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Although adolescence is characterized by increasing individuation, parental support represents an important resource especially in early adolescence. This multi-informant study examined the role of parental self-efficacy in providing emotional and instrumental support when early adolescents partially learned from home during the COVID-19 pandemic. Based on a resources model of coping, we examined effects of parental self-efficacy on early adolescents' reports of self-regulated learning (SRL), learning self-efficacy, and positive emotions, mediated via early adolescents' problem-focused and emotion-focused coping. Assumptions were tested among 263 Austrian parent-child dyads. While the mediation assumption was rejected, we identified positive associations between emotional support and SRL, and between problem-focused coping and SRL, learning self-efficacy, and positive emotions. Instrumental support negatively related to SRL, suggesting benefits of emotional over instrumental support. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Evidence-based interventions to promote lifelong learning are needed not only in continuing education but also in schools, which lay important cornerstones for lifelong learning. The present article reports evaluation results about the effectiveness of one such training programme (TALK). TALK aims to systematically implement the enhancement of lifelong learning in secondary schools by optimizing teaching in terms of developing pupils’ competencies for lifelong learning. TALK is conducted within the framework of a three-semester course of studies for secondary school teachers. In order to evaluate the effectiveness of TALK, a questionnaire study with 1144 pupils was conducted in the form of a pretest–posttest–posttest design for both training and control groups. Multivariate multilevel growth curve analyses showed the benefit of TALK in terms of both pupils’ perceptions of classroom instructions and their individual motivation. Finally, TALK’s contribution to promote lifelong learning in schools is discussed and implications are given. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

There is a strong urge to foster lifelong learning (LLL) competencies with its key components - motivation and self-regulated learning - from early on in the education system. School in general is presently not considered to be successful in systematically imparting motivation and self-regulated learning strategies. There is strong evidence that decisive motivational determinants decrease the longer students stay in school. At present, the central sources of information about the situation in Austria are international monitoring studies, which only examine selected aspects of specific target groups, and their interpretability concerning mean values is constricted due to cultural differences. Thus, it is important to conduct additional and more differentiated national surveys of the actual state. This is why this study aimed at answering the following questions: (1) how well are Austrian students equipped for the future, in terms of their lifelong learning competencies, (2) can perceived classroom structure predict students' LLL, and (3) is there a correlation of students' LLL with their achievement in the school subjects math and German language. 5366 students (52.1% female) from 36 Austrian schools took part in the online-questionnaire (mean age 15.35 years, SD D 2.45), which measured their perceived LLL competencies in the subjects math and German language, their perceived classroom structure and their achievement. Results showed that the great majority of Austrian students - independent from domain and sex - know and are able to apply cognitive as well as metacognitive learning strategies. With regard to motivation the picture is less satisfactory: whilst students' self-efficacy is not the problem, there is a lack of interest in the school subjects and they often report to follow performance approach goals. Classroom structure positively predicted students' goals, interest, self-efficacy and learning strategies. Self-efficacy, performance approach goals, meta-cognitive and deep learning strategies in turn predicted achievement positively, and performance avoidance goals negatively. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: Classroom structure is a concept in the area of teaching quality and describes how teachers design tasks, share authority, and evaluate students' progress. There is little research on the association between classroom structure and students' functioning. Furthermore, previous studies have included only single aspects of students' functioning in investigating the association. The aim of our study was to provide a comprehensive view by investigating the association between classroom structure and several aspects of students' functioning simultaneously (mastery approach goal orientation, meta-cognitive learning strategies, academic achievement, and classroom climate). 1558 secondary school students filled out an online questionnaire. A multiple mediator model with latent variables showed a significant direct association between classroom structure and mastery goal orientation, metacognitive learning strategies, and classroom climate. Furthermore, indirect associations between classroom structure and achievement were shown, whereby mastery goal orientation and meta-cognitive learning strategies appeared to be mediators. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: Fostering lifelong learning (LLL) is a topic of high relevance for current educational policy. School lays the cornerstone for the key components of LLL, specifically persistent motivation to learn and self-regulated learning behavior. The present study investigated the impact of classroom instruction variables on concrete determinants for these LLL components. Participants in the present study were 2266 fifth, sixth and seventh graders from 125 classrooms. Multi-level analyses showed that perception of autonomy in the classroom is associated with pupils’ motivational beliefs, and that perception that a classroom promotes self-determined performance and self-reflection of learning is a predictor of pupils'' monitoring and assessment of learning. Additionally, the extent of perceived autonomy is an important factor in the reduction of gender differences in motivation. The results indicate the importance of providing pupils with appropriate learning contexts to better prepare them for successful LLL. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Modern economics has placed lifelong learning (LLL) at the center of an intensive ongoing political debate. Evidenced-based interventions are needed, not only in continuing education courses for teachers, but also in schools. This paper introduces evaluation results of TALK, a teacher education program for professional teachers with the objective of fostering LLL in schools. Two main goals were investigated: effects on teacher competences and cooperation. 40 secondary-school teachers participated. Repeated measures in a control group design established the gains of TALK: It must be evaluated as a program which is successful in the robust enhancement of teacher competences and cooperation. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]