Self-regulated learning in STEM: non-academics matter

This study examines the self-reflections of first-year life science students enrolled in introductory biology courses across three institution types. Using an abductive analysis approach, we analyzed written reflections from 390 students to identify recurring non-academic themes and explore how these align with Self-Regulated Learning (SRL) theory. Our findings reveal that many challenges students experienced, such as unexpected academic and social difficulties, the influence of living arrangements, mental burnout, and uncertainty about personal abilities are not explicitly captured within SRL's current categories but nonetheless shape students' engagement with SRL processes. These results highlight the need for earlier, proactive interventions, as many students reported recognizing these issues only late in the semester. We offer practical recommendations for educators and student affairs professionals to better support students by addressing non-academic factors early in their college experience. We frame these non-academic influences as contextual factors that interact with students' self-reflection (including self-judgment and self-reaction), and we identify them as important areas for future exploration.