Deutsches Schulportal: Why self-regulation is the new superpower

Psychological stress, artificial intelligence, and smartphone use — all these challenges are closely linked to the ability of self-regulation. Few other skills have such far-reaching effects as strong self-regulation competence. It positively influences both academic performance and mental health. Especially in times when many children and adolescents are unable to fully realize their potential and report high levels of psychological strain, the importance of self-regulation is coming into sharper focus.

In response, the German National Academy of Sciences Leopoldina has called for making self-regulation a guiding principle within the education system. Education researcher Ulrich Trautwein from the University of Tübingen explains in an interview with „Deutsches Schulportal“ why self-regulation is so important, what it entails, what common misconceptions exist, and how schools can effectively promote this ability.

We can learn from Singapore, which is very successful in the PISA rankings and has been focusing on “self-management” – another term for “self-regulation” – as an educational goal for years. In the interview, Trautwein emphasizes the importance of “viewing the promotion of self-regulation skills as a major project and addressing it in a coordinated manner throughout the classroom and the entire school, because self-regulation skills only develop their full potential as a superpower when they have become an integral part of the personality of children and young people.”

 To the interview