We will present and discuss data collected with the help of a standardized questionnaire measuring university students’ self-regulatory strategy use, their motivated learning behavior and their self-efficacy beliefs in various study abroad contexts in Europe.
Self-regulatory strategy use in study abroad contexts is not only important because it can help students achieve their goals in often unfamiliar contexts but this strategy use can also relate to other individual difference variables that are equally important in achieving academic success. The aim of the present study is to analyze data collected with the help of a standardized questionnaire measuring students’ self-regulatory strategy use, their motivated learning behavior and their self-efficacy beliefs. Self-regulatory strategy use was measured before, during and after study abroad. 412 students (both incoming and outgoing) currently or recently on European study abroad answered the on-line questionnaire. In the data analysis, first we used factor analysis to establish the validity of our latent constructs. Next, descriptive statistics were employed to describe students’ dispositions towards the different latent dimensions. Finally, employing correlational and regression analyses the interrelationships of these variables were investigated. Given the fact that significant relationships were found between self-efficacy for study abroad and motivated behavior and different aspects of self-regulation, before, during and after study abroad, it needs to be highlighted that students should be helped to establish gains in self-regulation, self-efficacy and motivation. In our conclusion, we will not only propose future research directions, but also offer pedagogical and training implications as well.
