Promoting Student Teachers’ Self-Regulated Learning in the Workplace

This quasi-experimental study of self-regulated learning (SRL) in the context of primary teacher education emerged from the importance attributed to SRL for developing student teachers’ active and conscious learning. Contrary to earlier studies that focused on SRL within the initial teacher training, in this study we sought for the impact of increased SRL opportunities on student teachers’ motivation for learning in their workplace which is an important part of their educational program. The study focused on the way in which SRL opportunities for student teachers can be shaped in the workplace (research question one), the differences in perceived SRL opportunities between the experimental and the control condition (research question two) and the differences in motivation for learning between the experimental and the control condition (research question three). In answer to research question one, the earlier findings of SRL within the initial teacher program were combined with the insights and experiences of the stakeholders in practice. This resulted in a SRL approach for the workplace that was applied during one academic year by 12 primary teacher educators in cooperation with 45 primary teachers of 45 training schools. In answer to research question two, the training appeared effective because student teachers in training schools (N = 80) experienced more SRL opportunities than student teachers in the non-training schools (N = 51). In answer to research question three, student teachers in training schools demonstrated more motivational expectancy (i.e. control belief and self-efficacy for learning) compared with student teachers in non-training schools. This was in line with previous findings within initial teacher training. The importance of a gradual transition from teacher control to student control appeared vital.