While numerous studies have investigated external factors influencing this performance, less attention has been
paid to the internal, psychological processes that students employ to manage their own learning. Scholars have
identified self-regulated learning—the process by which students actively manage their cognitions, behaviors, and
emotions to achieve academic goals—as a potent factor in academic success (Zimmerman & Labuhn, 2012).
However, most research in this area has been conducted in Western or Asian contexts, and findings may not be
directly generalizable to the unique educational environment of rural Kenya. A significant gap exists in the local
literature regarding the specific relationship between students' use of self-regulated learning strategies and their
mathematics achievement in a context like Meru South Sub-County. Therefore, the purpose of this study was to
establish the relationship between self-regulated learning and mathematics achievement among Form Three
students in Meru South Sub-County, Kenya.
LITERATURE REVIEW
Self-regulated learning is a proactive and cyclical process wherein learners set goals, select and deploy strategies,
monitor their progress, and adjust their approaches based on feedback (Zimmerman & Labuhn, 2012). It
encompasses a range of cognitive, metacognitive, and behavioral strategies, including memory enhancement, goal
setting, self-evaluation, help-seeking, environmental structuring, and organization. Rather than viewing students as
passive recipients of information, the concept of self-regulation frames them as active agents in their own learning
journey. This perspective is critical in a subject like mathematics, which demands not only content knowledge but
also strategic thinking, persistence, and metacognitive awareness.
A substantial body of international research has established a strong, positive link between self-regulated learning
and academic achievement across various domains, including mathematics. In a large-scale study in Australia,
Harding et al. (2019) found that self-regulated learning was a powerful predictor of mathematics achievement for
students in grades five through eight. Their findings highlighted that students who actively managed their learning
environment and monitored their progress consistently outperformed their peers. Similarly, in a study conducted in
the Philippines, Llagoso (2017) reported that students who utilized self-regulated learning strategies, such as setting
personal goals and motivating themselves, achieved higher scores in mathematics. This suggests that equipping
students with these strategic skills can directly translate into improved academic outcomes.
This relationship has also been validated in various African contexts. A study in Nigeria by Duru and Okeke (2021)
adopted a predictive design and found that self-regulated learning skills significantly predicted the mathematics
achievement of both high- and low-achieving secondary school students. The researchers concluded that self-
regulation has a direct and measurable influence on performance, suggesting that interventions focused on these
skills could be highly effective. In Oman, El-Adl and Alkharusi (2020) investigated the association between self-
regulated learning, motivation, and mathematics performance, finding that students who achieved the best results
were those who adeptly used cognitive and self-regulated learning strategies.
Within Kenya, research has begun to explore components of this relationship, though often focusing on specific
sub-domains of self-regulation. For example, Ong'uti et al. (2019) examined metacognitive monitoring, a key aspect
of self-regulation, and established a positive and significant relationship with mathematics performance among
secondary school students in Kisii County. Likewise, Ochieng (2015) studied self-efficacy, another crucial
component of self-regulation, and found a significant positive correlation with academic performance in Kisumu
County. While these studies provide valuable insights, they tend to focus on a single facet of the broader self-
regulation construct. A more holistic investigation into the relationship between global self-regulated learning—
encompassing its multiple strategic components—and mathematics achievement is needed, particularly within the
under-researched context of Meru South Sub-County. This study aims to fill that gap by providing a comprehensive
analysis of this relationship.
THEORETICAL FRAMEWORK
This study is anchored in Albert Bandura's (1986) Social Cognitive Theory. This theory provides a robust
framework for understanding human learning and functioning, positing that individuals are not merely shaped by