Determination of studying, self-regulated learning skills and learning styles of middle school students with different learning levels

In today's educational context, identifying students' study skills, self-regulated learning abilities, and learning styles has become increasingly important due to the impact these factors have on their future educational and professional lives. Therefore, conducting research in this area is essential. The data obtained may provide guidance in shaping educational policies and planning instructional strategies. Since holistic studies exploring the relationships between these variables among middle school students are relatively limited in the literature, this research aims to fill that gap. The study was conducted using a quantitative research method, employing a cross-sectional design within the framework of the relational survey model. The study group consisted of 162 students (87 girls and 75 boys) from 5th, 6th, 7th, and 8th grades, studying at a public middle school located in the Southeastern Anatolia Region of Turkey. A convenience sampling method was used in selecting the participants. The data collection tools included the Self-Regulated Learning Scale, the Study Habits Questionnaire, and Kolb's Learning Style Inventory-III. During data analysis, frequency distributions, percentages, arithmetic means, standard deviations, and several parametric tests were applied using appropriate statistical software. According to the research findings, no significant differences were observed in students' study habits based on grade level, parental education levels, monthly income, or the presence of a personal study room. However, a significant difference in favor of female students was found regarding gender. In terms of science course grades, significant differences were found in study habits according to grade ranges. Furthermore, daily study time also showed some statistically significant differences. Regarding self-regulated learning skills, no significant differences were observed in relation to gender, grade level, mother's education level, income level, report card grades, availability of a study room, or daily study hours. However, an increase in the father's education level was associated with higher self-regulation skills among students. The study also revealed no significant relationships between study habits and learning styles, self-regulated learning and learning styles, or study habits and self-regulated learning skills. In conclusion, this study aims to support students in recognizing their individual learning styles and to provide guidance to teachers in developing instructional approaches that accommodate students' personal differences. The findings are expected to serve as a foundation for future research and contribute to the development of effective educational policies.