Self-Determination Theory supported by FeedbackFruits
Turn passive listeners into active participants—empower your students to think, collaborate, and engage deeply with every lesson.
Author: Marion Marx from ESSEC Business School
MA in Linguistic & Educational Cooperation (2015), MA in Comparative Literature (2018), French National Teaching Certification in French language & literature (2019)
What is self-determination theory?
In the context of higher education, self-determination theory (SDT) posits that students' intrinsic motivation and academic engagement are driven by the fulfillment of 3 fundamental psychological needs: autonomy (the ability to self-direct and grow), competence (the stimulation of curiosity, the drive to achieve, and the pursuit of new challenges), and relatedness (the sense of connection, care, and belonging). Educators play an essential role in fulfilling these needs by creating a learning environment that fosters self-determination, structured and constructive feedback, and a sense of community.
Why self-determination theory?
Research demonstrates that when students' fundamental psychological needs for autonomy, competence, and relatedness are met, they develop stronger intrinsic motivation and more self-determined extrinsic motivation, leading to greater engagement and academic success. Moreover, SDT promotes mental well-being and resilience by reducing stress and fostering a sense of belonging, which enhances both personal development and learning outcomes. A need-supportive learning environment benefits both students and educators, creating a dynamic cycle of motivation, empowerment and growth
Intrinsic and extrinsic motivation
Autonomy-supportive teaching enhances student motivation, reduces stress, and leads to higher engagement and academic success, while controlling environments weaken intrinsic motivation over time.
.avif)
Ryan et al, 2020
Intrinsic and extrinsic motivation from a self-determination theory perspective
Student engagement in online learning
Implementing digital support strategies that fulfill students' needs for autonomy, competence, and especially relatedness, significantly enhances engagement in online learning environments.
Chiu, 2021
Applying the self-determination theory
to explain student engagement in online
learning during the COVID-19 pandemic
to explain student engagement in online
learning during the COVID-19 pandemic
Enhanced student motivation
Competence and autonomy are key drivers of student motivation, with teacher autonomy support having a greater impact than parental support in enhancing engagement, persistence, and academic success.
Bureau et al, 2021
Pathways to Student Motivation: A Meta-Analysis of Antecedents of Autonomous and Controlled Motivations
How does FeedbackFruits support self-determination theory ?
FeedbackFruits supports the implementation of a self-determination theory (SDT) framework with tools designed to enhance students' intrinsic motivation, by fostering autonomy, competence, and relatedness.
Through learning journeys that integrate self-assessment, students may engage in meaningful reflection on their skills, take ownership of their learning, and develop a deeper sense of autonomy and responsibility. This process can also extend to group self-assessment on deliverables, encouraging collaboration while nurturing a sense of community, empathy, and mutual support.
With FeedbackFruits Acai, these activities are further enriched by AI-powered feedback, which provides structured guidance, and teacher feedback, which delivers regular, constructive, and thought-provoking insights; thus empowering students to continuously explore, refine, and grow.
Through learning journeys that integrate self-assessment, students may engage in meaningful reflection on their skills, take ownership of their learning, and develop a deeper sense of autonomy and responsibility. This process can also extend to group self-assessment on deliverables, encouraging collaboration while nurturing a sense of community, empathy, and mutual support.
With FeedbackFruits Acai, these activities are further enriched by AI-powered feedback, which provides structured guidance, and teacher feedback, which delivers regular, constructive, and thought-provoking insights; thus empowering students to continuously explore, refine, and grow.
Get started with self-determination theory using our pre-made learning templates
These templates—designed by experienced educators—offer proven structures for implementing self-determination theory. Simply select a template, customize it, and launch engaging activities in minutes.
Browse all templates
Self-determination theory, directly within your LMS
FeedbackFruits integrates seamlessly with your Learning Management System, making it simple to incorporate self-determination theory activities into your existing courses. Whether you teach online, hybrid, or face-to-face, FeedbackFruits ensures that activating student participation is just a few clicks away—no additional overhead, no steep learning curve.
Explore our free resources about self-determination theory
A guide to active learning: Strategies and tools
A full guide to scale active learning design for engagement with strategies, templates, and AI-power tools
Read more
How to engage students with questions?
With the 6 strategies outlined in this blog, you will find it much easier to curate amazing questions that students want to answer!
Read more
Self assessment and learner engagement at ESSEC
Instructors at ESSEC Business School utilized pedagogical tools and AI to foster self reflection and autonomy among students.
Read moreSee what FeedbackFruits learning activities can be used to support self-determination theory
Self-determination theory is hard. FeedbackFruits makes
it easier.
Unlock the full potential of self-determination theory and more with the Learning Design System.
Explore the Learning Design System
