Previous research has proposed a conceptual model of the relationships between motivation, emotions, cognition, and metacognition related to students’ learning performance and validated it in a blended learning context that combines traditional learning with the use of educational technology. This study examined these relationships to test the hypothesis that the levels of some factors in a face-to-face learning environment differ from those in a blended learning context, finding that the conceptual model is valid for both settings. The role of positive emotions was significant in blended learning but not in face-to-face learning. Furthermore, help-seeking and peer learning were relevant only in blended learning. A positive relationship between academic motivations and metacognitive strategies was found in the face-to-face context, whereas one from motivations to metacognitive and cognitive strategies was found in the blended context. Negative emotions were present in both learning settings. This shows that the role of emotions is relevant to students’ perceived success.

In higher education, students’ engagement plays an essential role in determining learning success. Several studies have focused on identifying the relationship between engagement and learning achievements. However, comprehensive studies that include engagement, motivation, and scaffolding have yet to be performed. This article introduced a concept of metacognitive and learning engagement based on the frontiers between metacognition and cognition previously established in the literature. A conceptual model including cognitive, behavioural, emotional, scaffolding, and motivation and the two new definitions (metacognitive and learning engagement) was proposed and validated in 220 university students using structural equation modelling. The findings support the conjecture that cognitive engagement is directly influenced by metacognitive engagement. Learning engagement is influenced by cognitive engagement, and all of them are triggered by motivation. Furthermore, scaffolding enhances emotional engagement. Teachers’ support fosters students’ emotions of being enthusiastic, interested in class, joyful in learning activities, and proud of their learning achievements.

Several studies have focused on identifying the significant behavioral predictors of learning performances in web-based courses by examining the log data variables of learning management systems, including time spent on lectures, the number of assignments submitted, and so forth. However, such studies fail to quantify the impact of emotional, motivational, behavioral, and cognitive–metacognitive factors simultaneously. This research was an attempt to understand the relations between students’ motivation, cognitive–metacognitive strategies, behavior, and learning performance in the context of blended courses in higher education. Then, relevant predictors are used to obtain a model to classify the students’ performance and to identify those who are at risk of failing the course. The authors conducted an empirical study in a higher educational course with 137 Mexican students. Nineteen variables related to emotions, motivation, cognitive–metacognitive strategies, and behavior. Only six were found to be significant. These variables explain approximately 67% of the variance between each student’s overall grade. The model, based on those variables, correctly classifies 96% of the students.