Melanie Basten

The effects of autonomy-supportive and controlling teaching behaviour in biology lessons with primary and secondary experiences on students’ intrinsic motivation and flow-experience

ABSTRACT Self-Determination Theory and Flow Theory propose that perceived autonomy fosters the positive qualities of motivation and flow-experience. Autonomy-support can help to maintain students’ motivation in very interesting learning activities and may lead to an increase in the positive qualities of motivation in less interesting learning activities. This paper investigates whether autonomy-supportive or controlling teaching behaviour influence students’ motivation and flow-experience in biology class. In study 1, 158 students of grade six worked on the adaptations of Harvest Mice (Micromys minutus) with living animals. The 153 sixth graders of study 2 dealt with the same content but instead worked with short films on laptops. Previous studies have shown that students perceive film sequences as less interesting than working with living animals. Students’ intrinsic motivation and flow-experience were measured at the end of the first and the third lesson. In study 1, autonomy-supportive teaching behaviour led to significant differences in students’ intrinsic motivation and flow-experience when compared to controlling teaching behaviour. In study 2, motivation and flow-experience were not always in line with theory. The positive effects of autonomy-supportive and the non-beneficial effects of the controlling teaching behaviour seem to be dependent on the interestingness of the teaching material.

Die Bedeutung der kommunikativen Einbettung für das Bewerten und schriftliche Argumentieren im Biologieunterricht

Summary In German didactics of Biology, argumentation is part of the competence “Decision-making” defined in the National Standards for Biological Education. In the two studies presented, students at the beginning of upper secondary level, aged 16.7 years on the average, worked on a dilemma on organ donation by writing an argumentation. In Study 1 (n = 147), the students were asked to reason for their decision. In Study 2 (n = 56), the reasoning task was situated. Students were asked to write a letter in order to give advice to two persons who disagree on the issue. Students showed a better performance regarding the sub-competences of “Decision-making” in Study 2. The coding scheme for diagnosing the students‘ performance was based on theoretical stratifications of the sub-competences. Overall, the students achieved low levels of “Decision-making” competence. Possible reasons are discussed. Zusammenfassung Im Bereich der Biologiedidaktik lässt sich Argumentieren im Kompetenzbereich Bewertung der Bildungsstandards für das Fach Biologie verorten. In den zwei folgenden Studien schrieben Schüler(innen) der Sekundarstufe II, im Mittel 16,7 Jahre alt, eine Argumentation zu einem Dilemma zum Thema Organspende. In Studie 1 (n = 147) wurden die Schüler(innen) gebeten, ihre eigene Entscheidung zu begründen. In Studie 2 (n = 56) wurde die Aufgabe kommunikativ eingebettet. Die Schüler(innen) wurden aufgefordert, einen Brief an zwei Personen, die sich uneinig sind, zu schreiben, um ihnen einen Rat zu geben. Sie zeigten bessere Leistungen hinsichtlich der Teilkompetenzen der Bewertungskompetenz als die Schüler(innen) der Studie 1. Der Kodierleitfaden zur Diagnose der Schüler(innen)leistung basierte auf theoretischen Unterteilungen der Teilkompetenzen in Kompetenzniveaus. Insgesamt erreichten die Schüler(innen) niedrige Niveaustufen. Mögliche Gründe dafür werden diskutiert.