Differences in self-regulation and student engagement between IIUM undergraduates taking tahfiz and non-tahfiz co-curricular activities

Abstract

The plight of aggressive behaviors such as bullying, and fighting among the undergraduate students are of great concern for educational institutions. Indeed the main factors of such aggressiveness are due to the lacking of self-regulation. Therefore, educators and researchers look forward to engage their undergraduate students in the university based co-curricular activities that may help them to work with a team of likeminded students and learn how to maintain self-regulation. The main objective of the study is to analyze the differences in self-regulation of student engagement between the undergraduate students taking tahfiz program and the non-tahfiz co-curricular activities under the supervision of Centre for Credited Leadership and Virtues (CLAV), at the International Islamic University Malaysia (IIUM), Malaysia. The study employs random sampling technique of quantitative research methods was adopted to choose a total of 382 undergraduate students from CLAV, IIUM. The overall results of this study has shown that there was no significant difference of levels of self-regulation and student engagement between students of the tahfiz program and non-tahfiz co-curricular activities. This study is significant for both students and teachers to be informed of the value of on campus co-curricular activities that enhance students’ self-regulation and engagement, and consequently inspire students to be more attentive to their studies. Thus, the teachers will be able to motivate their students to get engaged in such co-curricular activities to enjoy their study life to the fullest as well as curb their aggressive behaviors by maintaining self-regulation.