The Structural Model of Relationships of the Epistemological Beliefs and Self-Regulatory Learning Strategies: The Mediating Role of Educational Self-efficacy and Achievement Goals

The present investigation aims at examining the relationships between the variables of epistemological and motivational beliefs (educational self-efficacy and achievement goals) with each other as well as their role in self-regulatory learning strategies (Cognitive and Meta Cognitive Strategies) of Payame Noor University students in a causal Model framework and through Path Analysis. in order to test the questions of the research, a sample of 600 students from Payame Noor University centers, using multiple cluster sampling and stratified sampling were randomly selected, and to a self-report questionnaire consisting scales of the epistemological beliefs (Schommer, 1993), achievement goals (Middleton & Midgley, 1997) and educational self-efficacy and self-regulatory learning strategies (Pintrich & De­Groot, 1990), were asked. Results indicated that the proposed causal model after revision enjoys a good fit index, and that the variables formed 29 and 35 percent of the total variance of cognitive and metacognitive strategies. In general, according to the results of this study, epistemological beliefs not only have a direct effect but also have an indirectly impact on students’ self-regulatory learning strategies through achievement goals and educational self-efficacy. Therefore, it is essential that these beliefs be enhanced through enriching the living and learning contexts.