PQ4R Strategy on Undergraduate Students' Academic Performance and Self-Efficacy: An Experimental Study

This experimental study investigates the effects of the PQ4R learning strategy on academic achievement and self-efficacy of undergraduate students in mathematics. The research was of pre-test/post-test control group design and 120 undergraduate students studying at educational department of a university in Pakistan were selected as sample. They were both divided into an experimental group (n=60), which was taught by PQ4R strategy for six weeks, and a control group (n=60), which was taught by traditional ways. Academic achievement was examined using a researcher-constructed uniform test and self-efficacy using the Academic self-efficacy scale. T-tests and ANCOVA analyses were used to analyze the data, which demonstrated that students in the experimental condition improved academically when compared to students in the control condition. In addition, the self-efficacy of the students significantly increased after students applied the PQ4R strategy, which might have some influence on student motivation and confidence of learning. Results indicate that PQ4R is a viable pedagogical tool that can help instructors to develop both cognitive and affective components of student learning at the undergraduate setting. It provides a framework for a student-centered method that can give learners greater independence and confidence. The research suggests that these kinds of metacognitive strategies should be integrated in higher education teaching to promote significant learning. It also provides implications for the curriculum restructuring, teacher development, and further research on enhancing learning effects in tertiary education.