Identification of antecedent variables affecting learning outcomes of undergraduate students: a meta-analysis

Outcomes of learning refer to the achievements of the individual after learning that is followed by the growth and development of the individual in the areas of cognitive, emotional, emotional and skill. The context for his further growth is created from abstract to the meaning and concepts of a lesson. Identifying antecedent variables effecting students' learning outcomes is one of the important concerns of educational psychology. The main objective of this paper was to review national and international studies about learning outcomes and to identify the antecedent variables effecting the learning outcomes of undergraduate students by meta-analysis. By reviewing more than 150 studies that have examined the factors effecting learning outcomes in the past 30 years, 30 studies were found to meet the criteria.   Using Comprehensive Meta-analysis Software, the effect size was calculated based on the correlation index.  Findings indicated that the effect of four variables of “psychological basic needs”, “learning environment”, “academic motivation” and “approaches study” on the learning outcomes was significant. Other findings showed that the effect of the average effect size of all components of psychological needs (autonomy, competence and communication), all components of the learning environment (classroom, learning and university climates), two components of academic motivation (intrinsic motivation and lack of motivation) and the effect of two components of study approaches (superficial and deep) on the learning outcomes were significant. Finally, a conceptual causal model was designed based on four factors effecting the learning outcomes for undergraduate students.