Metacognitive skills and self-regulated learning and teaching among primary school teachers: The mediating effect of enthusiasm

This study investigated the important roles of metacognitive skills and enthusiasm (both teaching and subject enthusiasm) in teachers’ self-regulation in learning (informal teacher learning) and teaching (adaptive instruction) throughout their teaching careers. Using multi-group structural equation modelling and a mediation analysis of a sample of 5,056 primary teachers in China, this study found that metacognitive skills had significant effects on informal teacher learning and adaptive instruction. In addition, teaching enthusiasm had a stronger mediating effect than subject enthusiasm on the relationship between teachers’ metacognitive skills and their self-regulated behaviour. Among the five informal teacher learning activities considered, learning through student interaction had the strongest influence on novice teachers’ adaptive instruction, and learning through reflection was the most important for mid- and late-career teachers. The practical implications of the findings for improving teachers’ self-regulation in learning and teaching at different stages of their careers are discussed.