Self-Determination Theory as a Motivational Framework for Service Learning

Abstract: Motivation is one of the key elements in the current educational model, because it is an influential factor in teaching-learning situations, affecting academic success. Emerging globalizing pedagogical models, including Service-Learning (SL), can modulate student motivation (Echauri-Galván, 2023; Sevier et al., 2012).

Due to its inherent characteristics, and framed within the Self-Determination Theory (Deci & Ryan, 1985; Ryan & Deci, 2017), SL could be established as a model capable of fostering self-determined motivation based on the satisfaction of the Basic Psychological Needs (BPN) of autonomy, competence, and relatedness. Briefly, in SL programs students are the promoters of their learning (autonomy), they put their knowledge into practice in a real context (competence) and work in a team with their peers and collaborating with other entities (relatedness).

The research proposal we present in this lightning talk attempts to examine whether participation in a SL program can increase the autonomous motivation of students through the satisfaction of BPN. Participants will be students of a degree course in Sports Science at Universitat Jaume I of Castelló, in eastern Spain, and will collaborate by providing direct services to different associations of children with diverse physical or mental functionality. This study will be significant because (1) it will promote SL with the aim of improving student motivation, and (2) its finding will help us improve our (and hopefully other’) SL programs.

Narrative: Self-Determination Theory as a Motivational Framework for Service-Learning

Motivation is one of the key elements in the current educational model, because it is an influential factor in teaching-learning situations, affecting academic success. Existing literature suggests that emerging and globalizing pedagogical models, including Service-Learning (SL), can modulate student motivation (Echauri-Galván, 2023; Sevier et al., 2012). Studies framed within the Self-Determination Theory (SDT) have been responsible for studying, describing, and explaining the conditions of the social environment that affect human motivation, psychological well-being, and personal flourishing in different contexts, including the university (Deci & Ryan, 1985; Ryan & Deci, 2017). Recent meta-analysis showed that autonomous forms of motivation are more likely when Basic Psychological Needs (BPN) are satisfied (Bureau et al., 2022; Ng et al., 2012; Slemp et al., 2018; Vasconcellos et al., 2020). However, there is scant evidence on the possible connection between SL and SDT. Therefore, the research proposal we present aims to explore the potential relationship between SL as a pedagogical model and SDT as a motivational framework in university teaching.

Different studies show how student’s levels of autonomous motivation forms increased significantly after the participation in SL projects (Levesque-Bristol & Stanek, 2009; Ciesielkiewicz & Nocito, 2018). Regarding the relationship of the SL methodology and NPB satisfaction, Kackar-Cam & Schmidt (2014), concluded that, an intervention based on this model managed to satisfy students’ NPB and, consequently, students experienced a more self-determined motivation and more adaptive consequences are generated.

Due to its inherent characteristics, SL could be established as a model capable of fostering self-determined motivation based on the satisfaction of the NPB. In SL programs, students are the promoters of their learning, designing activities and carrying them out in a real context (autonomy satisfaction). Through these programs, they put their knowledge into practice in a real context, generating feelings of effectiveness when they take optimal challenges, being able to generate some impact on the environment (competence satisfaction). SL allows students to critically observe the environment and discover unknown realities on which students can have an impact with their actions and knowledge, thanks to the transformative power of education. This fact might, on the one hand, increase the satisfaction of the need for competence since it brings students closer to current challenges and to the reality of the context where they will develop their future professional work. On the other hand, it could improve the need for autonomy, inasmuch as students organize, apply and value their own actions. According to Rosenberg (2000), in SL programs there is a shared commitment to build mutual relationships and allow members to identify the need for relationships as something inherent to human beings. The interactions between the different agents involved in the program (students, teachers and collaborators receiving the service) are horizontal. That is to say, the powers of some over others are diluted, and dialectics is fundamental. The students participate as active agents during all the phases of the project and the reflective process mentioned above reinforces the links among peers, with the teaching staff and with the organization, which could increase the need for relationships. In addition, it would also reinforce the feeling of belonging within the society. In addition, reflection, as a fundamental element of SL (Chiva-Bartoll et al., 2020; Deeley, 2022), may influence student motivation through the satisfaction of NPB.

In light of the above, this lightning talk presents a research proposal, framed by SDT, that attempts to examine whether participation in a SL program is capable of increasing the autonomous motivation of students through the satisfaction of BPN. Participants will be students of a degree course in Sports Science at Universitat Jaume I of Castelló, in eastern Spain, and will collaborate by providing direct services to different associations of children with diverse physical or mental functionality.
The study will be carried out using a mixed methods approach. Mixed research methods are a growing approach that combines quantitative and qualitative methodologies, presented together as a tool to solve possible limitations, and achieve greater validity of results (Hamui-Sutton, 2013), and is one of the most widely used methods in Western education research because the educational scenario is complex to analyze due to the multiple factors that affect it (Johnson & Christensen, 2019). The mixed methodology is also recommended for specific SL research, as reported in two recent reviews on the subject (Bonastre et al., 2021; Francisco-Garcés et al., 2022; Pérez-Ordás et al., 2021).


Funding: Universitat Jaume I (grants UJI-A2022-11 and 18G002-770); and Generalitat Valenciana (grant CIGE/2021/019).