Project DeSign

Dynamics of student self-regulation and links with perceived teaching quality

Some pupils find it easy to pay attention and follow the classroom rules. Others find it difficult to do so. These two types of students differ in their self-regulation.
Self-regulation refers to an individual’s ability to control their thoughts, feelings and actions in a way that supports the pursuit of long-term goals, such as academic goals. In the past, studies have repeatedly shown that differences in self-regulation between students explain differences in their academic performance. This has highlighted the importance of self-regulation in the school context. Furthermore, self-regulation is thought to fluctuate within students over time and in response to current situations. In the school context, however, it is not yet clear how students’ self-regulation changes in response to the perceived quality of teaching during a lesson.
The DeSign project therefore investigated the interplay between the perceived quality of teaching during a lesson and changes in students’ self-regulation. It also took into account differences in self-regulation between students. In this way, the project sought to contribute to answering the question of what constitutes good teaching from the perspective of individual students.

Publications

Blume, F., Göllner, R., Moeller, K., Dresler, T., Ehlis, A.-C., & Gawrilow, C. (2019). Do students learn better when seated close to the teacher? A virtual classroom study considering individual levels of inattention and hyperactivity-impulsivity. Learning and Instruction, 61, 138–147. doi:10.1016/j.learninstruc.2018.10.004