Abstract
High school students (N = 278) in 30 classrooms with ten teachers (grades 9 through 12) reported on teacher practices in a single course, autonomy
need satisfaction, and value for that course. Using hierarchical linear modeling, results indicated that student perceptions
of teachers providing choices and engaging in perspective-taking to a greater extent uniquely related to greater autonomy
need satisfaction. Subsequent analyses suggested that students’ autonomy need satisfaction was greatest when they perceived
that teachers also identified the importance and usefulness of coursework and considered students’ interests and opinions
in course activities. Provision of choice and perspective-taking related to greater course value through autonomy need satisfaction,
while identifying the importance and usefulness of course activities had only direct positive effects on course value. The
pattern of total, direct, and indirect effects was slightly different depending on the component of course value. Results
underscore the importance of including provision of choice in conceptualizations of teacher autonomy support.
need satisfaction, and value for that course. Using hierarchical linear modeling, results indicated that student perceptions
of teachers providing choices and engaging in perspective-taking to a greater extent uniquely related to greater autonomy
need satisfaction. Subsequent analyses suggested that students’ autonomy need satisfaction was greatest when they perceived
that teachers also identified the importance and usefulness of coursework and considered students’ interests and opinions
in course activities. Provision of choice and perspective-taking related to greater course value through autonomy need satisfaction,
while identifying the importance and usefulness of course activities had only direct positive effects on course value. The
pattern of total, direct, and indirect effects was slightly different depending on the component of course value. Results
underscore the importance of including provision of choice in conceptualizations of teacher autonomy support.
- Content Type Journal Article
- Category Original Paper
- Pages 1-19
- DOI 10.1007/s11031-012-9305-6
- Authors
- Erika A. Patall, Department of Educational Psychology, The University of Texas at Austin, 1 University Station, D5800, Austin, TX 78712, USA
- Amy L. Dent, Department of Psychology and Neuroscience, Duke University, Box 90086, Durham, NC 27708, USA
- Melissa Oyer, Department of Psychological Studies in Education, Temple University, 1301 Cecil B. Moore Avenue, Philadelphia, PA 19122, USA
- Susan R. Wynn, Program in Education, Duke University, Box 90739, Durham, NC 27708, USA
- Journal Motivation and Emotion
- Online ISSN 1573-6644
- Print ISSN 0146-7239