Self-regulated learning strategies in higher education: Fostering digital literacy for sustainable lifelong learning

This paper aims to examine how self-regulated learning strategies (SRLS) can foster the enhancement of digital literacy in digital learning to increase efficiencies in human capital for sustainable development in lifelong learning. Digital disruption in the education sector is unavoidable. The results of this study will be useful for educators and students to establish guidelines on how to utilize SRLS to enhance digital literacy competence and hence lifelong learning as developing human capital for the future workplace is crucial. Since research supports the fact that digital natives lack digital literacy, this paper look at how SRLS can foster digital literacy because it assists students to manage their learning independently online. Furthermore, there is a dearth of evidence on the effects of SRLS on digital literacy. How SRLS can elevate digital literacy is still rudimentary. To fulfill the purpose of the study, four hypotheses were formulated. A cross sectional survey of full-time undergraduates from IT or Multimedia programs to examine the relationships between the use of self-regulated learning strategies towards digital literacy in digital learning within from selected private universities with blended learning environments in the central region of Malaysia.A total of 563 respondents were analyzed via Structured Equation Modelling using Partial least Squares (PLS) to obtain the final results. The results of the hypotheses revealed three out of four hypotheses were supported corroborating that three domains of SRLS (metacognitive knowledge, resource management, and motivational beliefs) showed a significant positive influence on digital literacy.