Procrastination and other learning behavioral types in e-learning and their relationship with learning outcomes

Abstract

The aims of this longitudinal study were to describe undergraduates' learning behavioral types in e-learning and to investigate their relationship to learning outcomes over an entire semester. In the first part of the study, 441 students at a national university in Japan were analyzed with regard to their visualization of learning progress. Seven distinct types of learning behavior were identified: (1) procrastination, (2) learning habit, (3) random, (4) diminished drive, (5) early bird, (6) chevron, and (7) catch-up. In the second part of this study, data from 226 students were analyzed. The results showed significant relationships between their learning type and ultimate learning outcomes. The students who exhibited the learning habit type scored significantly higher on the test than those students of the procrastination type. The results imply that regulated learning (i.e., forming a learning habit) could increase learning effectiveness and lead to better learning outcomes in e-learning.