Learning how to learn: The relationships between students’ learning-to-learn (L2L) competence, learning self-efficacy, and achievement in project-based learning

Learning to learn (L2L) is a competence that helps students to more efficiently develop knowledge and master skills. Students can develop the ability to understand how they learn best, what learning strategies work well for them, and how to overcome challenges that arise in their own learning process. Students acquire L2L competence while achieving their learning goals. This study examines the relationships between three components of students’ L2L competence (learning management, self-assessment, and self-learning process), learning self-efficacy, and achievement in higher education. An online survey was administered on the Qualtrics platform to collect data from 145 undergraduate students involved in project-based learning at a Hong Kong university. The results indicated that learning management and self-assessment were positively associated with achievement. Learning self-efficacy partially mediated the effect of learning management on achievement and fully mediated the effect of self-assessment on achievement. In summary, L2L empowers students to become independent and self-directed learners when they are exposed to new learning experiences.