Supporting Pre-Service Teachers’ Self-Regulation Skills in Online Learning

Citation

Morrison, L., & Jacobsen, M. (2026). Supporting Pre-Service Teachers’ Self-Regulation Skills in Online Learning. Canadian Journal of Learning and Technology, 52(2), 1-18. https://doi.org/10.21432/cjlt29220

Abstract

The continued expansion of online learning in higher education highlights the importance of instructional design and facilitation practices that foster students’ self-regulation skills, given these skills are connected to student agency, engagement, and learning (see Morrison, 2021; Morrison & Jacobsen, 2023; Xu et al., 2022). This study, therefore, examined how instructors in a fully online semester of an Ontario-based Bachelor of Education program supported pre-service teachers’ self-regulation skills through the intentional design and implementation of one course focused on learning in digital contexts. To support student agency and self-regulation, course design and facilitation included (a) a flipped classroom model, (b) bi-weekly student-led meetings with instructor feedback/feedforward, and (c) weekly, individual student reflections with instructor feedback/feedforward. Our case study research approach was grounded in Zimmerman and Moylan’s (2009) self-regulation framework for learning and involved analysis of student artefacts, instructor feedback, and student interviews. Findings provide evidence of students’ progression through the phases of self-regulated learning (SRL). Our interpretation of the data attributes learner progression to opportunities within course assignments that fostered student voice and choice, as well as to ongoing instructor feedback/feedforward throughout the course. The research reveals important insights into the interplay between online course design and instructional strategies, highlighting the conditions under which SRL can thrive. This research has practical significance for online course design aimed at enhancing students’ self-regulation capabilities. The study contributes to the ongoing discourse on effective learning designs for online education, underscoring the importance of fostering SRL in online contexts.

Authors

• Jacobsen, Michele
• Morrison, Laura

Reference Type

Journal

Keywords

• Self-regulated learning
• Teacher training