Perceived Teacher Autonomy Support Research Articles

Modeling the Contributions of Perceived Teacher Autonomy Support and School Climate to Chinese EFL Students' Learning Engagement.

Given the value of student engagement and its impact on academic performance, it is critical to identify factors that influence student engagement in different educational contexts. To do so, we examined the contributions of perceived teacher autonomy support and school climate in English as a foreign language (EFL) students' learning engagement. We conducted online surveys of 331 Chinese intermediate English learners. We substantiated the validity of the survey scales for measuring these three latent variables through confirmatory factor analyses (CFA), and we employed structural equation modeling (SEM) to identify interrelationships in these variables of interest. Both perceived teacher autonomy support and school climate were significantly and positively related to student engagement, with school climate more strongly correlated than teacher autonomy support. These findings suggest that teacher autonomy support and a positive school climate are important contributors to student engagement in EFL classrooms, and we discussed practical implications of these discoveries for EFL teachers.

Perceived teacher autonomy support and grit as predictors of ideal L2 self among Chinese EFL learners

Although some research attention has been given to second language (L2) affective and emotion constructs recently, this research agenda is still in its infancy. In an attempt to shed more light on this area, the present researchers tested a structural model of ideal L2 self in which perceived teacher autonomy support and L2 grit served as predictors. For this purpose, 346 Chinese English as a foreign language (EFL) learners were requested to participate in an electronic survey. The collected data were analyzed using structural equation modelling (SEM). The construct validity of the used scales was verified by performing confirmatory factor analysis. The SEM results indicated that although both perceived teacher autonomy support and L2 grit significantly predicted the ideal L2 self, the former was a more powerful predictor in the final fit model. Additionally, it was revealed that perceived autonomy support had a slight effect on EFL learners’ grit levels. The outcomes of this study can have implications for research and practice.

The developmental trajectories of teacher autonomy support and adolescent mental well-being and academic stress

AbstractThis study investigated the developmental impact of teacher autonomy support on changes in students’ mental well-being and academic stress throughout upper secondary school. The sample consisted of 1453 Norwegian students (baseline Mage = 17.00; 60.6% girls; 80.9% Norwegian-born). The unconditional latent growth curve model results showed that perceived teacher autonomy support and mental well-being decreased during the three-year-long education. Academic stress, on the other hand, increased during this period. Findings from the parallel process latent growth curve model indicated that the initial status and change in teacher autonomy support were positively and negatively related to the initial levels and trajectories of mental well-being and academic stress, respectively. Girls experienced a higher level of academic stress and lower mental well-being and teacher autonomy support at the beginning of upper secondary school. Students with a higher socioeconomic status reported higher initial mental well-being and teacher autonomy support than others but also a more rapid decline in teacher autonomy support throughout upper secondary school. This study provides new insights into academic, psychological, and affective processes and their interrelationships during upper secondary school.

The relationship between perceived teacher autonomy support, perceived competence in learning, and academic performance among nursing students.

Perceived teacher autonomy support in nurse education remains understudied in the literature. This study examined the relationship between students' perceived teacher autonomy support, perceived competence in learning, and academic performance. A cross-sectional correlation descriptive design was used for 225 participants, undergraduate nursing students studying in Saudi Arabia. Perceived teacher autonomy support, perceived competence in learning, and academic performance were measured using the Learning Climate Questionnaire, Perceived Competence Scale for Learning, and student grade point average, respectively. The results revealed a high level of perceived teacher autonomy support and perceived competence in learning among the nursing students, with students in the internship year (final year) reporting higher perceived teacher autonomy support than students in other years. There was a strong positive correlation between perceived teacher autonomy support and perceived competence in learning. Further, students' perceived teacher autonomy support predicted their academic performance, indicating that those with high perceived teacher autonomy support were more likely to have a higher grade point average. Nurse educators must prioritize student autonomy support for better learning and performance, especially upon enrollment in a nursing program.

Influence of teacher autonomy support in feedback on high school students' feedback literacy: the multiple mediating effects of basic psychological needs and intrinsic motivation.

This research presents and confirms an intermediary model, deeply anchored in self-determination theory, to dissect the influence of Chinese high school students' core psychological needs and intrinsic drive on the nexus between educators' autonomous backing and students' proficiency in feedback literacy, highlighting the mediating roles of these elements. A survey of 704 Chinese senior high school students, including 319 males and 385 females, employed the Feedback Literacy Scale, Basic Psychological Needs Scale, Intrinsic Motivation Scale, and Perceived Teacher Autonomy Support Scale. The study's discoveries illuminate that educators' autonomous support not only directly amplifies students' feedback literacy but also has an indirect impact through the intermediation of basic psychological needs and intrinsic motivation, along with their interconnected dynamics. This inquiry not only deepens our grasp of the mechanisms interlinking teacher support with feedback literacy but also critically evaluates the findings to proffer targeted recommendations, thereby enhancing our comprehension of the underlying processes and guiding educational practices and student development.

Student-perceived teacher and parent homework involvement: Exploring latent profiles and links to homework behavior and achievement

This study investigated student-perceived teacher and parent homework involvement through a person-centered approach involving 739 8th graders. Latent profile analysis (LPA) identified three profiles: Low Perceived Autonomy Support, Homework Quality, and Feedback Quality (8.12 %), Moderate Perceived Involvement (63.60 %), and High Perceived Autonomy Support, Homework Quality, and Feedback Quality (28.28 %). Gender was related to profile membership. Profile membership predicted homework behavior and performance after controlling for prior achievement and parent education (d = 0.50 to 1.34). Students with higher perceived autonomy support, and quality of homework and feedback exerted more effort, procrastinated less, completed more homework, and achieved higher. Implications for teacher and parent homework involvement are discussed. Educational relevance statementOur study expands and extends extant literature, by employing a person-centered perspective to simultaneously examine the concurrent influences of various dimensions of parent and teacher homework involvement on homework behavior and performance. While complementing previous findings from studies taking variable-centered and person-centered approaches to either teacher homework involvement or parent homework involvement, our study provides more robust evidence regarding the significant role of perceived teacher autonomy support, parent autonomy support, homework quality, and feedback quality in promoting favorable homework behavior and performance. It further suggests that feedback quantity, help quantity, and content support could produce favorable homework behavior and higher achievement when autonomy support, homework quality, and feedback quality are also perceived as higher. Taken together, simultaneously considering multiple dimensions of teacher and parent homework involvement contributes to a deeper, more holistic understanding of teacher and parent homework involvement, going beyond prior work, for instance, whether homework behavior or performance is positively related to feedback quality or unrelated parent help quantity for the entire sample.

Cluster randomized control trial to reduce peer victimization: An autonomy-supportive teaching intervention changes the classroom ethos to support defending bystanders.

Peer victimization is a worldwide crisis unresolved by 50 years of research and intervention. We capitalized on recent methodological advances and integrated self-determination theory with a social-ecological perspective. We provided teachers with a professional development experience to establish a highly supportive classroom climate that enabled the emergence of pro-victim student bystanders during bullying episodes. In our longitudinal cluster randomized control trial, we randomly assigned 24 teachers (15 men, 9 women; 19 middle school, 5 high school; 32.8 years old, 6.7 years of experience) in 48 classrooms to the autonomy-supportive teaching (AST) workshop (24 classrooms) or the no-intervention control (24 classrooms). Their 1,178 students (age: M = 13.7, SD = 1.5; range = 11-18) reported their perceived teacher autonomy support; perceived classmates' autonomy support; adoption of the defender role; and peer victimization at the beginning, middle, and end of an 18-week semester. A doubly latent multilevel structural equation model with follow-up mediation tests showed that experimental-group teachers created a substantially more supportive classroom climate, leading student bystanders to embrace the defender role. This classroom-wide (L2) emergence of pro-victim peer bystanders led to sharply reduced victimization (effect size = -.40). Unlike largely unsuccessful past interventions that focused mainly on individual students, our randomized control trial intervention substantially reduced bullying and victimization. Focusing on individual students is likely to be ineffective (even counterproductive) without first changing the normative climate that reinforces bullying. Accordingly, our intervention focused on the classroom teacher. In the classrooms of these teachers, bystanders supported the victims because the classroom climate supported the bystanders. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2023 APA, all rights reserved).

The relationships between perceived teacher autonomy support, academic self-efficacy and learning engagement among primary school students: A network analysis

The relationships between perceived teacher autonomy support, academic self-efficacy and learning engagement among primary school students: A network analysis

The longitudinal development of students' well-being in adolescence: The role of perceived teacher autonomy support.

Although a decline in adolescents' well-being has repeatedly been reported, longitudinal evidence for this development is rare and time-varying factors like teacher autonomy support that could be associated with this trend have sparsely been investigated. Therefore, the present study examined how the temporal development of perceived autonomy support from their German language arts teachers is related to changes in four different facets of students' well-being. Longitudinal data from 3446 adolescents from Germany (NSchools =178) on five measurement points (Grades 5-9) were analyzed using latent growth curve models. Satisfaction with school, enjoyment of school, and self-rated health decreased over time, while social integration remained stable. Perceived teacher autonomy support also declined between Grades 5 and 9. Furthermore, baseline levels of perceived teacher autonomy support and facets of well-being were positively related. Finally and most importantly, our results indicated that changes in perceived teacher autonomy support were positively associated with the development of satisfaction with school, enjoyment of school, and self-rated health, but not social integration. The findings suggest that perceived teacher autonomy support plays an important role in the development of students' well-being in adolescence.

Associations between Perceived Teacher Autonomy Support, Self-Determined Motivation, Physical Activity Habits and Non-Participation in Physical Education in a Sample of Lithuanian Adolescents.

In this cross-sectional study, we tested the associations between teacher autonomy support, self-determined motivation for physical education (PE), physical activity habits and non-participation in physical education in a sample of adolescents. A total of 715 adolescents (of whom 371 (51.89%) were girls) participated. The ages ranged from 14 to 18 years, with mean ages of 16.00 (SD = 0.79) for girls and 15.99 (SD = 0.75) for boys. The study questionnaire consisted of demographic questions and the Learning Climate Questionnaire, Revised Perceived Locus of Causality in Physical Education Questionnaire, Behavioural Regulation in Exercise Questionnaire 2, Self-Report Habit Index for Physical Activity, Godin Leisure-Time Exercise Questionnaire, Rosenberg Self-Esteem Scale, perceived physical fitness and frequency of non-participation in PE classes. The results showed that perceived teacher autonomy support was directly positively associated with physical activity habits and negatively with non-participation in physical education classes. Autonomous motivation for PE was a mediator between perceived teacher autonomy support and physical activity habits, meaning that higher autonomous motivation was related to higher physical activity habits. Motivation for PE was also a mediator between teacher autonomy support and non-participation in PE. Higher autonomous motivation for PE was associated with less frequent non-participation in PE classes. The findings can inform PE teachers’ practice by showing that supporting students’ autonomy and strengthening their self-determined motivation can facilitate increased participation in PE classes and the formation of students’ physical activity habits.

Perceived teacher autonomy support for adolescents' reading achievement: The mediation roles of control-value appraisals and emotions.

Analyzing students’ internal cognitive-motivational appraisals and achievement emotions is of pivotal importance for educational outcomes and student individual wellbeing, yet little is shown about their associations with teacher autonomy support. This study investigates the relationship between perceived teacher autonomy support and reading achievement by addressing mediating influences of control and value-related constructs, i.e., reading self-efficacy, meaning in life, and reading enjoyment. Multiple mediation modeling was adopted to test the proposed model with carrying out a total of 12,058 students from 361 schools in China in the Programme for International Student Assessment (PISA) 2018 reading database. The results elucidated that student-perceived teacher autonomy support is significantly positively related to adolescents’ reading outcomes by fostering internal control and value appraisals and academic enjoyment. These current findings confirm the positive correlation between teacher autonomy support and adolescents’ motivational and emotional factors, providing significant practical implications for educators to adopt various teaching strategies to enhance adolescents’ self-efficacy, intrinsic values, and positive emotions.

The relations between urban high school science students’ agentic mindset, agentic engagement, and perceived teacher autonomy support and control

Students’ agentic engagement and teachers’ autonomy support represent powerful reciprocal factors that can influence academic outcomes. However, little is known about the extent to which students’ agentic mindset reciprocally relates to agentic engagement and teachers’ practice or the parallel role of teacher control, particularly among ethnically diverse urban students. The current investigation examined reciprocal relations between urban U.S. high school science students’ agentic mindset, agentic engagement, and perceived teacher autonomy support and control over time. Cross-lagged structural equation models indicated that agentic mindset, agentic engagement, and perceived teacher practice reciprocally relate. Agentic engagement predicted increases in agentic mindset. Perceived teacher autonomy support predicted increases in agentic mindset and agentic engagement. Agentic mindset predicted decreases in perceived teacher control and vice versa. Moderator analyses suggested that relations varied depending on prior achievement and stereotype vulnerability, but not gender. Specifically, perceived support increased the agentic engagement more for low versus high stereotype vulnerable students. Predicted relations were also stronger and more adaptive for higher achieving compared to lower achieving students, with adaptive relationships from mindset to engagement and from engagement to perceived teacher practice emerging only for high achieving students. Implications for theory, future research, and practice are discussed.

Chinese College Students' Perceived Teacher Autonomy Support and Engagement: A Moderated Mediation Model

The purpose of this study was to examine the correlation between perceived teacher autonomy support (PAS) and student engagement (SE), as well as the mediating role of learning motivation (LM) and the moderating role of the class climate (CC) among 1517 college students in Chinese universities. Survey questionnaires were used in gathering data, and the findings revealed that: (1) PAS had a significant positive impact on SE (B=0.966, p<0.001); (2) LM partially mediated the association between PAS and SE (B=0.084, p<0.001); (3) CC moderated the relation between PAS and LM (B=1.895, p<0.001); more specifically, favorable CC strengthened the effect of PAS on LM among college students. From the findings, this study contributes to a better comprehension of the influence of PAS on SE among Chinese college students. It is suggested higher education institutions and teachers should pay attention to college students' PAS, LM, and CC to improve college students' engagement.

Development and Psychometric Evaluation of the Chinese Version of the Life Skills Scale for Physical Education.

Research on life skills in physical education (PE) has gained great attention in recent years. However, there is a need to translate life skills measures for PE into other languages. This research adapted the Life Skills Scale for PE (LSSPE) into Chinese and provided evidence for its validity and reliability. In Study 1, the scale was cross-culturally adapted through translation and back-translation, expert feedback, pilot testing, and scale refinement to provide evidence for the content validity of the scale. Study 2 provided evidence for the factorial validity, internal consistency reliability, and test–retest reliability of the scale by testing it with 583 students. Study 3, with 390 students, provided evidence for the nomological validity of the measure, with results showing perceived teacher autonomy support and students’ basic need satisfaction were positively associated with life skills development in PE, and that controlling teaching and basic need frustration were negatively associated with life skills development. In conclusion, the results illustrate that the LSSPE can be used to evaluate Chinese-speaking students’ life skills development in PE.

Perceived Teacher Autonomy Support and Students' Deep Learning: The Mediating Role of Self-Efficacy and the Moderating Role of Perceived Peer Support.

The purpose of this research is to test the mediation effect of self-efficacy on college student's perception of teacher autonomy support and students' deep learning, and whether the peer support perceived by students can moderate the relationship between perceived teacher autonomy support and deep learning. A survey of 1,800 college students from a provincial undergraduate normal university in Guizhou Province in China was conducted through the revised Perceived Teacher Autonomy Support Scale, Deep Learning Scale, Self-Efficacy Scale, and Perceived Peer Support Scale (Mean age = 21 years old, SD = 1.34). Data use SPSS23.0, AMOS22.0 for descriptive analysis and correlation analysis, exploratory factor analysis (EFA) and confirmatory factor analysis (CFA), moderation effect, and mediation effect analysis. The research results show that after controlling for gender, major, and grade, self-efficacy partially moderates the connection between perceived teacher autonomy support and deep learning of college students. Moreover, perceived peer support mediates the relationship between perceived teacher autonomy support and students' self-efficacy.

Perceived Teacher Autonomy Support and Self-Determination Skill Expression: Predictors of Student Engagement Among African American High School Students

This study explored how student engagement was related to perceived teacher autonomy support and self-determination skill expression among 145 Grades 9 through 12 African American high school students. First, we examined differences between male and female students’ engagement, perceived teacher autonomy support, and self-determination skill expression. Results indicated that male and female students did not report significant differences in the extent to which they were engaged in class, perceived their teachers as supporting their autonomy, and expressed indicators of self-determination. Second, regression analysis indicated that perceived teacher autonomy support and self-determination skill expression were significant, positive predictors of students’ engagement in class. An additional mediation model demonstrated that self-determination skill expression mediated the relationship between perceived teacher autonomy support and student engagement. Strategies for supporting African American high school students’ autonomy and self-determination skill expression are provided, as well as limitations and directions for future research.

Relations between perceived teacher\u2019s autonomy support, cognitive appraisals and boredom in physics learning among lower secondary school students

BackgroundBoredom during learning activities has the potential of impeding attention, motivation, learning and eventually achievement. Yet, research focusing on its possible antecedents seems to have received less attention especially within the physics domain. Based on assumptions of the Control Value Theory of Achievement Emotions (CVTAE), this study aimed at examining gender differences and structural relationships between students’ reported perceived teacher autonomy support (PTAS), cognitive appraisals (self-efficacy and task value) and learning-related boredom in physics. A sample of 375 (56% females) randomly selected 9th grade students (mean age = 15.03 years; SD = 1.02) from five secondary schools in Masaka district of Uganda took part in the study.ResultsData collected from students’ self-reports using standardised instruments revealed that higher levels of PTAS, self-efficacy, and task value were significantly associated with lower levels of boredom during physics learning. Females reported significantly greater task value for learning physics than the males. Self-efficacy (β = − .10, p < .05) and task value (β = − .09, p < .01) partially mediated the relationship between PTAS and boredom. PTAS showed significant direct negative contributions to boredom (β = − .34, p < .001).ConclusionThese findings provide support for theory and practice about the importance of promoting autonomy among students by adjusting instructional behaviours among teachers of physics. Teacher autonomy supportive behaviours influence formation of students’ beliefs about ability, subjective value and learning-related boredom in physics. Implications and suggestions for further research are also discussed in this paper.

Multiple mediators in the relationship between perceived teacher autonomy support and student engagement in math and literacy learning

This study examined the role of academic self-concept, mastery goals, and academic emotions as mediators in the relationship between perceived teacher autonomy support and student engagement in maths and literacy domains. Questionnaires completed by 854 students in Grades 4 and 5 in China show that perceived teacher autonomy support positively related to students’ behavioural and cognitive engagement in learning both maths and literacy; however, the mechanisms of these relationships varied in the two subjects. When learning maths, perceived teacher autonomy support positively related to student engagement mainly through academic self-concept, mastery goals, and academic emotions; but when learning literacy, perceived teacher autonomy support directly related to student engagement and indirectly via academic self-concept. Moreover, enjoyment was more closely linked with maths engagement than literacy engagement. Findings contribute to understanding how teacher autonomy support influences maths and literacy learning and highlight the necessity to provide subject-specific guidance for future educational intervention.

Adolescents\u2019 profiles based on student agency and teacher autonomy support: does interpersonal justice matter?

In this study, we adopted a person-oriented approach to (a) identify latent profiles of adolescents characterized by unique patterns of perceived teacher autonomy support and student agency, (b) investigate whether perceived interpersonal justice can predict profile membership and (c) compare different profiles in relation to personal responsibility. Participants were 545 Italian secondary school students (55% boys, 94% born in Italy, Mage = 14.24, SDage = .53). Five adolescents’ profiles emerged: disengaged (24%), average students (34%) and committed (28%), with low, mean and high scores, respectively, in both teacher autonomy support and agency; resistant (5%), with low scores in teacher autonomy support and high scores in agency; compliant (9%), with high scores in teacher autonomy support and low scores in agency. Perceptions of interpersonal justice significantly predicted profile membership in the comparison of almost all profiles. Several significant differences in responsibility among profiles also emerged. Implications of the findings for practices and policies are discussed.

Effects of a School-Based Intervention on Motivation for Out-of-School Physical Activity Participation

ABSTRACT Purpose: We tested the effects of an autonomy-supportive intervention in physical education (PE) on high-school students’ autonomous motivation in PE, and their autonomous motivation, intentions, and physical activity (PA) behavior in a leisure time guided by the trans-contextual model. Method: PE classes in two schools were assigned to receive either an autonomy-supportive intervention and/or a control intervention via random allocation by the school. The PE teacher of the school assigned to the autonomy-supportive intervention was trained to provide autonomy support while the PE teacher of the school assigned to the control intervention received no training. Students (N = 256) in all classes completed measures of perceived teacher autonomy support, autonomous motivation in PE and leisure time, and beliefs, intentions, and PA in leisure time before and immediately after the intervention. Results: Results revealed direct effects of the autonomy-supportive intervention on changes in perceived autonomy support. However, there were no direct intervention effects on change in intentions and PA behavior. The intervention also had indirect effects on changes in autonomous motivation in PE and leisure time. Additionally, change in perceived autonomy support had direct effects on change in autonomous motivation in PE and indirect effects on change in leisure-time autonomous motivation. Changes in autonomous motivation in leisure time had direct effects on changes in beliefs and indirect effects on changes in intentions and PA behavior through changes in beliefs. Conclusion: The study provides valuable information on the effect of autonomous supportive climate on students’ beliefs toward PA in PE lessons and in their leisure time outside of school.