scholarly journals Using a Self-Determination Theory Approach to Understand Student Perceptions of Inquiry-Based Learning

2021 ◽  
Vol 9 (2) ◽  
Author(s):  
FangFang Zhao ◽  
Gillian Roehrig ◽  
Lorelei Patrick ◽  
Levesque-Bristol Chantal ◽  
Sehoya Cotner
Keyword(s):  
Learning Outcomes ◽  
Student Perceptions ◽  
Self Determination Theory ◽  
Self Determination ◽  
Learning Activities ◽  
Theory Approach ◽  
Inquiry Based Learning ◽  
Open Inquiry ◽  
Written Responses ◽  
Laboratory Activities

Inquiry-based laboratory activities, as a part of science curricula, have been advocated to increase students’ learning outcomes and improve students’ learning experiences, but students sometimes struggle with open-inquiry activities. This study aims to investigate students’ perceptions of inquiry-based learning in a set of laboratory activities, specifically from a psychological (i.e., Self-Determination Theory) perspective. Students’ ratings of the level of inquiry in these activities indicate that students’ perceptions of inquiry align with the instructor-intended amount of inquiry in each exercise. Students’ written responses, explaining their ratings, indicate that students’ perceptions of the amount of inquiry in a given lab exercise relate to their feeling of freedom (or autonomy), competence, and relatedness (or support), during the inquiry-based learning activities. The results imply that instructors implementing inquiry-based learning activities should consider student motivation, and Self-Determination Theory can be a useful diagnostic tool during teaching development.

scholarly journals University Students’ Basic Psychological Needs, Motivation, and Vitality Before and During COVID-19: A Self-Determination Theory Approach

2021 ◽  
Vol 12 ◽  
Author(s):  
Florian H. Müller ◽  
Almut E. Thomas ◽  
Matteo Carmignola ◽  
Ann-Kathrin Dittrich ◽  
Alexander Eckes ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Distance Learning ◽  
University Students ◽  
Basic Needs ◽  
Self Determination Theory ◽  
Psychological Needs ◽  
Basic Psychological Needs ◽  
Self Determination ◽  
Theory Approach ◽  
German Version ◽  
Motivational Regulation

Self-determination theory assumes that the basic psychological needs for autonomy, competence, and relatedness are associated with motivational regulation. As these basic psychological needs may have been affected by the shift to distance learning, students’ motivational regulation and vitality may have suffered as well. The purpose of this study was to examine the motivational regulation, satisfaction, or frustration of the basic psychological needs and vitality of university students before and after the transition to forced distance learning during the COVID-19 pandemic: Two student samples from Austria and Germany were studied: One was surveyed before the conversion to distance learning (N=1,139) and the other at the beginning of forced distance learning (N=1,835). The instruments used were the Scales for the Measurement of Motivational Regulation for Learning in University Students (SMR-L), the German version of the Basic Psychological Needs Satisfaction and Frustration Scale, a scale developed by the authors to differentiate the assessment of social relatedness, and the German version of the Subjective Vitality Scale. The results show that the satisfaction of basic psychological needs was significantly lower and the frustration thereof substantially higher during the distance learning period than before the pandemic. Intrinsic motivation and identified regulation were significantly lower during the forced distance learning period, and more controlled forms of motivation were higher than before the pandemic. Structural equation models showed that 42% of the students’ vitality can be explained by motivational regulation and the satisfaction and frustration of their basic needs. Motivational regulation styles functioned (differentiated according to the degree of autonomy) as mediating variables between basic needs and vitality. In terms of theoretical implications, the distinction between approach and avoidance components of introjected regulation was shown to be adequate and necessary, as they explain the outcome vitality differently. The support and avoidance of frustration of basic psychological needs should be considered in distance learning to promote the quality of motivation and students’ vitality.

scholarly journals Investigating students’ experiences of Students as Partners (SaP) for basic need fulfilment: A self-determination theory perspective

2020 ◽  
Vol 17 (1) ◽  
pp. 108-121
Author(s):  
Amrita Kaur ◽  
◽  
Mohammad Noman ◽  
Keyword(s):  
Learning Outcomes ◽  
Student Motivation ◽  
Underlying Mechanism ◽  
Self Determination Theory ◽  
Need Satisfaction ◽  
Self Determination ◽  
Sufficient Evidence ◽  
Quality Outcomes ◽  
Psychological Need ◽  
The Social

There is sufficient evidence that suggests Student as Partners’ (SaP) practices promote student motivation, engagement, and learning outcomes. This study attempts to understand the underlying mechanism of SaP and its potential to provide the motivational foundation for the students who engage in it and produce quality outcomes. We employ the self-determination theory’s (SDT) framework to explain how the processes of partnership lead to students’ psychological need satisfaction (autonomy, competence, and relatedness) in order to develop and maintain motivation. The data for this proposition was utilised from the two case studies (Author et al 2018; Author et al., 2017) that were conducted in partnership with students. The three constructs, autonomy, competence, and relatedness served as the framework that guided the data analysis. The findings establish that the social contextual factors posited by SDT for students’ need satisfaction fittingly resonate with the principles and practices of SaP. Implications for SaP practitioners are discussed on how SaP can motivate students and sustain engagement

scholarly journals Autonomy, affiliation, and ability: Relative salience of factors that influence online learner motivation and learning outcomes

2010 ◽  
pp. 30-50
Keyword(s):  
Learning Outcomes ◽  
Self Determination Theory ◽  
Self Determination ◽  
Online Learners ◽  
Learner Support ◽  
Online Programs ◽  
Learner Motivation ◽  
Level Of Motivation ◽  
Motivation And Learning ◽  
Relative Salience

Autonomy, affiliation, and ability appear as main factors that influence online learners’ motivation and learning outcomes, however, the relative salience of these three factors remains unclear in the online learning literature. Drawing on Deci and Ryan’s self-determination theory, this study sought to bridge this gap by investigating the relative salience of perceived autonomy, affiliation, and ability on learner motivation and learning outcomes in two special education online programs (N = 262). This study found that the most salient predictor varied from categories of motivation and learning outcomes, and the number of significant predictors increased by participants’ level of motivation/self-determination. Results of this study provide implications for online learner support.

Use of Meta-Analysis to Uncover the Critical Issues of Mobile Inquiry-Based Learning

2019 ◽  
Vol 58 (4) ◽  
pp. 715-746
Author(s):  
Je-Ming Yang ◽  
Yao-Ting Sung ◽  
Kuo-En Chang
Keyword(s):  
Learning Outcomes ◽  
Mobile Devices ◽  
Teaching Methods ◽  
Meta Analysis ◽  
Learning Activities ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Control Group ◽  
Journal Articles ◽  
Inquiry Based Learning ◽  
Critical Issues

Using mobile devices to support the process and products of learning activities is a trend in inquiry-based learning, which is culminating in the formation of the subfield of mobile inquiry-based learning (m-IBL). However, even though mobile devices have been widely used in IBL activities in recent years, evaluative evidence for their substantial contributions to IBL is still deficient. Therefore, this study collected and analyzed 40 peer-reviewed journal articles published during 2001 to 2017 involving 3,542 participants and further discovered that m-IBL has produced meaningful improvements for IBL with an overall mean effect size of 0.803, with a 95% confidence interval [0.61, 0.99]. In addition, moderator variables such as control group types, learning outcomes, inquiry types, teaching methods, and domain subjects were related to different effect sizes. Finally, the results of the meta-analysis were discussed along with their implications for future research and practice.

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