Insights Into the Structure and Development of Teacher Competence With Regard to the Promotion of Self-Regulated Learning

• In Event: 66.084 - Teachers' Beliefs and Practices With Respect to Teaching for Self-Regulated Learning

Abstract

Research on self-regulated learning (SRL) over the last decades has proven to be a rich contribution to the knowledge that we have on how to make learning more effective. However, there is still a lack of research on what determines teachers’ promotion of SRL. And finally, only few studies have explicitly searched for reasons why some teachers do, while others do not promote SRL in their classrooms, in particular with regard to their instruction of SRL strategies. However, knowing more about what determines whether teachers promote SRL would be helpful to generate ideas on what teachers should develop in order to enhance SRL in their students and how teachers can be supported during the process of teacher training.

Based on the model of professional teacher competence by Kunter (2013), two studies were conducted in order to investigate the structure and development of teacher competence regarding the promotion of self-regulated learning (SRL). In study 1, we analysed the structures of teacher beliefs, knowledge, and self-efficacy as determinants of teacher competence to promote SRL in the classroom. In study 2, teacher training was evaluated in order to assess the development of the above-mentioned determinants for teacher competence regarding SRL.

In study 1, the predictive value of three aspects of teacher beliefs regarding teachers’ self-reported promotion of (SRL) was modelled by means of structural equation modelling. These aspects include (1) teacher beliefs on instructing SRL, (2) teachers’ own self-efficacy towards the promotion of SRL, and (3) their epistemological beliefs regarding learning. 173 primary school teachers participated in the study. Path analysis revealed that teachers’ beliefs on instructing SRL (ß =.28, p<.001), along with their self-efficacy beliefs regarding the promotion of SRL (ß=.36, p<.001), were predicting teachers’ promotion of SRL more positively than teacher knowledge (ß =.13, p=.07). The results offer new insights into teacher beliefs and how they account for self-reported teacher practice regarding the promotion of SRL. The results can serve to construct a model of teachers’ promotion of SRL, as well as provide ideas on how to help teachers supporting SRL.

In study 2, an eight-hour teacher training on promoting SRL (experimental group) was tested against an alternative control group training that did not concern SRL (control group). 62 primary school teachers participated in the SRL training. The results showed positive effects for the SRL training with regard to teachers‘ self-reported promotion of SRL (β = -.30, p < .05), and on teachers’ beliefs of promoting SRL (β = .37, p < .01), compared to the control group. No effects were found for teachers’ self-efficacy regarding the promotion of SRL.

The results offer new insights into teacher beliefs and how they might account for teacher behavior regarding the promotion of SRL. It turned out that self-efficacy plays a significant role for predicting teachers’ promotion of SRL in the classroom. However, short-term training does not affect self-efficacy, but only teacher beliefs.

Author

• Charlotte Dignath, Goethe University