Exploring Academic Self-Concept, Learning Goal Orientation, and Years of Study as Predictors of University Students’ Affective Learning Outcomes
Research on learning in higher education focuses heavily on cognitive factors and academic performance. However, affective learning outcomes are crucial for overcoming learning difficulties and for personal development. Consequently, this study explores which personal factors are associated with affective learning outcomes among university students. We consider academic self-concept, learning goal orientation, and years of study as personal factors, and politeness, trustworthiness, cooperation, support, and friendship as affective learning outcomes. We collected data from 200 university students who provided self-ratings on the study variables via an online survey. Correlation and multiple regression analyses revealed that academic self-concept was the most strongly related to affective learning outcomes. Unexpectedly, years of study did not show any significant effects. In our discussion, we address the theoretical, methodological, and practical challenges of research and development activities on affective learning in higher education.