Self-Determination as a Psychological Resource of Teacher’s Personal and Professional Development

Abstract

Self-determination in the context of a teacher’s personal and professional development has become a relevant research subject due to the humanistic and person-oriented education focused on the development of an active and self-identifying personality. The aim of the paper is the psychological analysis of motivational self-determination processes as a subjective foundation for the personal and professional development of a teacher. Based on the modern psychological approaches to the self-determination phenomenon, the paper discusses the integrative mechanisms and internalization factors that determine the satisfaction with the activity and productivity of a teacher. The authors present their reasons in favour of a conceptual model of personal and professional characteristics of a teacher’s self-determination. They argue that self-determination and associated concepts of autonomy, internally motivated activity, developing learning environment, dialogue, facilitation, persistence, and involvement identify the essence of personal and professional development of a teacher as a psychological resource system. The authors conclude that the axiological creative content of self-determination processes integrates the diverse types of motivational tendencies in the pedagogical activity, highlighting the consistency and coherence of a teacher’s personal and professional development