How to Improve Student Teachers’ Self-Regulated Competency Development

Abstract: Teachers require various generic competencies that are not addressed explicitly in the teacher education program, such as learning strategies. Although universities offer student teachers extracurricular opportunities to develop these competencies, few students seize them. Our training program fosters students’ self-regulated competency development: Self-reflection as an important first step to self-regulated competency development is addressed through an online self-assessment tool providing individual feedback and suggestions for further development. Forming and implementing intentions to develop competencies is addressed by a workshop based on an evidence-based self-management training program and group coaching sessions to bridge potential intention–behavior gaps. After the training program, the experimental group ( n = 32) showed a more favorable development in self-reflection, procrastination, and participation in competency-enhancing offers than the control group ( n = 34). The results show that supporting students in their self-regulated competency development can be an important key in their professional development.