-regulated learning strategies most effectively?: A meta-analysis on self-regulation training programmes 2008 Self-regulation strategies 30 2,364 263 0.69
Psychological Bulletin Sitzmann & Ely A Meta-Analysis of Self-Regulated Learning in Work-Related Training and Educational Attainment: What We Know and Where We Need o Go 2011 Self-regulation strategies 369 90,380 855 0.37
JAMA pediatrics Pandey, Hale, Das, Goddings, Blakemore, & Viner Effectiveness of universal self-regulation–based interventions in children and adolescents: A systematic review and meta-analysis. 2018 Self-regulation interventions 39 23,098 39 0.42
Educational Research Review Jansen, van Leeuwen, Jannsen, Jak, & Kester Self-regulated learning partially mediates the effect of self-regulated learning interventions on achievement in higher education: A meta-analysis 2019 Self-regulated interventions and correlates 126 NA 284 0.36
The Korean Society of Educational Psychology Kim & Seo The effect of self-regulated learning program: A meta-analysis. 2014 Self-regulated learning 82 NA 289 0.91
Frontiers of Psychology Li, Ye, Tang, Zhou, & Hu What are the effects of self-regulation phases and strategies for Chinese students? A meta-analysis of two decades research of the association between self-regulation and academic performance. 2018 Self-regulated learning 59 23,497 264 0.47
Book de Boer, Donker-Bergstra, Kostons, Korpershoek, & van der Werf Effective strategies for self-regulated learning: A meta-analysis. 2013 Self-regulated learning 55 NA 95 0.66
Contemporary Educational Psychology Theobald Self-regulated learning training programs enhance university students' academic performance, self-regulated learning strategies, and motivation: A meta-analysis. 2021 Self-regulated learning 49 5,786 251 0.38
International Online Journal of Educational Sciences Oz The effect self-regulated learning on students' academic achievement: a metaanalysis. 2021 Self-regulated learning 26 1,799 26 0.73
Psychological Bulletin Robson, Allen, & Howard Self-regulation in childhood as a predictor of future outcomes: A meta-analytic review. 2020 Self-regulated learning 32 NA 32 0.80
Review of Educational Research Ardasheva, Wang, Adesope, & Valentine Exploring effectiveness and moderators of language learning strategy instruction on second language and self-regulated learning outcomes 2017 Self-regulation strategies on achievement 53 NA 43 0.78
Medical education Brydges, Manzone, Shanks, Hatal, Hamstra, Zendejas, & Cook Self-regulated learning in simulation-based training: a systematic review and meta-analysis 2015 Supervised vs non-supervised SRL interventions 19 NA 19 0.34
Frontiers in Psychology Shao, Chen, Wei, Li & Li Effects of regulated learning scaffolding on regulation strategies and academic performance: A meta-analysis. 2023 Self-regulated programs on achievement 46 NA 34 0.50
Conference paper Xu, Zhao, Zhang, Kogut, & Liew Effectiveness of self-regulated learning strategies on academic achievement in online and blended environments: A meta-analysis. 2021 Self-regulation interventions 37 NA 73 0.69
Conference paper Hemmler & Ifenthaler Self-regulated learning strategies in continuing education: A meta-analysis 2024 Self-regulation strategies 32 NA 32 0.68
Frontiers in Psychology Chen The effectiveness of self-regulated learning (SRL) interventions on L2 learning achievement, strategy employment and self-efficacy: A meta-analytic study.  2022 Self-regulation interventions 16 NA 32 0.72
Metacognition and Learning Elhusseini, Tischner, Aspiranti, & Fedewa A quantitative review of the effects of self-regulation interventions on primary and secondary student academic achievement 2022 Self-regulation interventions 46 5,255 150 0.83
Dissertation Hitt A systematic review and meta-analysis of interventions based on metacognition and self-regulation in school-aged mathematics 2023 Self-regulation interventions 60 NA 60 0.46
Journal of Educational Computing Research Cheng, Wang, Ritzhaupt The effects of computational thinking integration in STEM on students' learning performance in K-12 education: A meta-analysis. 2022 Self-regulated strategies on on-line 21 1,327 18 0.85
Conference paper Kurucay, Cetin & Burley The relationship between self-regulated learning strategies and achievement in distance learning: A meta-analysis 2015 Self-regulated learning 18 11,750 18 0.11
TOTAL/AVERAGE 1,897 396,009 3,818 0.56
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