Weaving School and Life Involvements: Exploring Self-Regulatory Process of Adult Students in Online Distance Education Courses

Nur Aira Abdrahim, Universiti Putra Malaysia (UPM)

Abstract

This study presents a new understanding of how adult students engage in the self-regulatory process. Based on the social cognitive model of self-regulated learning (SRL), a qualitative study was conducted to inductively explore the adult students’ self-regulatory process in online distance education (DE) courses. In addition to being registered as online DE students, all participants were purposively recruited to meet the age requirements of being 25-years and older and having a self-supporting job and/or key family commitments. The findings broadly suggest the adaptive nature of the adult students’ self-regulatory process; influenced by their online distance course settings and requirements as well as their broader life involvements and responsibilities as adults.

Keywords: distance learning, online learning, adult learners, adult students, nontraditional students, self-regulated learning