Volume 13, Issue 8 (August 2026), Pages: 108-118

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 Original Research Paper

Exploring self-regulated learning challenges and support needs: A qualitative study of Chinese higher vocational students

 Author(s): 

Liyue Dong ^{1, 2}, Marlissa Binti Omar ^1, *, Mohamad Zuber Bin Abd Majid ¹

 Affiliation(s):

¹Faculty of Education, Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia, Selangor, Malaysia
²Faculty of Economics and Management, Jilin Provincial College of Economic Management, Changchun City, China

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 * Corresponding Author. 

   Corresponding author's ORCID profile:  https://orcid.org/0000-0002-6977-0746

 Digital Object Identifier (DOI)

 
https://doi.org/10.21833/ijaas.2026.08.010

 Abstract

This study explores the self-regulated learning (SRL) challenges and support needs of Chinese higher vocational students. Through semi-structured interviews with 8 students and thematic analysis, this study identified specific difficulties across all three SRL phases. The findings show that in the forethought phase, students struggled with vague goals and unstable motivation. During the performance phase, they faced issues such as poor attention management, limited use of learning strategies, and inefficient time management. In the reflection phase, their self-evaluation tended to be superficial, and their learning confidence was easily undermined. To address these challenges, students expressed a need for phased, personalized, and emotionally supportive tools, especially those powered by artificial intelligence (AI). These findings provide important insights for designing targeted educational support solutions for vocational learners.

 © 2026 The Authors. Published by IASE.

 This is an open access article under the CC BY-NC-ND license (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/).

 Keywords

Self-regulated learning, Vocational education, Learning challenges, Learning support, Artificial intelligence

 Article history

Received 12 April 2026, Received in revised form 5 August 2026, Accepted 15 August 2026

 Acknowledgment

No Acknowledgment. 

 Compliance with ethical standards

 Ethical considerations

This study was conducted in accordance with applicable ethical guidelines for research involving human participants. Informed consent was obtained from all participants prior to the interviews. Participation was voluntary, and participants were informed of their right to withdraw. All personal information was anonymized, and confidentiality was maintained throughout the study. 

 Citation:

Dong L, Omar MB, and Majid MZBA (2026). Exploring self-regulated learning challenges and support needs: A qualitative study of Chinese higher vocational students. International Journal of Advanced and Applied Sciences, 13(8): 108-118

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