COGNITIVE ABILITIES AND SELF-REGULATED LEARNING AMONG UNDERGRADUATE STUDENTS: A COMPARATIVE ANALYSIS OF PUBLIC AND PRIVATE UNIVERSITIES IN LAHORE, PAKISTAN

Abstract

Cognitive abilities play a crucial role in students’ learning by indulging their capacities to gain, ensue and apply knowledge commendably. Self-regulated Learning (SRL) embraces to plan, monitor, and evaluate their own learning for academic success in higher education. Regardless of the rising emphasis on preparing self-regulated learners, a few researches examined the relationship between cognitive abilities and   self-regulated learning in Pakistan, particularly in different academic disciplines and institutional premises. Therefore, this study purposes to investigate the relationship between students' cognitive abilities and self-regulated learning among undergraduate students enrolled in the Departments of Education, Psychology, and English at the University of the Punjab (PU) and the University of Management and Technology (UMT), Lahore. A quantitative correlational research is employed. The sample of the study consisted of 600 students from the three departments (Education, English and Psychology) by employing purposive sampling technique. Descriptive statistics, Pearson product-moment correlation, independent-samples t-tests, one-way ANOVA, and multiple regression analysis is done by using SPSS to examine the relationship between the variables and differences across universities and academic disciplines. The findings of the study provided empirical evidence that cognitive abilities foster self-regulated learning among university students. The study may also assist educators, curriculum developers, and policymakers in designing instructional strategies and interventions that enhance students' independent learning, academic engagement, and overall educational outcomes in higher education institutions.