The building site
An analogue tool that helps teachers enable primary school children to experience a sense of self-efficacy.
A Bachelor’s project by Nadja Marie Jung
7th semester, 2025/2026
Supervisors: Prof. Tsunemitsu Tanaka and Prof. Andrea Krajewski
How can teachers help primary school pupils to develop a positive self-image?
The answer does not lie in additional support programmes or new assessment systems. It lies in the way interactions are structured.
The project ‘Die Baustelle’ combines design methods with theoretical, developmental psychological and educational insights, as well as my own research conducted within a primary school. The project views design not as a solution to individual problems, but as a means of making relationships, routines and spaces for action within everyday school life visible and usable.
What is the situation like in primary school?
School is not just a place for imparting knowledge, but a key social space in which children learn to perceive themselves, find their place in society and evaluate their own behaviour. It is particularly in primary school that early perceptions are formed about what children are capable of, what they are ‘like’ and how they are expected to behave in a school setting. These attributions affect not only children’s learning behaviour but also their self-image.
However, everyday school life often reveals that:
primary school children rely heavily on external feedback, clear instructions and assessments. Decisions are sought to be validated, whilst personal initiative takes a back seat. At the same time, teachers are under considerable pressure regarding organisation and pedagogy. Individual support is desired – but time is limited.
What is ‘Die Baustelle’?
‘Die Baustelle’ is an analogue resource that helps teachers provide children with a clear, non-judgemental framework within which they can set their own goals, become aware of their actions and reflect on their learning process.
The focus is not on the child in isolation, but on the interaction between teacher and pupil. The teacher sets the framework – the child makes the decisions. The teacher guides this process, asking guiding questions where necessary and providing subject-specific support, without dictating goals or evaluating reflections.
The tool has been deliberately designed to be integrated into the children’s individual workspaces. Tactile objects and visible markers help children to grasp abstract processes such as goal-setting and reflection in a concrete way.
What added value does this project bring?
It creates a safe environment for children in which they can make decisions independently without being judged or compared. They learn to recognise their own progress and come to understand that development is a process that involves ups and downs. This not only promotes independence but also strengthens a positive self-image in the long term.
For teachers, individual development processes become visible without requiring any additional documentation. The structured interaction makes it easier to provide guidance and offer targeted support where needed, without having to constantly intervene to steer the process. At the same time, children gradually become less reliant on constant feedback and decision-making support.
What role do self-efficacy and self-regulated learning play?
Self-efficacy describes the confidence in one’s own ability to make a difference through one’s own actions. Children who experience self-efficacy are more likely to have the confidence to make decisions, persevere with challenges for longer and deal with difficulties more constructively.
Self-regulated learning ties in precisely here. It refers to learning processes in which learners set goals, observe their actions, adapt them and reflect on their approach. Learning is not seen as a mere reaction to instructions, but as an active process that children increasingly control themselves.
‘The Construction Site’ combines both aspects in everyday school life. By choosing their own goal, receiving visible support in class and engaging in regular reflection, children experience their actions as effective. At the same time, they practise key steps of self-regulated learning in a way that is appropriate to their stage of development.
How do lessons using ‘Der Baustelle’ work?
0. Preparation (one-off): The teacher reads the instructions, introduces the system and hands out the building sites to the children.
1. Orientation: At the start of the week, the teacher creates a brief, quiet moment. The children focus their attention on themselves and their ‘Baustelle’.
2. Choosing a goal: Each child chooses a cross-curricular goal for the week and places it in a visible spot on their ‘Baustelle’. The decision is left to the child. The teacher provides support if needed.
3. Action during lessons: The ‘worksite’ quietly accompanies the lessons. The goal serves as a point of reference. If necessary, the teacher refers to it in a neutral manner.
4. Daily reflection: At the end of the day, the children choose a suitable reflection. They can adjust this as the week progresses.
5. Reflection & conclusion: On Friday, there is a quiet review. The children describe how they experienced their goal. The process is acknowledged, not assessed. The teacher creates the space for this.
