The levels of cognitive engagement of lesson tasks designed by teacher education students and their use of knowledge of self-regulated learning in explanations for task design

• Published in: Teaching and teacher education 2023-04, Vol.125, p.104043, Article 104043
• Main Authors: Lawson, Michael J., Van Deur, Penny, Scott, Wendy, Stephenson, Helen, Kang, Sean, Wyra, Mirella, Darmawan, Igusti, Vosniadou, Stella, Murdoch, Carolyn, White, Emily, Graham, Lorraine
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Cognitive engagement; Knowledge complexity; Lesson task design; Self-regulation of learning
• ISSN: 0742-051X
• DOI: 10.1016/j.tate.2023.104043

Using the ICAP framework (Chi & Wiley, 2014) we examined the level of cognitive engagement of lesson tasks designed by teacher education students (TES). Explanations for task design were examined for structural complexity and types of self-regulated learning (SRL) activity. Two thirds of the participants designed lesson tasks that would stimulate constructive engagement while the tasks of the remaining participants would be unlikely to stimulate constructive activity in students. Explanations for task design primarily focussed on SRL activity related to cognition in stimulating students’ understanding and showed limited structural complexity. Further attention could be given during teacher education to the importance of constructive task engagement and a wider range of SRL activity. •Examined cognitive engagement levels of teacher education students’ tasks.•Examined types of self-regulatory activity in teacher education students’ tasks.•Most participants’ tasks would stimulate constructive and interactive engagement.•Explanations for task designs showed limited structural complexity.•Explanation focussed on cognitive activity, little metacognitive activity.