Self-regulated learning promotion in primary education: student and teacher related factors

Abstract

<p>Students spend countless hours at school not only pursuing new knowledge or abilities but also learning to learn—that is, learning to systematically govern their thoughts, feelings and actions to achieve an academic goal (Zeidner&Stoeger, 2019). This process is called “self-regulated learning“(SRL). SRL is a multidimensional construct that links cognitive, metacognitive, behavioural and affective–motivational content related to academic learning (Panadero, 2017). Particularly in primary education, developing self regulation in students is challenged by the impacts of different instructional strategies (Vandevelde et al., 2016). SRL skills are important indicators of student success (Donatella et al., 2023), but many students encounter difficulties in self-regulation. It has been extensively investigated (Donatella et al., 2023; Karlen et al., 2023; Panadero et al., 2021; Schunk & Greene, 2018). This study investigates how teacher-applied strategies and learners’ behaviour contribute to the development of self-regulated skills (SRL) in primary education. For example, the development of SRL skills has been analysed in different teaching and learning contexts, but research recommendations for further analyses emphasise that the results are not always transferable to educational solutions (Tzimas & Demetriadis, 2024). Particularly in primary education, developing SRL is not much investigated, whereas SRL skills are important indicators of student success in their later years of studies. This article discusses the results of a survey carried out among fourth graders (n = 253) and their class teachers (n = 16) in Lithuania. To provide new insights into the interplay of factors of SRL development in primary education, a quantitative research approach was chosen (Cohen et al., 2013). A quantitative research approach allows us to identify teachers and learners’ attitudes towards the development of SRL in primary education. To explore a range of perspectives, this study was carried out with fourth-grade students aged 9–10 years to explore the development of SRL skills among primary school learners and with primary school teachers to explore their attitudes towards their students’ SRL skills development. Four main predictors of the development of SRL skills in primary education were identified including teachers’ attitudes towards teaching, teachers’ support strategies for students, learning environment and students’ perceived teacher support. In Lithuania, positive developments in improving primary school students’ achievements have been noted, but the average quality of lessons is not yet good, according to an external evaluation of schools (National Education Agency’s Education Policy Analysis, 2022). It has been pointed out that primary schools in country must promote students’ active learning more vigorously. In fact, as already mentioned, direct and indirect SRL has been recognised as an important school survival tool of students at all education levels (Bjork et al., 2013). Therefore, the aim of this study was to identify factors that contribute to SRL development in the primary school classroom. However, this study focused on primary school teachers’ attitudes towards SRL strategies for improving their students’ active learning and student’s engagement to SRL through teacher support. The research questions were as follows: 1. Which teacher-related factors contribute to the development of self-regulated skills? 2. Which student-related factors contribute to the development of self-regulated skills? </p>