Term
Summer 2021
Capstone
Thesis
Degree Name
MAT
Primary Advisor/Dissertation Chair
James Brickewedde
Secondary Advisor/Reader One
Max Melby
Peer-Reviewer/Reader Two
Zach Burdeau
Abstract
In line with self-determination theory (Deci and Ryan, 2000; Ryan and Deci, 2017), this thesis explored how practices employed in a classroom between November 2020 through January 2021 affected satisfaction of students’ basic psychological needs for autonomy, competence, and relatedness. Thirteen twice-exceptional students (gifted and learning disabled) between grades 4-10 participated in this mixed-methods study at an independent school in the upper midwest. Additionally, four of the thirteen students were selected as case studies to be interviewed and observed throughout the study period. This study explored how the implementation of needs-supportive practices, along with COVID-19 mitigation strategies (including distance-learning), affected students’ capacities to get their basic psychological needs met. The results demonstrated that satisfaction of the need for competence had the largest overall impact on student engagement; the need for relatedness had the largest impact initially; the need for autonomy had a larger impact on the post-assessment. Implications of these findings to my practice are explored.
Research Methodology
Action Research, Descriptive Statistics, Interview, Survey (attitude scale, opinion, questionnaire)
Keywords
Developmentally Appropriate Practice, Motivation, Science, Special Education
Recommended Citation
Burrell, John, "Finding Fit In The Science Classroom: Applying Self-determination Theory To Twice-exceptional Students" (2021). School of Education and Leadership Student Capstone Theses and Dissertations. 4528.
https://digitalcommons.hamline.edu/hse_all/4528
dc_type
text
dc_publisher
DigitalCommons@Hamline
dc_format
application/pdf
dc_source
School of Education Student Capstone Theses and Dissertations