Need supportive teaching in practice: a narrative analysis in schools with contrasting educational approaches

Abstract

Research on self-determination theory (SDT) has shown that positive learning outcomes accrue in classrooms that support students’ needs for autonomy, competence, and relatedness. Studies on what need supportive teaching entails in practice are, however, scarce. In the present study, we aimed to gain in-depth understanding of typical manifestations of the positive (autonomy support, structure, involvement) and negative (autonomy thwart, chaos, disaffection or reject) dimensions of need supportive teaching by relating these to educational approaches of schools. For this purpose, we conducted a narrative analysis of teacher–student interactions in two contrasting cases: A prototypical traditional class and a prototypical social constructivist class. In both classes, we analysed lessons in math and in mother language spread over the grade-7 year of secondary education. The results indicated striking differences between both classes in manifestations of need supportive teaching as well as similarities. The findings have implications for translating SDT to educational practice as they help make concrete the theoretical construct of need supportive teaching as well as further understanding of how SDT-interventions can be implemented in practice.

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