TEACHER’S VIEWS ON CHALLENGES WITH THE FOSTERING OF SELF-REGULATED LEARNING SKILLS AND SUPPORT FROM SCHOOL MANAGEMENT TEAMS

Abstract

The aim of this study was to explore the challenges teachers experience with the fostering of self-regulated learning skills in intermediate phase learners as well as how the school management teams support them in their attempts to develop and enhance self-regulated learning skills. Self-regulated learning skills have become increasingly crucial in the 21st century, both within education and beyond, as it equips learners with knowledge and skills that improve academic performance and lifelong learning. In curriculum meetings with departmental officials and school management teams, the focus invariably centers on identifying methods to enhance outcomes and mitigate learner underperformance. Within these deliberations, the proposed solutions consistently revolve around actions by teachers, such as increasing classwork, homework assignments, and offering additional classes. The strategy of fostering learners' self-regulated learning skills is never proposed to improve academic achievement and pass rates. Teachers' pivotal role in fostering self-regulated learning skills is hindered by various factors. Without effective engagement from teachers and the entire school community in cultivating these skills from primary education onwards, learners will persist in struggling throughout their academic journey, unable to meet the evolving demands of the world. School management teams have an impact on teacher control, power and educational initiatives, resources and innovations. Therefore, support from school power structures such as principals and heads of departments in the development of self-regulated learning needs to be explored. The qualitative study is located within an interpretivist philosophical orientation to enable the researchers to explore a real-life situation and the experiences teachers encounter in their daily teaching and learning contexts. Fifteen participants from three primary schools were convenient and purposively sampled to participate in the study. Data was collected through single semi-structured interviews with each participant. Data was analysed inductively through a thematic approach. The findings revealed that participants' beliefs about their roles in the holistic development of learners and the aims of teaching and learning are linked to their positive beliefs about the value of self-regulated learning skills. Participants face challenges including inadequate pedagogical content knowledge to develop some self-regulated learning skills, overcrowding, time constraints, limited resources, and lack of parental involvement. They lack professional development and training from school management to enhance their ability to foster self-regulated learning skills. Their only support comes in the form of documents like textbooks and teaching plans from the Department of Basic Education.