Learning labs in a secondary school in the Netherlands: Effects of teachers' autonomy support on student learning motivation and achievement

Abstract

Autonomy-supportive activities are understood to promote students’ autonomous forms of learning motivation, educational outcomes and well-being. In the current study, two learning labs in one Dutch secondary school have been studied. In these learning labs -each lasting one entire school year- students’ autonomy during their learning process have been supported by organisational, procedural and cognitive autonomy support activities. Effects on students’ learning motivation and their achievement have been examined. In one learning lab, indicated as the one with the most autonomy-supportive classroom climate, students show relatively high scores on intrinsic motivation for learning and high achievements. In the other learning lab, no effects have been found on students’ learning motivation and achievement. The extent to which student were allowed to set the task sequence is found to be an autonomy-supportive activity that positively affected both learning motivational and achievement most. Implications for practice and research are discussed.