CHAPTER 2 SELF-REGULATED LEARNING
2.12 CHALLENGES TEACHERS EXPERIENCE WHEN THEY ARE NOT
LEARNERS
Geduld (2017:144) points out that while teachers play a crucial role in promoting SRL, several factors hamper SRL development in learners. Geduld (2017:144) further cites the research conducted by Van der Velde et al. (2012), in which teachers reported a lack of time, work pressure
and diversity among learners as prevalent barriers to the implementation of SRL where teachers need to expose SRL to learners and guide and assist in developing the skills so that they can overcome barriers to and problems with academic success.
Nilson (2013:8) further says that if teachers lack pedagogical knowledge of SRL, it will be difficult to help learners develop SRL. In her research, Nilson (2013:8) found that while teachers know how to expose learners to learning, they lack knowledge of how much and what support they should provide to enhance learners’ SRL skills. This can pose a significant challenge to learning because if teachers do not have self-directed and SRL skills, teaching and learning in such will not be effective. This lack of knowledge is a result of several factors, such as teacher education programmes with a greater focus on content-area knowledge and the mastery of pedagogical methods and less on the principles of learning and development of SRL, while others still prefer to practice transmission teaching approaches that result in rote learning and learning without understanding.
Ariani (2017:64) adds that teachers are the integral component in the classroom environment that should inspire students to create a favourable classroom environment that will make learners feel more motivated and encourage them to work hard to be successful. Teachers who lack self- directed and SRL skills fail to acknowledge the fact that learners do not learn on their own but require the presence of peers and teachers. Teachers should know that they should help to condition the classroom as a social environment by creating norms and regulations for social behaviour in the classroom and providing explicit messages about the interaction with colleagues and peers (Ariani, 2017:64).
Ariani (2017:64) also points out that those teachers who do not possess SRL skills struggle to give learners relevant tasks that can develop their SRL skills. The type of activities or assignments given by the teacher can either encourage or discourage cooperation and sharing capabilities.
“The engagement, the willingness of students to perform tasks, the urge to seek a variety of things unknown, and get the same treatment is also a condition for learning environment created by students and teachers” (Ariani, 2017:64).
Leijen and Saks, (2014:191) concludes that the biggest challenge for teachers who lack SRL skills is providing a learning environment that encourages learner motivation. “Motivation is part of complex human psychology and behaviour that affect how individuals choose to invest the time, how much energy is used to perform a specific task, how they think and feel about their duties, and how long they perform their duties”.
Teachers that integrate both past and present experiences based on personal interpretations and subject matter will achieve effective learning among their learners. The role of the teacher is to guide and support learners in exploring the world around them, formulating investigative questions, and testing hypotheses. It is therefore crucial for teachers to possess self-directed and SRL skills (Leijen & Saks, 2014:191).
2.13 CHALLENGES TEACHERS EXPERIENCE WITH THE DEVELOPMENT OF SELF- REGULATED LEARNING
Persico, Milligan & Littlejohn (2015:2483) discuss the challenges teachers face in attending to individual learners’ SRL skills in class and on a daily basis. The following challenges experienced by teachers are noteworthy in this study and therefore discussed subsequently: the changing teaching and learning environment; teachers’ lack of knowledge of SRL; workload, time and overcrowding; teachers’ lack of self- efficacy beliefs; collaboration between learners, teachers and parents is lacking.
2.13.1 Changing teaching and learning environment
Triquet, Peeters & Lombarts (2017:6) indicate that teaching and learning environments are dynamic and evolve, becoming more complex and causing more challenges for teachers in general. For example, teachers need to update and upgrade their own knowledge base on an ongoing basis and implement them in the teaching strategies they use in class and their self- regulation skills. Triquet et al. (2017:6) maintain that teachers need to improve their own SRL skills continuously so that they will be able to manage and overcome the challenges they encounter in class and address the diverse and individual needs of their learners.
2.13.2 Teachers’ lack of knowledge of self-regulated learning
Geduld (2017:144) maintains that teachers who do not have the knowledge of SRL will not be able to develop the SRL skills of their learners. Teachers should know how to prepare learners to learn on their own and how much support they need to give to learners. Geduld (2017:144) further mentions that the main cause of teachers’ lack of knowledge of how to develop their learners’
SRL is inadequate knowledge about the learning contents of the subjects they are teaching and pedagogical methods, and a smaller focus on principles of learning, development and motivation.
Most teachers still seem to prefer the traditional teacher-centred methods of teaching that focus on rote learning without understanding and internalisation.
2.13.3 Workload, time, and overcrowding
Kartika and Mania (2017:69) state that teachers who find self-regulation difficult are often those who have too many demands from their workplace, such as large workloads, and who work in overcrowded classes. These and other conditions make it difficult for teachers to maintain their work schedule while encouraging self-regulation in their classes. Primary school teachers do not teach one subject but several subjects for which they have to do planning individually because the content knowledge of the subjects is not the same. These challenges require teachers who are committed because they need to vary the teaching strategies and self-regulation skills they will apply in their classes according to the individual subjects. Kartika and Mania (2017:69) also mention the all-too-common problem of overcrowded primary school classes which makes it difficult for teachers to attend to the individual needs of all learners in their classes.
Geduld (2017:144) includes factors like time, work pressure and diversity among learners that make it difficult for teachers to assist their learners in developing SRL skills. If learners do not receive the right assistance and guidance from their teachers, they will find it very challenging to develop SRL skills. Girmen (2014:23) mentions one challenge in particular that is experienced by teachers, which is that they do not have the time to allocate for learners with special needs or the appropriate training on how to assist learners with special needs and develop their SRL skills. If teachers have adequate knowledge on SRL, they will be able to assist learners with special needs and this will improve their academic skills as well as the national pass rate.
2.13.4 Teachers’ lack of self-efficacy beliefs
Bembenutty (2015:14) points out another challenge teachers encounter when developing SRL is a lack of self-efficacy beliefs. According to Bembenutty (2015:14), self-efficacy beliefs are critical to the performance of teachers and learners and refer to their beliefs in their ability to have a positive effect on someone’s learning. Teachers’ self-efficacy beliefs influence their attitudes towards helping their students, their level of satisfaction and their desire to motivate their students.
Self-regulation involves motivation, cognition and resource management, which can be a challenge to teachers if not managed effectively. Teachers require training in SRL so that they can become effective teaching professionals.
2.13.5 Collaboration between learners, teachers, and parents
Girmen (2014:29) states that when teachers create a working environment where learners work together, they will understand each other better and can easily ask each other what they do not want to ask the teacher and this can allow them to learn the strategies that develop SRL among
Teachers still lack the skills to plan the activities that encourage collaboration among learners in class, and some teachers feel that group work disrupts the class and they are not able to handle the learners and maintain discipline. Girmen (2014:29) further state that teachers experience the challenges of being able to reach out to the parents of learners especially, those learners with special needs. Teachers claim that most of the parents have a lower educational background and some have no interest in their children's education. The other problem that prevents communication between teachers and the parents of their learners is that teachers find it difficult to reach several parents who do not have phones.
2.14 TEACHING STRATEGIES PRIMARY SCHOOL TEACHERS CAN USE IN GENERAL