Positive learning environment, academic engagement and self-regulated learning in high school students

From the perspective of positive environment theory, supportive environments, can promote student successful academic adaptation. Accordingly, student academic success is the result of academic adaptation, and can be assessed via means of academic engagement and self-regulated learning. Thus, the aim of the present study was to test the relationship between positive learning environments (POLE), academic engagement and self-regulated learning in high school students. Using a cross-sectional design, participants included 166 freshmen high school students, 76 participants of the sample were male (45.8%) and 90 were female (54.2%). Mean age was 15.2 (S.D. = .43). Before participation informed consent was obtained from parents and assent from participants. Students answered a questionnaire regarding academic support given by parents, pro-academic friends, positive family environment, and academic engagement and self-regulated learning. Using Structural Equation Modeling the results demonstrated (p<.05) that POLE represented a latent factor formed by parental academic support, pro-academic friends and positive family environment. The structural model showed that POLE was positively related to academic engagement (structural coefficient= .80); also, academic engagement was related with self-regulated learning (structural coefficient= .55) and explained 30% of student self-regulated learning. Results suggest that POLE could promote academic engagement and self-regulated learning.