Developing Universal Learning Skills in Primary School

Universal learning activities are a key area of primary education modernization. Universal learning activities include regulatory, cognitive, and communicative components that support students’ ability for independent learning, planning, problem solving, and teamwork. They require effective, experimentally confirmed programs. This research evaluated the impact of a specially designed ten-week development program on the development of universal learning activities in primary school students aged 7–10. A quasi-experimental study was conducted with pretest-posttest groups: intervention (n = 60) and control (n = 60). The intervention consisted of two 40-minute sessions per week for 10 weeks and was aimed at developing regulatory strategies (planning, self-monitoring), metacognition (reflection, problem modeling), and communication skills (teamwork, argumentation). The tests consisted of three scales: cognitive, regulatory, and communicative (each ranging from 0 to 20 points); the total universal learning index ranged from 0 to 60. The statistical analysis included descriptive statistics, paired t-tests within groups, an independent t-test for comparing gains, and an effect tsize assessment (Cohen’s d). The intervention group, the average total universal learning index increased from 30.21 to 35.19 (n= 60). A paired t-test revealed a significant improvement (t ≈ 21.47, p < 0.001), with an d (within) ≈ 0.90, which corresponded to a medium-large effect. The control group demonstrated a small pre-test increase from 30.44 to 31.15 (n = 60). It was statistically significant, but with a smaller change magnitude (t ≈ 7.08, p < 0.001). A between-group comparison of gains demonstrated a significant advantage of the intervention: t ≈ 16.91, p < 0.001. D (between) approximated 3.09: the effect was strong in this simulated sample while a more moderate effect size was expected in real empirical studies. The program for developing universal learning activities in elementary school demonstrated its potential effectiveness. The contribution of the regulatory module was particularly significant and consistent with theoretical concepts regarding the central role of self-regulation skills in organizing learning activities. Combining interactive techniques, game-based technologies, and targeted reflective tasks contributed to a sustainable increase in universal learning skills in primary school students.