Self-Determination Theory & Education

Self-determination theory grew out of the work of psychologists Edward Deci and Richard Ryan.

They developed a theory of motivation which suggested that people tend to be driven by a need to grow and gain fulfilment.

According to self-determination theory, people need to feel the following in order to achieve psychological growth:

• Autonomy

• Competence

• Relatedness

Let's talk about each one.

1. Autonomy

The need to feel in control of your own behaviour and goals.

The sense of being able to take direct action that will result in real change.

People want to be masters of their own destiny and feel that they have some control over their lives.

In a zombie apocalypse quest my team designed, kids decide as a group where to build their new settlement after surviving the zombies. 

They also designed vehicles that carry supplies and offer protection.

The kids feel in control of their destiny. 

2. Competence

The need to gain mastery of tasks and learn different skills.

When kids feel that they have the skills needed for success, they are more likely to work towards their goals.

The feeling of competence leads to psychological empowerment.

In the same zombie apocalypse quest, kids learnt to navigate @gather_town.

As the kids grew in confidence, they started adding objects on Gather. 

Instead of exploring what we built for them, they started building themselves.

3. Relatedness

The need to experience a sense of belonging and attachment to other people.

Relatedness reflects the extent to which you feel connected to others, have caring relationships, and belong to a community.

In the zombie apocalypse example, kids are assigned roles within the community.

They learnt about happiness index and GDP.

Working with each other and for each other, they took responsibility for the welfare of the villagers and the sustainability of their settlement. 

If we can help kids become intrinsically motivated to learn, most of the problems we face as parents and educators will go away. 

Self-determined students are more likely to feel motivated to achieve. 

As parents and educators, we can encourage a culture of autonomy at home and in the classroom.

Let kids feel supported to explore, take initiative, and come up with solutions to their problems.

Provide prompt feedback and challenge kids to promote a sense of competence.

Giving unexpected positive feedback when kids perform well in school or at home can help improve competence.

Kids experience relatedness when they perceive others listening and responding to them. 

Kids are more perceptive than we give them credit for.

Really listen. Avoid talking down to them. Speak to them like adults. 

This issue is inspired by a discussion between Jai Flicker, Vlad Stan and myself on Clubhouse. A recording of the Clubhouse session on self-determination theory and education is available here.

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Till the next issue, stay safe, folks!