Effects of a Professional Learning Experience on Middle School Teachers’ Perceptions, Experiences, and Implementation of Curricular-Embedded Self-Regulated Learning and Motivation

During the middle school transitional years, students face potential obstacles that can affect their achievement and motivation. It is essential that they learn how to self-regulate their learning and motivation so that they can persevere in an increasingly challenging academic environment. Teachers may support students directly or indirectly by embedding various practices and strategies into extant curricula. This two-phase qualitative case study provided four purposively selected teachers with a professional learning (PL) experience on self-regulated learning (SRL) and self-regulated motivation (SRM). The purpose of this study was to understand the perceptions and experiences of middle school teachers regarding the training and implementation of curricular-embedded SRL with the goal of developing a PL framework aimed at training and supporting teachers with curricular-embedded SRL practices and strategies. The study was guided by one research question: How does SRL-focused PL affect teachers’ perceptions, experiences, and implementation of curricular-embedded SRL practices and strategies in the middle school classroom? ATLAS.ti was used to analyze the interview data and the reflective journals. Results were mixed, but they showed more perceived successes than challenges regarding the framework and implementation of practices and strategies, a variety of SRL practices and strategies employed during the implementation phase, and a thorough understanding of theoretical knowledge, which was demonstrated through reflections and implementation. This information can serve as a foundation to develop a PL framework for training and supporting teachers as they embed and implement SRL practices and strategies in the middle school classroom