Testing the Vallerand’s Motivational Sequence in Physical Education: The Invariance of Teachers’ Motivation to Teach

Abstract

The aims of this study were to test the Vallerand's motivational sequence model in physical education and to examine the invariance of the model across PE teachers’ motivation to teach. The study was conducted with 177 high school PE teachers and their 461 students. Motivation to Teach Scale was applied to PE teachers. “Highly intrinsically motivated” and “highly extrinsically motivated” teachers were determined based on the results obtained from this scale. Two highest intrinsically motivated teachers and three highest extrinsically motivated teachers were reached again and their students’ autonomy support, basic psychological needs satisfaction, situational motivation, subjective vitality, and concentration were assessed. Structural equation modelling and Ward invariant analysis were used for the data analysis. Results showed that the more teachers are intrinsically motivated for her profession, the more their students’ autonomy need satisfaction negatively explains their amotivation level in physical education. Perceived autonomy support is the trigger and autonomy need satisfaction is the most important variable in the whole motivational model. Thus, physical education teachers are recommended to create a lesson environment providing autonomy support and considering autonomy need satisfaction to increase students’ well-being.