“Inductively, using the empirical process, we have identified three [such] needs – the needs for competence … relatedness … and autonomy – that appear to be essential for facilitating optimal functioning of the natural propensities for growth and integration, as well as for constructive social development and personal well-being.”

According to Deci & Ryan (quoted above) the satisfaction of these three needs provides intrinsic motivation to act. “Self-determination theory” might be valuable for educational practice: in accordance with this theory, teachers generate intrinsic motivation, social development, and well-being for their students to the extent that the students experience competence, relatedness and autonomy.

But does Self-determination theory meet the criteria we would expect, from a theory? How might Deci & Ryan respond to Wilf Carr’s argument, discussed last week?

Discuss these questions and more at next week’s Academic Reading Group. We meet in the library group meeting room at 2.00 on November 4  (note the change of time).

The paper can be downloaded here:

Ryan, R. M., & Deci, E. L. (2000). Self-determination theory and the facilitation of intrinsic motivation, social development, and well-being, American Psychologist, 55 (1), 68-78. 

Is educational theory dead?

Wilf Carr argues that it is, here (follow the links): Carr, W. (2006) Education without theory, British Journal of Educational Studies, 54(2) 136-159.

For future sessions, please nominate texts so we have a variety of stimuli to set us thinking, discussing and generally disturbing the brain cells. The ‘default’ texts for the remainder of this term are (click on the titles and follow links):

Ryan, R. M., & Deci, E. L. (2000). Self-determination theory and the facilitation of intrinsic motivation, social development, and well-being, American Psychologist, 55 (1), 68-78. 

Gee, J. P. (2000) Identity as an Analytic Lens for Research in Education, Review of Research in Education, 25 (1), 99-125.

Beijaard D., Paulien, C. Meijer, & Verloop, N. (2004) Reconsidering research on teachers’ professional identity, Teaching and Teacher Education, 20 (2) 107-128. 

Anderson, G. L. and Herr, K. The New Paradigm Wars: Is There Room for Rigorous Practitioner Knowledge in Schools and Universities?, Educational Researcher, 28 (5) 12-40.

Heron, J., & Reason, P. (1997). A Participatory Inquiry Paradigm, Qualitative Inquiry, 3(3), 274-294. 

I look forward to seeing you on Friday afternoons in the library and reading your comments on this blog.

Tim Cain

“… educational theory is nothing other than the name we give to the  various futile attempts that have been made over the last hundred  years to stand outside our educational practices in order to explain and justify them. And what I am going to propose on the basis of this  argument is that the time has now come to admit that we cannot occupy a position outside practice and that we should now bring the  whole educational theory enterprise to a dignified end.”

So claims Wilf Carr.

The academic reading group is for staff and research students who enjoy reading and who would like to share their thoughts with others. It is intended to encourage and support new thinking and writing for publication and research. People from all subjects and faculties are welcome, and nothing more will be expected than the pleasure of debating a text as a group. Jeff Adams initiated the Academic Reading Group in 2008 and Damien Shortt continued it last year; it proved to be especially helpful for becoming familiar with authors and theorists in a supportive group atmosphere.

One text is chosen for each meeting and it will usually be contemporary and relevant in some way; it will also be short, in the form of an excerpt, journal paper, chapter or short story. We might also consider draft articles by members of the group. Hopefully people will be inspired to read further should they find the text useful or interesting. There is no requirement for all texts to be overtly ‘academic’, and some texts chosen for past sessions have been extracts from novels, web pages or graphic novels. Members of the group can nominate the texts for future sessions.

The next meeting is on October 21 at 3.00 in the library. We will discuss Wilf Carr’s provocative article “Education without theory” (quoted above). It’s in British Journal of Educational Studies, 54(2), 2006.

There is a link to this article which I shall post here, as soon as I get it.

I look forward to seeing you on Friday week.