Which components of teacher competence determine whether teachers enhance self-regulated learning? Predicting teachers’ self-reported promotion of self-regulated learning by means of teacher beliefs, knowledge, and self-efficacy

Abstract

In this study, the predictive value of three aspects of teacher beliefs regarding teachers’ promotion of self-regulated learning (SRL) is modelled by means of structural equation modelling. These include teacher beliefs on (1) instructing SRL, (2) regarding their 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, along with their self-efficacy beliefs regarding the promotion of SRL, were predicting teachers’ promotion of SRL mostly positively. The results offer new insights into teacher beliefs and how they account for self-reported teacher practice regarding the promotion of SRL. This study is particularly innovative as it is the first study in the field of teachers and SRL to investigate teacher beliefs and teacher self-efficacy as potential determinants of teachers’ promotion of SRL in the classroom. These results can serve to construct a model of teachers’ promotion of SRL, as well as provide ideas on how to help teachers supporting SRL. This study is frontline as it appears that no other research has been published on teachers’ beliefs, in particular self-efficacy beliefs, towards promoting SRL and how these are related to teachers’ promotion of SRL. Most research on teachers and SRL has so far focused on training teachers, but no model of the professional competence of teachers in this area exists until now.