Conceptions of learning and self-regulation: patterns of academic development throughout academic progression in higher education

Purpose This study examines how university students' conceptions of learning shape their motivation, self-regulation and information processing throughout different academic stages, showing how these factors interact and transform as a function of academic progression. The objective, therefore, is to provide evidence on the mechanisms that sustain self-regulated learning and its impact on retention and academic success during higher education. Design/methodology/approach A formative structural model was developed and validated using Partial Least Squares Path Modeling (PLS-PM), with 5,000 bootstrap resamples from a large and diverse sample of 1,630 Colombian university students. This methodology helped to capture the complex dynamics among conceptions, motivation, self-regulation and information processing as well as to analyze variations across three cohorts at different stages of academic progression. Findings The results indicate that in the early semesters, learning conceptions drive motivation and indirectly influence information processing. In the intermediate stages, self-regulation emerges as a key mediator. By the later semesters, metacognitive self-regulation becomes the primary determinant of deep processing, overshadowing the direct influence of conceptions. These findings confirm the dynamic and evolving nature of learning patterns throughout university education and highlight the development of self-directed and deep learning. Research limitations/implications This study has some limitations that should be acknowledged. First, the cross-sectional design limits the possibility of establishing causal relationships between the variables, since the observed associations reflect patterns at a single point. Future research should adopt longitudinal designs that better capture the evolution of learning processes throughout academic progression. Second, the use of non-probability convenience sampling may limit the generalizability of the findings. Although the sample was large and diverse, it is recommended that future studies replicate the model in different institutional and cultural contexts. Finally, the use of self-report measures may introduce potential response biases. Practical implications The findings provide explicit guidelines for curriculum design and university policies aimed at promoting constructivist principles and intrinsic motivation through active methodologies in the early stages of education. In more advanced stages, it is essential to enhance metacognitive regulation, autonomy and reflective practices. The implementation of these strategies can result in enhanced academic performance, increased student retention rates and the development of self-reliant graduates equipped for lifelong learning. Originality/value This study provides a novel contribution by proposing a dynamic and developmental model of learning patterns, demonstrating how the relationships among conceptions, motivation, self-regulation and information processing reorganize across academic progression.