Enhancing Self-Regulated Learning Effectiveness for Elderly Learners in Distance Education: A Case Study of Feicheng Senior University

This study focuses on elderly learners participating in distance education at Feicheng Senior University, aiming to enhance their self-regulated learning effectiveness. A combination of stratified sampling and random sampling was employed to select 200 elderly participants as research subjects. Data were collected using an adapted self-regulated learning questionnaire, supplemented by interviews with 20 elderly learners. The findings reveal that the overall level of self-regulated learning among elderly learners is moderate, with the self-evaluation dimension scoring the highest and the environment structuring dimension scoring the lowest. Significant differences were observed in specific dimensions of self-regulated learning across genders, disciplines, and learning stages. For instance, female learners demonstrated superior performance in goal setting, time management, and task strategies; learners enrolled in calligraphy and painting courses scored higher in environment structuring, while those in health and wellness courses excelled in task strategies; learners with five or more years of enrollment significantly outperformed those with 1-2 years of enrollment in goal setting and self-evaluation. Based on these results, enhancement strategies are proposed from four perspectives: optimizing distance education curriculum design, strengthening the cultivation of self-regulated learning capabilities, providing personalized learning support, and improving the learning support service system. This study offers theoretical and practical insights for improving the quality of elderly distance education and advancing the development of lifelong learning for older adults.