Hope collection

How can teachers lift students’ motivation and wellbeing using simple, need-supportive teaching?

Practical Advice/Tips for Practitioners

• Offer real choices, then explain why.
  Give two or three meaningful task options and a short rationale linking the work to students’ goals. Avoid “you must”; invite initiative and questions.

• Pair clear structure with supportive tone.
  State the goal, steps and timeframes up front. Keep routines consistent. Give feedback that guides next steps, not just grades. Maintain a warm, respectful tone.

• Listen first; connect to interests.
  Start units by asking what students already know and care about. Use their examples in tasks. Acknowledge views before directing. This builds ownership and effort.

• Use feedback to build competence.
  Focus comments on what worked, what to try next, and why. Avoid comparisons with other students. Replace “right/wrong only” with brief, specific, improvement-oriented notes.

• Mind your language under pressure.
  When stressed, swap “should/have to” for “let’s try/you could.” Briefly explain the reason for tasks. This lowers stress and keeps motivation internal.

Abstract

Self-determination theory (SDT) is a broad framework for understanding factors that facilitate or undermine intrinsic motivation, autonomous extrinsic motivation, and psychological wellness, all issues of direct relevance to educational settings. We review research from SDT showing that both intrinsic motivation and well internalized (and thus autonomous) forms of extrinsic motivation predict an array of positive outcomes across varied educational levels and cultural contexts and are enhanced by supports for students’ basic psychological needs for autonomy, competence, and relatedness. Findings also show a dynamic link between teacher and student motivation, as teachers are themselves impacted and constrained by controlling mandates, institutional pressures, and leadership styles. Ironically, despite substantial evidence for the importance of psychological need satisfactions in learning contexts, many current educational policies and practices around the globe remain anchored in traditional motivational models that fail to support students’ and teachers’ needs, a knowledge versus policy gap we should aspire to close.

Full paper access

Ryan, Richard M. and Deci, Edward L.. (2020). Intrinsic and extrinsic motivation from a self-determination theory perspective : Definitions, theory, practices, and future directions. Contemporary Educational Psychology. 61, p. 101860.

Contact the researcher

Professor Richard Ryan
richard.ryan@acu.edu.au

Learn more about Professor Richard Ryan’s research