Are the university students with good learning strategies more involved in learning than their peers with worse strategies? This is the research question that guides our work and we believe that it is indeed the case. The aim of this paper is therefore to find out whether such relationship exists for the university students in the selected sample[1].

We understand learning strategies such as organized, conscious and intentional whole that the learner does to effectively achieve a learning objective in a given social context. Acting strategically means that you want to learn effectively and to design and implement action plans adjusted to the planned goals and to the context conditions, selecting and implementing procedures, skills and techniques for effective learning (Garcia & Pintrich, 1993) whose effectiveness has to be assessed to modify what is needed. Learning strategies  comprise affective-motivational support elements ( "want" , which supposes dispositions and adequate climate for learning) , metacognitive elements ( " make decisions and evaluate them " , which involves student self-regulation) and cognitive elements ( "power " , which involves management strategies, skills and techniques related to information processing ) (Abascal, 2003; Ayala, Martinez & Yuste, 2004; Garcia & Pintrich, 1991; Gargallo, 2000; González-Cabanach, Valle, Rodriguez & Piñeiro, 2002, Gonzalez-Pumariega, Núñez Pérez, González Cabanach & Valle, 2002; Monereo, 1997; Moral Santaella, 20008) .

This is a relevant topic from a pedagogical point of view because learning strategies influence academic performance, which has been proven in different studies: Camarero, Martin & Herrero (2000), Cano & Justicia (1993), Gargallo, Suarez-Rodríguez & Pérez-Pérez (2009), Pintrich (1995), Pintrich, Smith, Garcia & Mackeachie (1991), Roces, González-Pienda, Núñez, Gonzalez-Pumariega, Garcia & Alvarez (1999), Valle & Rodriguez (1998). This is because they are one of the most powerful explicative constructs of the learning processes of students. To better explain this influence, this paper will analyze the impact of learning strategies on student involvement in the learning process. To study these matters we will use the SEQ questionnaire (Kember & Leung, 2009). This questionnaire analyzes this implication considering different components: critical thinking, creative thinking, self-managed learning, adaptability, problem solving, communication skills, interpersonal and teamwork skills, and management of new technologies.

All of them are components involved in the learning-centered model proposed by the Bologna process of convergence, in which many European countries are involved  (student-centered learning, learning paradigm) (Attard, Di Ioio, Geven & Santa, 2010; Biggs, 2005; Kember, 2009; Monereo &Pozo, 2003; Samuelowicz & Bain, 2001).

This model provides professors new teaching and evaluation methods but also demand greater student engagement, which is a key element of the process, and who has has to hold an especially active role in it, becoming an autonomous and self-regulated learner (Hannafin, 2012, Machemer & Crawford, 2007).

If learning strategies are critical in the process and have an influence on the students’ implication, as we think, we can offer to other Spanish and European universities relevant data and propose training programmes. To examine this further, we are collecting data from students at three universities in the city of Valencia (Spain). The results presented here are from a three-year study, whose aims were obviously broader.

[1] It is the "Learning-centered methodologies at the university. Design, implementation and assessment”, approved by the Spanish Economy and Competitiveness’ Ministry into the National Basic Research Program, 2001 (2013-2015) (Financing Plan E, PGE), directed by Professor Ph.D. Bernardo Gargallo (code EDU2012-32725).

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