Connecting To Research

Connecting to Research: Reflection My inquiry question relates to how we can encourage students to engage in physical activity throughout their lives while providing them the tools and knowledge necessary to live healthy lifestyles. In addition, my specific inquiry question pertains to how we as educators can incorporate student agency within the classroom to maximize student participation and engagement. A research article that strongly aligns with my inquiry question and informs my practice is one written by Martyn Standage, Joan L. Duda, and Nikos Ntoumanis. The objective of their study was to gain insight into the relationship between the motivation of students within physical education and the perceived effort and persistence ratings given by their physical education teachers. Standage, Duda, and Ntoumanis surveyed 394 secondary students regarding competence, autonomy, relatedness, and self-determined motivation. Researchers were able to conclude that students who perceived their physical education experience to be autonomysupportive displayed greater levels of autonomy, competence, and relatedness. In addition, students who reported high levels of self-determined motivation, correlated with high ratings from teachers regarding their effort and persistence. Although this study provides correlational results, I believe such findings provide great insight into the influence of autonomy-supportive environments and self-motivation among students. It should be noted that within this study, the following terms have been defined as follows: autonomy is defined as the ability to provide input and have an influence on BLANK; competence is defined as the need to effectively interact with one’s environment and yield desired effects and outcomes; and relatedness is defined as the feelings of connectedness with peers. Based on the results from the study, researchers encourage physical education teachers

to “foster social contexts that support student choice, initiation, personal volition, and understanding,” to positively influence and support students’ psychological needs (Standage, Duda, & Ntoumanis, 2006, p. 106). In connecting this to my teaching experiences during practicum, I would argue that I have prioritized and incorporated several opportunities that facilitate student choice for the purposes of increasing student engagement. As a result, my teaching experiences reflect my commitment for creating an autonomy-supportive environment that not only enables students to exercise their autonomy, but also aids in their motivation to engage in physical activity. As such environments support student autonomy, competence, and relatedness, I believe that I have been able to positively influence many students all while teaching the prescribed health and physical education curriculum. The results from this research article informs my inquiry question such that in learning that the benefits of student choice extend beyond student engagement, I am able to justify the continuation of such teaching practices. The positive benefits of engaging in autonomysupportive environments reasons why I should incorporate it even more and provides greater insights into the impacts of these teaching practices. I am grateful that such research exists such that I can argue that my teaching practices are research-informed and are as such to enable the positive development of our students. References Standage, M., Duda, J.L., & Ntoumanis, N. 2006. Students’ motivation processes and their relationship to teacher ratings in school physical education. American Alliance for Health, Physical Education, Recreation and Dance, 77(1), pp. 100–110.