Marzano's Self-System Thinking and a Four-Factor Model of Academic Self-Determination as Predictors of Persistence in Natural Sciences and Scientific Text Reading Fluency Among Bilingual University Students

This study investigated the predictive relationships of Marzano's self-system thinking (SST) and academic self-determination (ASD) with persistence in learning natural sciences (PLNS) and reading fluency of scientific texts among 302 bilingual (Arabic-English) university students. Addressing the need for context-specific research in non-Western settings, this study explored how these psychological constructs influence key academic outcomes. The research aimed to identify factors that could enhance student learning. Validated, adapted scales were used to measure: 1) SST, based on Marzano's theory, assessing importance, efficacy, and emotional response; and 2) ASD, operationalized in this study through four dimensions: academic autonomy, academic self-regulation, academic psychological empowerment, and academic self-realization, reflecting a broader conceptualization emerging from self-determination theory. Reading fluency was assessed using a standardized reading test. Regression analyses were employed to examine the proposed relationships. The sample (N=302; M age = 21.1, SD = 1.39; 249 females, 53 males) showed that both SST and the four-factor model of ASD significantly predicted PLNS and reading fluency. Notably, SST demonstrated a stronger predictive relationship with these academic outcomes, with the "examining emotional response" component of SST playing a particularly crucial role. These findings underscore the importance of fostering internal psychological factors, especially components of self-system thinking, to support student learning and persistence in demanding academic fields.