Explaining the Context-Specificity of Student Motivation: A Self-Determination Theory Approach

Self-Determination Theory (SDT) is a theoretical framework that is useful for explaining students' behaviours, motivations, and academic outcomes in educational settings. We highlight the main premises of SDT and clarify how the context-specificity of student motivation can be explained using the Hierarchical Model of Intrinsic and Extrinsic Motivation (HMIEM). We review findings from SDT research on within-subject processes underlying students' motivation and academic outcomes, and on between-subject differences in student motivation. Moreover, we draw attention to critical areas for future research on the context-specificity of motivation in educational settings

How Do Young Adults Orchestrate Their Multiple Achievement-Related Goals? : Associations of Achievement Goal Orientations With Identity Formation and Goal Appraisals

Young adults strive for multiple achievement goals. Frameworks for achievement goal orientations, personal goals, and identity formation have emphasized the role of goal-specific exploration and commitment in the interpretation of goals. However, researchers have yet to combine these different perspectives in an empirical study. Therefore, to explore the processes involved in the selection of multiple goals, the present study investigated the associations of young adults’ achievement goal orientations (mastery-intrinsic, mastery-extrinsic, performance-approach, performance-avoidance, and work-avoidance orientations) with distinct styles of exploring and committing to goals, by considering different dimensions of identity formation (commitment making, identification with commitment, exploration in breadth, exploration in depth, and ruminative exploration) and achievement-related personal goal appraisals (commitment, effort, and progress). Latent change score models were applied to a longitudinal sample of 577 young Finns followed from age 23 to 25 to investigate cross-sectional and longitudinal associations with achievement goal orientations. The analyses revealed significant associations of identification with commitment and exploration in breadth and goal effort with the initial levels of mastery-intrinsic and mastery-extrinsic orientations. Notably, these dimensions of identity formation, goal effort, and mastery goal orientations accentuate motives for self-development and self-improvement. Although the associations were not supported by the longitudinal analyses, it seems fruitful to integrate different theoretical frameworks to further the understanding of the underlying processes in the pursuit of multiple goals.Peer reviewe

A Bayesian approach to students’ perceptions of teachers’ autonomy support

Background: How to best operationalize teachers’ autonomy support, an instructional style aiming to satisfy students’ psychological need for autonomy, is unclear because teachers can support the whole class and/or individual students. Students might perceive inequalities concerning the autonomy support they receive relative to classmates, which might undermine their motivation and engagement. Aims: The current study aims to contribute to the conceptualization of autonomy support. We investigated students’ perceptions of teachers’ autonomy support (individual, class-directed, and perceived differences), concerning choice provision, fostering relevance, stimulating interest, and acknowledging frustration, and associations with students’ motivation and engagement. Sample: 446 Dutch primary school students (agerange = 9–14) from 22 mathematics classes. Methods: With Bayesian Multilevel-CFA and -SEM, we examined the factorial structure of students’ perceptions of teachers’ autonomy support and associations with motivation and engagement. We evaluated whether individual and class-directed autonomy support were distinct constructs, both concerning individual ratings at the student level, and regarding the whole-class-aggregated assessments at the class level. Results: Individual and class-directed autonomy support was differentiated at the student level. At the class level, one factor (overall autonomy-supportive atmosphere) was found. Regarding perceived differences, we revealed three student-level factors (e.g., relative lack of autonomy support). At the student level, individual and class-directed autonomy support positively predicted intrinsic motivation, effort, and persistence; perceived relative lack of autonomy support positively predicted extrinsic regulation. Conclusions: Both individual and class-level support should be high to yield optimal results for students’ motivation and engagement. Focusing solely on class-directed autonomy support may omit essential information

A classification system for teachers’ motivational behaviors recommended in self-determination theory interventions

Teachers’ behavior is a key factor that influences students’ motivation. Many theoretical models have tried to explain this influence, with one of the most thoroughly researched being self-determination theory (SDT). We used a Delphi method to create a classification of teacher behaviors consistent with SDT. This is useful because SDT-based interventions have been widely used to improve educational outcomes. However, these interventions contain many components. Reliably classifying and labeling those components is essential for implementation, reproducibility, and evidence synthesis. We used an international expert panel (N = 34) to develop this classification system. We started by identifying behaviors from existing literature, then refined labels, descriptions, and examples using the Delphi panel’s input. Next, the panel of experts iteratively rated the relevance of each behavior to SDT, the psychological need that each behavior influenced, and its likely effect on motivation. To create a mutually exclusive and collectively exhaustive list of behaviors, experts nominated overlapping behaviors that were redundant, and suggested new ones missing from the classification. After three rounds, the expert panel agreed upon 57 teacher motivational behaviors (TMBs) that were consistent with SDT. For most behaviors (77%), experts reached consensus on both the most relevant psychological need and influence on motivation. Our classification system provides a comprehensive list of TMBs and consistent terminology in how those behaviors are labeled. Researchers and practitioners designing interventions could use these behaviors to design interventions, to reproduce interventions, to assess whether these behaviors moderate intervention effects, and could focus new research on areas where experts disagreed. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2023 APA, all rights reserved

A classification system for teachers’ motivational behaviors recommended in self-determination theory interventions.

Teachers’ behavior is a key factor that influences students’ motivation. Many theoretical models have tried to explain this influence, with one of the most thoroughly researched being self-determination theory (SDT). We used a Delphi method to create a classification of teacher behaviors consistent with SDT. This is useful because SDT-based interventions have been widely used to improve educational outcomes. However, these interventions contain many components. Reliably classifying and labeling those components is essential for implementation, reproducibility, and evidence synthesis.We used an international expert panel (N = 34) to develop this classification system. We started by identifying behaviors from existing literature, then refined labels, descriptions, and examples using the Delphi panel’s input. Next, the panel of experts iteratively rated the relevance of each behavior to SDT, the psychological need that each behavior influenced, and its likely effect on motivation. To create a mutually exclusive and collectively exhaustive list of behaviors, experts nominated overlapping behaviors that were redundant, and suggested new ones missing from the classification. After three rounds, the expert panel agreed upon 57 teacher motivational behaviors (TMBs) that were consistent with SDT. For most behaviors (77%), experts reached consensus on both the most relevant psychological need and influence on motivation. Our classification system provides a comprehensive list of TMBs and consistent terminology in how those behaviors are labeled. Researchers and practitioners designing interventions could use these behaviors to design interventions, to reproduce interventions, to assess whether these behaviors moderate intervention effects, and could focus new research on areas where experts disagreed

A Classification System for Teachers’ Motivational Behaviours Recommended in Self-Determination Theory Interventions.

Teachers’ behavior is a key factor that influences students’ motivation. Many theoretical models have tried to explain this influence, with one of the most thoroughly researched being self-determination theory (SDT). We used a Delphi method to create a classification of teacher behaviors consistent with SDT. This is useful because SDT-based interventions have been widely used to improve educational outcomes. However, these interventions contain many components. Reliably classifying and labeling those components is essential for implementation, reproducibility, and evidence synthesis.We used an international expert panel (N = 34) to develop this classification system. We started by identifying behaviors from existing literature, then refined labels, descriptions, and examples using the Delphi panel’s input. Next, the panel of experts iteratively rated the relevance of each behavior to SDT, the psychological need that each behavior influenced, and its likely effect on motivation. To create a mutually exclusive and collectively exhaustive list of behaviors, experts nominated overlapping behaviors that were redundant, and suggested new ones missing from the classification. After three rounds, the expert panel agreed upon 57 teacher motivational behaviors (TMBs) that were consistent with SDT. For most behaviors (77%), experts reached consensus on both the most relevant psychological need and influence on motivation. Our classification system provides a comprehensive list of TMBs and consistent terminology in how those behaviors are labeled. Researchers and practitioners designing interventions could use these behaviors to design interventions, to reproduce interventions, to assess whether these behaviors moderate intervention effects, and could focus new research on areas where experts disagreed

Soziale und emotionale Entwicklung hochbegabter Kinder. Skalendokumentation des ersten Messzeitpunkts.

Im Rahmen des von der Klaus-Tschira-Stiftung geförderten Projekts "Sozio-emotionale Entwicklung hochbegabter Kinder" wird der Frage nachgegangen, wie sich außerschulische Angebote für Kinder mit besonderen Begabungen auf deren Entwicklung sozialer und emotionaler Kompetenzen auswirkt. Der vorliegende Band präsentiert die bei der Fragebogenstudie verwendeten Erhebungsinstrumente der ersten Befragungswelle

Beneficial for some or for everyone? Exploring the effects of an autonomy-supportive intervention in the real-life classroom

Flunger B, Mayer A, Umbach N. Beneficial for some or for everyone? Exploring the effects of an autonomy-supportive intervention in the real-life classroom. Journal of Educational Psychology. 2019;111(2):210-234