Self-Regulation: Student’s Compass in Distance Education

Abstract

This study presents a systematic literature review conducted on “characteristics of self-regulated learners in open and distance education” based on research published between 2022 and 2025. The review included 62 peer-reviewed articles identified through database searches in Web of Science, Scopus, Google Scholar, ULAKBİM, and the YÖK Thesis Center using the keywords “self-regulated learning,” “open education,” and “distance learning.” Extracted findings were thematically coded under dimensions such as cognitive strategies, time management, motivational beliefs, procrastination behavior, and social interaction by two independent researchers. Results indicate that self-regulated learners excel at setting learning goals, planning their own learning environments, maintaining intrinsic motivation, and engaging in online collaborative activities. Additionally, teacher presence, process-oriented assessment, and technology-supported feedback mechanisms have been found to enhance these learners’ self-regulation capacities. The study underscores the importance of adopting learner-centered designs and integrating strategies that explicitly support self-regulation in open and distance education contexts.