Principles Of Self-determination Theory Research Articles

Reflections and insights on a mindfulness, acceptance, and commitment-based (MAC) intervention with complementary Self-Determination Theory (SDT) principles delivered by a coach

This paper presents a case of implementing a MAC-based intervention, empowered by SDT principles, delivered by the coach. As the MAC-based approach becomes dominant in the sport psychology field and SDT is a leading motivational approach applied to sports coaching, a 10-session program was delivered by the head coach to a group of 28 gymnasts. The intervention included psychoeducation on core MAC principles (e.g., values, acceptance, defusion) and was guided by the coach's efforts to fulfill the basic psychological needs of autonomy, competence, and relatedness. The intervention program protocol aligned with the coach's reflections are presented in each session. In conclusion, despite some constraints, this intervention framework holds potential for contributing to youth athletes' performance, well-being, and psychological development.

An Experiential Approach to Training Medical Faculty to Coach: "The Total Experience was Much More Than the Sum of Its Parts".

Coaching in academic medicine may be used for performance improvement as well as personal and professional growth and development. Medical faculty used to advising and mentoring learners may find it challenging to transition to coaching. Limited information is available about educating physicians to take on the role of coaching. We investigated a faculty coach training program at an academic medical center, using qualitative methods to explore how participants' perceptions of the training aligned with the elements of Self-Determination Theory (SDT) and Intentional Change Theory (ICT) that were taught using the principles of Experiential Learning Theory (ELT). Based on findings that illuminated understanding and practice of coaching, it may be summarized that the application of experiential learning may be an effective approach in helping faculty embrace the principles of SDT and ICT and make the shift to transformational coaching.

Academic motivations and the risk of not in employment, education or training: university and vocational college undergraduates comparison

PurposeThis study aims to investigate the relationship between academic motivations and the risk of Not in Employment, Education or Training (NEET) among university undergraduates and Vocational Education and Training (VET) undergraduates.Design/methodology/approachThe sample included 402 Vietnamese university undergraduates and 250 VET undergraduates in the southern region of Vietnam. Students took part in a survey, with all participants being informed about the study’s purpose and assured that their involvement was entirely voluntary. In addition to descriptive statistics, the study employed linear regression in SPSS to examine hypotheses.FindingsThe findings indicate that, for university students, intrinsic motivation and mastery approach motivation are associated with reduced NEET risk, while performance avoidance motivation is positively linked to this tendency. In contrast, for VET students, extrinsic motivation and performance approach motivation are negatively associated with NEET risk, but mastery approach motivation may exacerbate the risk.Originality/valueGrounded in the principles of Self-Determination Theory (SDT) and Achievement Goal Theory (AGT), the study proposes that university students may prioritize competence improvement, knowledge acquisition and the satisfaction of their learning interests, which they believe will help them acquire valuable knowledge beneficial for their future careers. Conversely, VET students emphasize performance and external achievement, which may enhance their outcome and reduce NEET risk. These findings offer significant theoretical and practical insights into the adoption of SDT and AGT and also provide educators or policymakers with more detailed information regarding university and VET students’ learning and development.

Fostering Competence and Autonomy in High School Physical Education Classes: An Exploration of Intricate Relationships

This study addresses concerns surrounding the assessment of competence through various fitness tests in physical education, specifically assessments misaligning with the conceptualization of physical literacy. The study aimed to deductively analyze student assessment experiences with principles of self-determination theory, focusing on the role of competence in supporting autonomy. Particular instruments, such as the vertical jump and 30 m sprint tests, observed high levels of student preference and perceived significance. Interestingly, while the multistage fitness test was identified by students as a reliable indicator of physical fitness, it garnered limited student selection. While specific movement recommendations are not outlined, the findings underscore several noteworthy considerations. Notably, various factors influence student choices in student-selected fitness assessments, and purpose-driven fitness assessments can contribute to student motivation. The study’s insights provide valuable guidance for structuring physical education programs to foster engagement and autonomy among students.

Psychological empowerment and employee resilience in travel agencies and hotels

Purpose Responding to the need for exploration of psychological predictors influencing innovation, this study aims to examine the impact of psychological ownership (PO) in employee innovation behavior (EIB) with a focus on psychological empowerment (PE) and employee resilience (ER) as mediators. Design/methodology/approach Data was collected from full-time employees working in travel agencies and five-star hotels in Egypt. A Partial Least Squares Structural Equation Modeling analysis was performed on 409 valid responses. Findings The findings of this study revealed PO has a positive effect on EIB. Such relationship is partially mediated by PE and ER. Originality/value Theoretically, this study offers valuable insights into the underlying mechanisms that elucidate how PO influences employees' innovation behavior and resilience, while aligning with the principles of self-determination theory.

AI-enabled personalized learning: empowering management students for improving engagement and academic performance

Purpose In today’s highly competitive world, the purpose of this research is to emphasize the increasing significance of management education and advocate for the adoption of innovative teaching approaches, specifically focusing on artificial intelligence (AI)-driven personalized learning (PL). This study aims to explore the integration of self-determination theory (SDT) principles into management education, with a primary focus on enhancing student motivation, engagement and academic performance (AP). Design/methodology/approach This interdisciplinary research adopts a multifaceted approach, combining perspectives from AI, education and psychology. The design and methodology involve a thorough exploration of the theoretical foundations of both AI-driven education and SDT. The research demonstrates how these two elements can synergize to create a holistic educational experience. To substantiate the theoretical claims, empirical data-driven analyses are employed, showcasing the effectiveness of AI-enabled personalized learning (AIPL). The study integrates principles from SDT, such as autonomy, competence and relatedness, to create an environment where students are intrinsically motivated, receiving tailored instruction for optimal outcomes. Findings The study, rooted in SDT, demonstrates AIPL’s transformative impact on management education. It positively influences students’ autonomy, competence and relatedness, fostering engagement. Autonomy is a key driver, strongly linked to improved AP. The path analysis model validates these relationships, highlighting AI’s pivotal role in reshaping educational experiences and intrinsically motivating students. Practical implications This study holds substantial significance for educators, policymakers and researchers. The findings indicate that the AIPL model is effective in increasing student interest and improving AP. Furthermore, this study offers practical guidance for implementing AI in management education to empower students, enhance engagement and align with SDT principles. Originality/value Contribute original insights through an interdisciplinary lens. Synthesize AI and SDT principles, providing a roadmap for a more effective educational experience. Empirical data-driven analyses enhance credibility, offering valuable contributions for educators and policymakers in the technology-influenced education landscape.

Gamification in Retail: Enhancing Grocery Customer Experience with Location-Based Strategies

This study explores how gamification impacts customer experience in the retail sector emphasizing the need for businesses to differentiate in competitive markets. Gamification involves using game design elements in non-game contexts and is growing as a method to boost customer engagement and satisfaction. The research presents a unique gamified shopping system using location-based (Beacon technologies) with a custom mobile app. This system engages customers through interactive games and challenges in specific store locations. The app includes features like a suggestion page puzzle scoreboard and a points-based reward system. Study findings show a significant positive correlation between gamification strategies and improved customer experience (CX). Using game elements in non-game contexts enhances consumer behaviors and aligns with Self-Determination Theory principles. The app also integrates eco-friendly features and social interaction elements for an innovative and environmentally friendly approach to enhancing the retail customer experience.

Empowering sustainability in the virtual work landscape: Exploring social support, psychological empowerment and psychological well-being

The dynamics of virtual work have become increasingly complex in the ever-changing digital ecosystem, seeking a comprehensive examination of the connections among social support, psychological empowerment (PE) and psychological well-being (PWB). The study explores the multifaceted dynamics present in virtual environments, with particular attention on how PE mediates these relationships and how social support influences PWB by investigating the employees of the IT sector working in the National Capital Region (NCR) of India, a significant player of the global technology market, where remote and virtual work arrangements have been extensively employed. A survey was conducted using Google Docs, with 483 participants responding to personally administered questionnaires. The study’s conceptual framework was built upon the principles of self-determination theory (SDT) and the conservation of resources theory (COR). Confirmatory factor analysis and mediation analysis through structural equation modelling (SEM) techniques were utilized to evaluate the measurement model’s validity and explore the relation among variables. The results highlight the significance of social support in improving employees’ PWB in virtual work situations. Furthermore, the study indicates the existence of direct relationship between social support and well-being, as well as the mediating role of PE. The study reveals that impact, competence and self-determination act as intermediary factors, suggesting their capacity to facilitate the impact of social support on PWB.

Joint online distance learning to complement postgraduate pathology training in preparation for national board examinations

AimsTo meet the flexible learning needs of pathology residents preparing for national board examinations, a joint distance learning approach was developed using both asynchronous and synchronous activities with whole slide...

The Implementation of Personalised Learning to Teach English in Malaysian Low-Enrolment Schools

The implementation of personalised learning in teaching English has become one of the effective approaches to cater learners’ needs in education. The educators in Malaysia, as in many countries, are interested in exploring the implementation of personalised learning in their lessons. However, the study on personalised learning to teach English in Malaysian schools is scarce. The prevalence of low academic achievement, especially in rural and low-enrolment schools, has led to teacher reluctance to adopt personalised learning approaches, potentially denying students the vital benefits of tailored education essential for their future success and development. Hence, this study aims to explore the implementation of personalised learning to teach English, particularly in Malaysian lowenrolment schools, as well as the challenges and ways to overcome the challenges. Personalised learning is implemented based on the SelfDetermination Theory in this study. This qualitative research used a narrative approach via oral history. Purposive and convenience sampling were used to select a total of four participants for this study. Online semistructured interviews were conducted with the participants to collect the data. The result analysis was trifold, including data transcription, data coding and data analysis to explore the research questions. Findings show that the implications of personalised learning in low-enrolment schools, grounded in the principles of Self-Determination Theory, are vast and promising. Personalised learning in English language education has the potential to transform Malaysia’s educational landscape by nurturing intrinsic motivation, enhancing language skills, engaging students culturally, supporting teacher development, and fostering systemic changes, ultimately improving academic achievement, engagement, and well-being.

Motivation and genre as social action: a phenomenological perspective on academic writing.

This article discusses the relationship between motivation and genre in the context of academic writing, aiming to further bridge the gap between information-processing (IP) cognitive approaches and socio-cultural or dialogical approaches to understanding cognition. The author takes one significant recent article bridging the gap, Graham's Writers Within Communities (WWC) model, as a starting point and attempts to add concepts from genre as social action and Deci and Ryan's Self-Determination Theory (SDT). The article explores how genre as social action is intimately connected with motivation and how SDT's principles of competence, autonomy, and relatedness align with the phenomenological perspective on genre and motivation. The author suggests that these theories provide a more comprehensive understanding of writing motivation, emphasizing that the perception of genre as social action is a crucial motivator for writers and that self-determination is vital to authentic self-regulation in academic writing. The article illustrates the uses of the additional theories with an interview-based case study of a dissertation writer. It ends by discussing the possible implications of this theoretical research for empirical research on student motivation from both IP cognitive and sociocultural perspectives.

Co-Teaching Implementation: How Do School Leaders Support Teachers?

School leaders play a pivotal role in fostering change and improvement, including via teacher-led interventions, such as co-teaching. Leaders’ vision and support create the conditions for teachers to maximize the effectiveness of school interventions. However, there is limited understanding of how school leaders provide support for the intervention of co-teaching. This gap in knowledge is crucial because co-teaching has the potential to be transformative, but teachers must actively drive pedagogical changes. We conducted a mixed-methods study involving 150 Norwegian elementary schools participating in a multi-year co-teaching initiative for literacy instruction. We collected data through open and closed survey questions, inquiring about school leaders’ beliefs and support practices regarding co-teaching. Our descriptive analysis examined school leaders’ practices and explored potential associations with their epistemological perspectives. Our findings indicate that leaders who approach co-teaching with cautious optimism tend to provide more thoughtful support compared to those who are overly optimistic and may underestimate implementation challenges. Moreover, most leaders prioritize structural support elements while potentially overlooking psychological and emotional support practices aligned with self-determination theory (SDT). We conclude with practical recommendations for school leaders to offer support to teachers that are grounded in the principles of SDT and organized according to implementation phases.

The Evolution of Urban Physical Education Development Model and Its Innovative Development Strategy

In China's urban environment, physical education has changed significantly during the last few decades. Physical education programs are in higher demand than ever, especially in colleges, as people's knowledge of health and fitness has grown. This study examines the effectiveness of an innovative physical education development and strategy, based on self-determination theory principles, in promoting physical activity and motivation among undergraduate students in Taiyuan, China. A total of 256 participants enrolled in fitness-based physical activity classes at a university in China were included in the study. Data was collected through self-reported measures of physical education, physical fitness, innovativeness, lifestyle behavior, and academic achievement. Statistical analyses were conducted using SPSS software. The findings suggest that the physical education development model and strategy may be effective in promoting physical education, physical fitness, innovativeness, and academic achievement among undergraduate students in China. Further research may be needed to explore the relationship between academic achievement and lifestyle behavior in more detail and to identify any other factors that may be influencing academic achievement.

How intrinsically motivating are swimming instructors/lessons in the Netherlands? An observational study through the lens of self-determination theory.

It is desirable that (more) children continue swimming after having completed their swimming lessons to preserve their swimming skills and water safety, and as part of an active, healthy lifestyle. This may be encouraged by stirring children's intrinsic motivation for swimming during swimming lessons. However, it is currently unknown how intrinsically motivating swimming lessons are in Western countries. This study examined to what extent swimming instructors in the Netherlands cater to the basic needs of autonomy, competence, and relatedness, which, according to Self-Determination Theory (SDT), promote intrinsic motivation. Additionally, it examined whether an SDT-based teaching program prompts instructors to better meet these needs, and to what extent the teaching program, the education and experience of the instructor, and the group size predict the employment of SDT in swimming lessons. A total of 128 swimming lessons given by equally many instructors were observed in the Netherlands and rated on a modified version of the SDT teaching style scale to assess autonomy, competence, and relatedness support. The swimming lessons referred to four teaching programs, one of which was explicitly based on SDT. Instructors exhibited autonomy-thwarting, weakly competence-supportive, and relatedness-supportive behaviors. The SDT-based teaching program scored higher on the provision of autonomy, competence, and relatedness in lessons. This finding was significant for autonomy. Teaching program was the only significant predictor of SDT employment by instructors. Further improvement is desirable in catering to the basic needs, particularly autonomy, which can be achieved by deliberately implementing the principles of SDT into teaching programs for swimming.

Navigating University: The Design and Evaluation of a Holistic Support Programme for Autistic Students in Higher Education

Successfully engaging with university study can be challenging for autistic students and has been highlighted in the research literature as an area of concern. This study sought to address support for autistic students at one Australian university through the development of a bespoke programme called A-Skills. The programme was co-designed with autistic students drawing on principles of self-determination theory and it aimed to develop study and student life skills. This paper presents a longitudinal evaluation of the programme using semi-structured interviews and user engagement metrics from the online platform. Our findings indicated that engagement with the programme varied between individuals but adopting a principle of co-design ensured that the topics of focus were important to the needs of the students it sought to support. Further, interview data suggested both positive sentiment and value towards the initiative amongst participants. Although online delivery enabled choice, there were potential challenges in fostering relatedness, which was addressed to some degree through synchronous online weekly sessions facilitated by an autistic student. Core to the success of A-Skills is the co-design approach as a central principle in the design, development and evaluation of the programme. With continued research and iterative design, the programme could be adopted more widely.

Interaction styles of health care professionals supporting patients with chronic conditions in general hospitals towards self-management: one-year follow-up data from a brief educational intervention

ABSTRACT Education and training have been identified as a potential way of engaging health-care professionals in patient self-management support. However, there is a need to distil what methods work best to support self-management in different settings, and consequently about which frameworks should be part of educational and training initiatives. We investigated in Ugandan health-care professionals working with patients with chronic conditions whether following a 10-h workshop on using the self-determination theory (SDT) framework resulted in higher levels of autonomy-support and structuring and lower levels of control and chaos 12 months post-workshop compared to health-care professionals who did not follow the workshop. Situations In Self-management support – HealthCare Professionals (SIS-HCP) scores from 55 health-care professionals (42.5 ± 9.2 years; 58.2% female) who followed a workshop were compared using unpaired Student’s t tests with a convenience sample of 85 health-care professionals (39.9 ± 13.0 years; 62.3% female) who did not follow the workshop. Those who followed the workshop reported higher SIS-HCP autonomy-support (Cohen’s d = 0.87, i.e. large effect) and structuring (Cohen’s d = 0.84, i.e. large effect) and lower SIS-HCP controlling (Cohen’s d = 0.64, i.e. moderate effect) and chaos (Cohen’s d = 0.71, i.e. moderate effect) than those who did not follow the workshop. Health-care professionals trained in SDT principles have one-year post-training a more supportive and structuring and a less controlling and chaotic interaction style than those who did not follow the workshop. Future research should investigate whether also self-management competencies in chronic patients can be improved via training health-care professionals.

Fostering Motivation toward Chemistry through Augmented Reality Educational Escape Activities. A Self-Determination Theory Approach

There is little doubt that motivation influences the extent to which individuals engage with online learning experiences. With the increasing role of digital technologies within chemistry higher education, this study illustrates how an augmented reality (AR)-supported educational escape activity (EEA), based on topics of inorganic stereochemistry, can be employed within an online environment. The design aspects of our activity were guided by principles of Self-Determination Theory (SDT)─an intrinsic-extrinsic theory of motivation. We sought to actively support the fundamental needs of competency, autonomy, and relatedness. Our control group was provided with a copy of our EEA that utilized two-dimensional drawings. Reported measures of competency were seen as a positive predictor of intrinsic motivation. However, in this study, this was not observed to be a positive predictor of academic performance. The introduction of AR, over and above the EEA, did not result in any significant differences in reported intrinsic motivation or post-test scores on our stereochemistry test instrument. Collected qualitative data suggest that participants found the activity to be useful and engaging. Through students’ discussions, we have provided evidence of how design aspects of the EEA support the psychological needs satisfaction outlined by SDT. The design of our EEA provides one approach to implementing this style of learning activity, in a way that supports virtual presence and is scalable to large student cohorts.

Smartphone App Delivery of a Just-In-Time Adaptive Intervention for Adult Gamblers (Gambling Habit Hacker): Protocol for a Microrandomized Trial

BackgroundPeople with gambling problems frequently report repeated unsuccessful attempts to change their behavior. Although many behavior change techniques are available to individuals to reduce gambling harm, they can be challenging to implement or maintain. The provision of implementation support tailored for immediate, real-time, individualized circumstances may improve attempts at behavior change.ObjectiveWe aimed to develop and evaluate a Just-In-Time Adaptive Intervention (JITAI) for individuals who require support to adhere to their gambling limits. JITAI development is based on the principles of the Health Action Process Approach with delivery, in alignment with the principles of self-determination theory. The primary objective was to determine the effect of action- and coping planning compared with no intervention on the goal of subsequently adhering to gambling expenditure limits.MethodsGambling Habit Hacker is delivered as a JITAI providing in-the-moment support for adhering to gambling expenditure limits (primary proximal outcome). Delivered via a smartphone app, this JITAI delivers tailored behavior change techniques related to goal setting, action planning, coping planning, and self-monitoring. The Gambling Habit Hacker app will be evaluated using a 28-day microrandomized trial. Up to 200 individuals seeking support for their own gambling from Australia and New Zealand will set a gambling expenditure limit (ie, goal). They will then be asked to complete 3 time-based ecological momentary assessments (EMAs) per day over a 28-day period. EMAs will assess real-time adherence to gambling limits, strength of intention to adhere to goals, goal self-efficacy, urge self-efficacy, and being in high-risk situations. On the basis of the responses to each EMA, participants will be randomized to the control (a set of 25 self-enactable strategies containing names only and no implementation information) or intervention (self-enactable strategy implementation information with facilitated action- and coping planning) conditions. This microrandomized trial will be supplemented with a 6-month within-group follow-up that explores the long-term impact of the app on gambling expenditure (primary distal outcome) and a range of secondary outcomes, as well as an evaluation of the acceptability of the JITAI via postintervention surveys, app use and engagement indices, and semistructured interviews. This trial has been approved by the Deakin University Human Research Ethics Committee (2020-304).ResultsThe intervention has been subject to expert user testing, with high acceptability scores. The results will inform a more nuanced version of the Gambling Habit Hacker app for wider use.ConclusionsGambling Habit Hacker is part of a suite of interventions for addictive behaviors that deliver implementation support grounded in lived experience. This study may inform the usefulness of delivering implementation intentions in real time and in real-world settings. It potentially offers people with gambling problems new support to set their gambling intentions and adhere to their limits.Trial RegistrationAustralian New Zealand Clinical Trials Registry ACTRN12622000497707; www.anzctr.org.au/Trial/Registration/TrialReview.aspx?id=383568International Registered Report Identifier (IRRID)DERR1-10.2196/38919

Can we design language education policy and curricula for a motivated learner? Self-Determination Theory and the UK language crisis

ABSTRACT With the UK entering its fourth decade of this crisis with no end in sight, it is timely to ask how current policy directions for language learning beyond the compulsory phase (currently age 14 in all 4 UK nations) align with learners' psychological needs in relation to language learning. After a review of these psychological needs within motivational theory, this article first discusses current foreign languages (FL) policies in all four UK nations (England, Wales, Northern Ireland, Scotland), alongside the current debates around the recently published 2021 Ofsted Curriculum Research Review for languages (OCRR), which is likely to underpin Ofsted's inspections of provision in England. We then critically evaluate a range of research-based measures to boost learner motivation, some of which show promising results. Taking as our theoretical basis the psychological needs of autonomy, relatedness and competence that comprise Self-Determination Theory (SDT), we then analyse FL policy and practices directions in the UK, including those articulated in the OCRR, and conclude that these tend to ignore or misinterpret motivational theory. This is followed by recommendations for FL policy which align both with SDT principles and research evidence. The conclusion critically evaluates opportunities and risks of current UK policy directions.

Investigating the effectiveness of an online language teacher education programme informed by self-determination theory

ABSTRACT Despite the centrality of motivation for all learning, few studies have examined the effectiveness of online language teacher education (OLTE) programmes within a psychological framework. This explorative study seeks to address this gap by evaluating the effectiveness of a two semesters OLTE course for German teachers in the Norwegian context. The course was developed to address students’ innate psychological needs for autonomy, competence and relatedness within the framework of self-determination theory (SDT). The paper first details the steps taken to meet students’ needs, and then evaluates the effectiveness of the programme by analysing the data from students’ questionnaires, which were completed after each of the two semesters. The results showed that most students were highly motivated throughout the course, and that their motivation increased over time. Furthermore, most of the students felt that their psychological needs of autonomy, competence and relatedness were met. Thus, we suggest that designing OLTE programmes according to SDT principles can be an effective means of professional training for future language teachers.