Patterns of Self-Regulatory Strategy Use Among Low-Achieving and High-Achieving University Students

The present mixed-methods study attempts to provide insights into the nature, idiosyncrasies, and inter-and intra-individual patterns of academic self-regulatory strategy use among two different populations of university students. Low-achieving (n = 49) and high-achieving students (n = 131) described their self-regulatory strategy use in their academic work in postsecondary academic contexts. The "five top" strategies showed that there were differences as well as similarities in self-regulatory strategy use among the two groups of students. Provocative findings revealed within-and between-group differences in the patterns of self-regulatory strategy use among low achievers and high achievers, with some of the patterns cutting across both groups of students. Implications for gifted education are discussed.