Abstract

Distance learning is a teaching and learning modality that has grown in Brazil, but little is known about the adaptive profile of distance learning students. Thus, this study evaluated distance learning students, considering their process of adaptation to higher education, the use of learning strategies and their motivation to learn. A total of 324 university students from courses in humanities, biological and exact sciences offered in full distance learning from public and private educational institutions in the countryside of the state of São Paulo participated. Participants answered a sociodemographic questionnaire, the Adaptation to Higher Education Questionnaire (QAES/EaD), Learning Strategies Scale for University Students (EEA-U/EaD), Learning Strategies Scale/EaD in a hybrid university context (EEA-H) and Scale of Motivation Evaluation for Learning (EMAPRE-U/EaD). The results revealed a positive correlation between the constructs, with differences observed according to gender, age of students and academic background. Based on this study, it was possible to further understand distance learning students, enabling higher education institutions to offer them more appropriate virtual environments.

Keywords:
Distance Education; Psychological Evaluation; Higher Education; Student Profile