Inviting Autonomy: Common Roots and Beliefs of Self-determination Theory and Invitational Education Theory

Abstract

Often, educational and psychological theories stand independently of one another, focusing on particular, discreet components of learning or motivation. However, there are many similarities between invitational educational theory, which examines motivation and education, and self-determination theory, a theory of motivation and personality. Both theories, when applied to educational settings, value respectful relationships between teachers and students. They encourage practitioners to incorporate choice into their plans and recognize the importance of a person’s perception to that person’s related behavior. Invitational education theory and selfdetermination theory were developed separately by different researchers. However, the two theories emerged during the early 1970s, at a time when educators and psychologists were rejecting behaviorism and, instead, beginning to value a humancentered approach. This paper aims to introduce invitational education and selfdetermination theory, describe their origins from a similar place and time via humanistic psychology, and highlight key similarities in their beliefs with the ultimate goal of enhancing knowledge in order to continue to improve classrooms world-wide.