Self-regulated Learning and Scientific Reading in Pre- service Teachers. An Exploratory Study

Two skills that need improvement during the university stage are self-regulated learning (SRL) and the reading of scientific texts. The objective of this study is to assess SRL, the profile of scientific reading, and the relationship between these variables in a sample of 1,253 students pursuing a Bachelor's degree in Early Childhood and Primary Education. A descriptive and cross-sectional selective study was designed. A digital questionnaire was administered, including socio-demographic data, the range of scientific articles read in a semester, and the adapted SRSI-SR instrument to measure SRL. The results revealed significant differences in the mean SRL score in favour of women but not by the degree studied or the academic year. The range of scientific readings was less than three scientific articles per semester for more than half of the sample, with better results in women and second-year students. All scores on the adapted SRSI-SR scale improved with an increase in scientific reading. These findings suggest that increasing scientific reading in education students can enhance their self-regulated learning skills, also promoting critical thinking and voluntary selection of scientific readings by students.