Teaching pupils ways to manage their own learning raised their school results.

The review

1. 01

   Who took part

   About 8,600 pupils in 74 studies took part, from grade 1 to grade 10. Primary pupils were in grades 1 to 6, and secondary pupils in grades 7 to 10.

2. 02

   What they did

   The studies taught pupils ways of studying and checking their own learning, and compared them with pupils who got no such training. On average the training ran about 20 sessions, from 2 to 90. Researchers or regular teachers ran it.

3. 03

   What happened

   Academic results rose in primary and secondary school. Motivation rose in primary school. Researchers' training gave bigger gains than teachers' training. The paper's count of secondary-school studies does not match its tables, so read the sizes with care.

What the review found

1. HelpedGoals

   Primary pupils taught ways to manage their learning got better school results than the other groups.

   • Action: Learn better study strategiestested

   Pooled analysis of 0 studies · vs pupils who got no such training · behaviour was recorded · ⚠ whole programmes were tested, so no single part can be credited; mixes trials with other kinds of study

2. HelpedGoals

   Secondary pupils taught ways to manage learning did better at school than the other groups.

   • Action: Learn better study strategiestested

   Pooled analysis of 0 studies · vs pupils who got no such training · behaviour was recorded · ⚠ whole programmes were tested, so no single part can be credited; mixes trials with other kinds of study

3. HelpedMotivation

   Primary pupils taught ways to manage their learning felt more motivated than the other groups.

   • Action: Learn better study strategiestested

   Pooled analysis of 0 studies · vs pupils who got no such training · they rated themselves · ⚠ whole programmes were tested, so no single part can be credited; mixes trials with other kinds of study

Source