An Investigation of How Foundation Learners Perceive Their Use of Learning Strategies

Abstract

Transitioning from school to higher education institutions, learners may face many challenges, especially in coping with the new cultures of tertiary education. Learners entering universities come from a broad spectrum of diverse backgrounds, including various types of public and private secondary schools such as Full Boarding Schools, Vocational Colleges and Technical High Schools, Government-Aided Religious Schools, National Religious Secondary Schools, Sports Schools, Art Schools, The Royal Military Academy, MARA Junior Colleges of Science (MRSM), and many other private schools. Thus, it is pivotal that learning styles and strategies are redesigned to adapt to the demands of university education. The present study aims to discover the perception of learning strategy utilization among foundation studies learners. This quantitative research explores the relationship among cognitive, metacognitive self-regulation, and resource management as components of learning strategies as propounded by Wenden and Rubin (1987). A purposive sample of 297 participants, randomly selected among learners at the Centre of Foundation Studies, Universiti Teknologi MARA, responded to the survey. The survey utilized a 5-point Likert scale which comprises four sections. The results indicate that the three components of learning strategies positively correlate with one another. In addition, it is also found that metacognitive self-regulation positively influences learners by guiding them in supervising their learning process and resolving their confusion by referring back to their reading materials and seeking help from their peers. This finding is crucial to aid educators in employing suitable learning strategies for foundation learners to prepare them for their degree studies.