Motivating students using autonomy-supportive instructions: a pilot study

All responsible educators strive to create the most positive climate in their classrooms and to provide their students with the most positive learning experiences. However, they may not always know what to say and do to be most motivating. Grounded in the Self-Determination Theory, this study examined the effect of autonomy-supportive instructional behaviours, operationalised as "conveying choice", "taking students' perspective", and "providing meaningful rationale" on students' learning experiences. A senior school-teacher volunteered to implement the instructional behaviours in her three intact biology classes for five weeks. From her classes, 14 students (all female, 15 years old) participated in focus group discussions to share about their experiences in the teacher's classes. The interview transcripts were then content-analysed for common themes. Qualitative accounts showed that the students did notice their teacher making deliberate attempts at "conveying choice" and "taking students' perspective" with "providing meaning rationale" being less evident. There was evidence to suggest that the teacher's instructions could encourage more autonomous form of learning and have positive influences on the students' learning experiences. The findings also surface some challenges faced by the teacher and students; which provide valuable insights for educators keen to adopt this autonomy-supportive way of teaching in their classrooms.