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Enhancing self-determined teaching and learning motivation : examining the roles of teacher beliefs and motivational styles, teacher well-being and autonomy-supportive structure in PE
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Type
Thesis
Author
How, Yew Meng
Supervisor
Wang, John Chee Keng
Abstract
Physical Education (PE) teachers’ motivational styles have a substantial impact on students’ feelings about and engagement in learning, which in turn influence children to adopt physically active lifestyles as adults. In PE, there is evidence showing that teachers’ teaching styles (e.g. autonomy-supportive versus controlling) significantly impact students’ need satisfaction and motivations in physical activity (PA). However, the paradox is that many teachers persist in being controlling during instruction. Recent research suggests that the school environment influences teachers’ choice of motivational styles through their beliefs about its effectiveness, ease of implementation and whether it is normative. To overcome the issue of declining PA in youths, an understanding of the social-contextual determinants in PE lessons that leads to better teaching and self-determined learning is an important avenue of inquiry. Self-Determination Theory (SDT), a meta-motivational theory examining why people do what they do, provides the theoretical framework to investigate and explain the issue. This thesis, comprising of three studies, aims to: (a) refine and develop the psychometric properties of the teachers’ beliefs in motivational styles questionnaire; (b) examine the factors that affect teachers’ well-being and; (c) investigate the effectiveness of an autonomy-supportive teaching structure on students’ motivation, engagement, perceived autonomy-support and objective physical activity levels.
In Study 1, the factorial structure of the modified teachers’ beliefs in motivational style questionnaire for PE (TBMSQ-PE) was examined. The results of confirmatory factor analysis yielded the 15-item TBMSQ-PE consisting of three factors: belief that a motivational style was effective, belief that a motivational style was normative and belief that a motivational style was easy-to-implement. It was also shown that the TBMSQ-PE had adequate internal reliability and convergent validity.
In Study 2, the relationship between motivational styles, motivational beliefs and needs satisfaction as antecedents of PE teachers’ well-being was investigated. Through the use of linear regression analysis, the findings indicate that PE teachers who display autonomy-supportive behaviour enjoy their teaching more, exert more effort and experience greater vitality at work. Additionally, PE teachers’ belief that an autonomy-supportive style is effective may exert more effort and enjoy their teaching. Finally, the results also show that satisfaction of PE teachers’ basic psychological needs may allow them to thrive within their teaching roles, regardless of their teaching motivation styles and beliefs.
In Study 3, the efficacy of an autonomy-supportive teaching structure in PE (ASTS-PE) was tested. Through the use of repeated measures MANOVA, the findings show that students in the autonomy-supportive structure condition were more autonomously-motivated than students that were taught only with the autonomy-supportive strategies, as well as the control groups. Furthermore, students in the autonomy-supportive structure condition were more physically active than the autonomy-support only and control groups. The findings provide emerging evidence that autonomy-support with a concurrent provision of structure as an effective pedagogical practice in PE that warrants further investigation.
To conclude, with teachers being the key to creating motivating learning environments in PE, it is important to create conducive environments that facilitate PE teachers’ autonomy-supportive behaviours. An optimal working environment for PE teachers should be one that satisfies their psychological needs. Furthermore, the practical autonomy-supportive elements discussed in this thesis aims to provide a practical structure to influence teachers towards becoming less controlling and more autonomy-supportive in their PE lessons. Limitations and future research directions are also discussed in the conclusion of this thesis.
In Study 1, the factorial structure of the modified teachers’ beliefs in motivational style questionnaire for PE (TBMSQ-PE) was examined. The results of confirmatory factor analysis yielded the 15-item TBMSQ-PE consisting of three factors: belief that a motivational style was effective, belief that a motivational style was normative and belief that a motivational style was easy-to-implement. It was also shown that the TBMSQ-PE had adequate internal reliability and convergent validity.
In Study 2, the relationship between motivational styles, motivational beliefs and needs satisfaction as antecedents of PE teachers’ well-being was investigated. Through the use of linear regression analysis, the findings indicate that PE teachers who display autonomy-supportive behaviour enjoy their teaching more, exert more effort and experience greater vitality at work. Additionally, PE teachers’ belief that an autonomy-supportive style is effective may exert more effort and enjoy their teaching. Finally, the results also show that satisfaction of PE teachers’ basic psychological needs may allow them to thrive within their teaching roles, regardless of their teaching motivation styles and beliefs.
In Study 3, the efficacy of an autonomy-supportive teaching structure in PE (ASTS-PE) was tested. Through the use of repeated measures MANOVA, the findings show that students in the autonomy-supportive structure condition were more autonomously-motivated than students that were taught only with the autonomy-supportive strategies, as well as the control groups. Furthermore, students in the autonomy-supportive structure condition were more physically active than the autonomy-support only and control groups. The findings provide emerging evidence that autonomy-support with a concurrent provision of structure as an effective pedagogical practice in PE that warrants further investigation.
To conclude, with teachers being the key to creating motivating learning environments in PE, it is important to create conducive environments that facilitate PE teachers’ autonomy-supportive behaviours. An optimal working environment for PE teachers should be one that satisfies their psychological needs. Furthermore, the practical autonomy-supportive elements discussed in this thesis aims to provide a practical structure to influence teachers towards becoming less controlling and more autonomy-supportive in their PE lessons. Limitations and future research directions are also discussed in the conclusion of this thesis.
Date Issued
2016
Call Number
LB1025.3 How
Date Submitted
2016