Instructional Science

Self-regulated learning (SRL) is a cyclical process essential for activating independent learners. Because SRL does not develop spontaneously, teachers need to learn about and experience its components and effective practices to stimulate students’ SRL. To support teachers in SRL practice implementation, we propose a unique professional development model that combines direct and indirect instruction of SRL. The model is based on Authentic, Interactive, and Dynamic Experiences in SRL context (SRL-AIDE), and involves live-actor simulations, where participants are highly engaged and immersed in the experience.The study aims to shed light on the relationships and characteristics of practices that promote SRL directly by metacognitive strategic support (MCS), and indirectly by activating students’ independent learning with knowledge construction (KC). This is a quantitative study with a quasi-experimental design. Two teachers’ intervention groups with a pre/post design (N = 70) were compared: an experimental group exposed to the SRL-AIDE model focused on MCS vs. a comparison group exposed to a practice program focused on KC. The study examined in-class SRL practice implementation of two measures: explicitness level and duration in the lesson, and investigated the relations between the MCS and KC practices using real-time in-class measurement methods. Differences emerged between the groups in the MCS and KC practices by time. The experimental group showed greater gains in both practices. This study contributes to the field by providing quantitative evidence on the relationships between MCS and KC practices, which were previously described as supportive mainly in qualitative studies, offering new insights into how these practices work together to support SRL development. Implications for teacher education and future studies are discussed.

Teacher training often incorporates observable examples of focal teaching practices – models. Yet there is currently little empirical evidence on the effects of modelling. We tested the effects of video models on trainees’ skills, knowledge, and self-efficacy in relation to using an evidence-based teaching technique: retrieval practice. We recruited 89 first-year trainee teachers, gave them a document containing evidence-based guidance on how to use retrieval practice and then collected pre-test data on how well they were able to do this in a classroom simulator scenario. Participants were then randomised them to one of three groups: an active control group in which they restudied the document (no model), a video model of effective practice, or a similar video model annotated with the underpinning theory. We then collected post-test data in a second simulator exercise. Exposure to video models improved participants’ use of retrieval practice methods relative to no model. However, adding the annotation to the models did not yield additional benefits. Models did not improve teachers’ knowledge or self-efficacy. Findings support the theory that incorporating models in initial teacher training can help new teachers make use of evidence-based teaching practices.

Seductive details, which are interesting but irrelevant digressions included in a learning environment (e.g., fun facts), have been shown to impair the learning performance of students. However, to date, it is unclear whether the amount of seductive detail content is crucial for the extent of this detrimental effect, or whether it is more a phenomenon of presence or absence, as other studies have been inconclusive in this regard. Hence, in the present studies (N = 191 and N = 101), learners were presented with a varying amount of seductive detail content embedded within a learning text. Instead, the number of text interruptions by seductive content was kept constant between conditions. Both studies consistently showed a linear negative effect of the seductive detail amount on recall performance. Furthermore, Study 2 indicated a polynomial trend regarding transfer performance, suggesting that small seductive detail amounts could improve transfer, even though cross-validation showed that this model is rather unstable. Prior knowledge and working memory capacity did not significantly attenuate the seductive details effect. The results imply that the extent of the seductive detail effect is dependent on the amount of seductive detail content presented. Especially the inclusion of large amounts of digressions should be avoided by teachers and instructional designers, while the inclusion of small amounts might have rather negligible effects.