Motivational processes involved in simulation-based learning in teacher education: the perspective of Self-Determination Theory

The study examines the motivational processes that take place within Simulation-Based Learning (SBL) in a teacher-education setting. The study is anchored in Self-Determination Theory (SDT), which focuses on psychological needs and ways to support them. We hypothesised that a need supportive climate would lead to a sense of need satisfaction, which in turn will contribute to autonomous motivation for participation in the simulation, which will foster a sense of simulation satisfaction and skills acquisition. The study subjects were 307 participants of a simulation workshop. Data was collected via validated questionnaires. Findings showed that a need supportive climate was positively correlated with a sense of need satisfaction, autonomous motivation, skills acquisition, and sense of simulation satisfaction; and negatively correlated with a sense of need frustration. SEM analysis confirmed the research hypothesis. Need satisfaction and autonomous motivation partially mediated the association between a need supportive climate and the outcome variables. The study highlights the importance of supporting participants’ psychological needs in SBL.