EXPLORING TEACHERS' PERCEPTIONS OF SELF-REGULATED LEARNING IN PRIMARY SCHOOLS: INSIGHTS FROM INTERMEDIATE-PHASE TEACHERS IN SOUTH AFRICA

The summary report of the National Education Evaluation and Development Unit (NEEDU 2018) states the reason for the South African school education crisis and the problem of underperformance in schools is primary schools.Primary schools have not received much attention during the education crisis in keeping up with education, which is suitable for the twenty-first century and the Fourth Industrial Revolution.Self-regulated learning skills have become increasingly crucial in the 21st century, both within education and beyond, as it equip learners with knowledge and skills that improve academic performance and lifelong learning.Teachers' perceptions of self-regulated learning play a pivotal role in shaping how learners develop autonomy, motivation, and effective learning strategies to achieve academically.Recognizing and enhancing these perceptions is essential for fostering learning environments that support self-directed and lifelong learning.Teachers' knowledge and beliefs about SRL directly impact their teaching strategies.If teachers lack familiarity or confidence with SRL concepts, they may struggle to integrate these skills into their lessons.A large body of literature attests to the value of developing self-regulated learning skills in learners, and there is thus a need to identify whether teachers are familiar with the concept of self-regulated learning and have the pedagogical content knowledge to promote these skills in their own learners.In the 21st century, the shift toward learner-centered approaches and the growing need for independent, critical thinkers make self-regulated learning a vital educational priority.The study highlights gaps in teachers' knowledge and training about self-regulated learning offering an opportunity to address these deficits through targeted professional development and curriculum reforms.Against this background, the main aim of this study was to explore what intermediate-phase primary school teachers know and believe about the value of self-regulated learning.The qualitative study is situated within an interpretivist research paradigm, which allowed the researchers to investigate a real-life scenario and the influences that shape teachers' perceptions of self-regulated learning in their daily teaching and learning environments.Purposive sampling allowed the researchers to select five participants from each of the three schools.Data was collected by single, semi-structured face-to-face interviews.Findings indicate while participants see the value of self-regulated learning and their role in fostering it, their limited knowledge and training on the concept hinder effective implementation.Various recommendations are made to address these gaps through professional development courses and training which is essential to enable teachers to guide learners in developing self-regulated learning skills.