The relation between academic commitment, self-determination and academic achievement in

271 Pages·2017·5.75 MB·English

by  Jeanne Meiring

The relation between academic commitment,

self-determination and academic achievement

in Grade 11 and Grade 12 Learners

Corné Jeanne Meiring

2017

© University of Pretoria
The relation between academic commitment, self-determination and

academic achievement in Grade 11 and Grade 12 learners

by

Corné Jeanne Meiring

Submitted in partial fulfilment of the requirements for the degree

Philosophia Doctor
(Educational Psychology)

Faculty of Education
Department of Educational Psychology
University of Pretoria
Pretoria

Promotor
Prof. Salomé Human-Vogel
(University of Pretoria)

Co-Promotor
Dr. Christopher Niemiec

(University of Rochester)

Pretoria

April 2017

© University of Pretoria
DEDICATION

This is dedicated to every PwMS,

don’t let scars stop you from dreaming.

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© University of Pretoria
Acknowledgements

First and foremost, I would like to thank my Heavenly Father for carrying me throughout this
process. You have taught me that nothing is impossible or without reason and that Your love
is unfathomable. Thank you for all the lessons that You have taught me, especially in the past

year and a half. I would not have been able to do this without You.

I would also like to express my sincerest gratitude to following individuals and institutions:

❖ To my supervisor Prof Salomé, thank you very much for challenging me to grow as

a researcher, for your honesty, for supporting me, sharing your wisdom and time

and mostly for believing in me and thereby enhancing my future possible self. Thank
you for being such a big part of my developmental process as a researcher and
Psychologist, I will always be grateful for your investment in me and my professional

journey. Thank you also for your patience and support throughout this long process.

❖ To my co-supervisor Dr Chris, thank you for support and sharing your knowledge.

Thank you for always being available and being patient. Most of all, thank you for
providing autonomy support.
❖ The Department of Statistics of the University of Pretoria, with specific reference to
Dr Judy Kleyn and Mr Andries Masenge for assisting with the analysis of my data.

❖ To my family, thank you for being there for me and believing in me. This has been a

rough ride and I could not have done it without your consistent support and love.

Mom and Dad, thank you for all your wisdom, encouragement, understanding and
sacrifices that enabled me to be where I am. Thank you for always loving me, being
patient and supporting me once again. Naomi, thank you for being such a strong

person, and challenging me.

❖ My friend Sjouke Ummuls, thank you for your undeserving support and encouraging

words. Your support is tangible, even though you live 13 000 km away from me.

❖ I wish to thank the NRF for providing me with financial assistance in the form of a

NRF Freestanding Bursary.

❖ All of the participating schools and learners, thank you for providing me with your
opinions and insights.
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© University of Pretoria
Declaration of Originality

I, Corné Jeanne Meiring (student number: 23020157) hereby declare that all of the resources

consulted are included in the reference list and that the present study titled:

The relation between academic commitment, self-determination and academic

achievement in grade 11 and grade 12 learners

is my original work. This thesis submitted in order to meet the partial requirements for the

degree: Philosophia Doctor (Educational Psychology) was not previously submitted by me for
any other degree at another university

__________________

CJ Meiring
April 2017

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© University of Pretoria
Ethics Statement

The author, whose name appears on the title page of this thesis, has obtained, for the research

described in this work, the applicable research approval. The author declares that she has
observed the ethical requirements in terms of the University of Pretoria’s Code of ethics for
researchers and the Policy guidelines for responsible research.

__________________

CJ Meiring

April 2017

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© University of Pretoria
Ethical Clearance Certificate

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© University of Pretoria
Summary

The purpose of the present study was to assess the associations between academic commitment theory

(operationalised as meaningful commitment) (Human-Vogel & Rabe, 2015), and self-determination
theoretical constructs (operationalised through need support, need satisfaction, autonomous self-
regulation and perceived competence) (Deci & Ryan, 2000) in predicting the academic achievement

levels of South African Gr 11 and 12 learners. Data was collected on two occasions; participants initially

completed a survey and I then obtained their average academic marks. Participants reported average
to higher levels of measured constructs and responses on all measurements displayed a normal
distribution.

I used path analysis to test two hypothesised and several additional models. The results indicated that
neither autonomous self-regulation nor meaningful commitment directly predicted academic
achievement but that both constructs indirectly predicted academic achievement through basic

psychological need satisfaction and perceived competence. Meaningful commitment, furthermore,

predicted twice as much variance in need satisfaction as autonomous self-regulation, and was a
significant predictor of autonomous motivation.

The findings of this study provide some insight into the role of meaning in self-determination theory, as

well the organising role of meaningful commitment in self-regulating behavioural choices. These
findings may also help educators and policy makers to create learning environments in which learners’
need for meaning and self-determination is supported, so that they can achieve academic success.

Methodologically, the present study contributes to the validation of the meaningfulness subscale and

the application of self-determination theory instruments in a South African context.

Keywords

▪ Meaningfulness

▪ Autonomous motivation
▪ Basic psychological needs
▪ Self-Determination theory

▪ Gr 11 and 12 learners

▪ South Africa
▪ Meaningful commitment
▪ Autonomy

▪ Competence

▪ Relatedness

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© University of Pretoria
Table of Content

Dedication i

Acknowledgements ii
Declaration of Originality iii

Ethics Statement iv
Ethics Clearance Certificate v

Summary vi
Keywords vi

Table of Content viii
List of Tables xvii

List of Figures xviii

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© University of Pretoria
Chapter 1

Introduction Page

1.1 INTRODUCTION 1

1.2 BACKGROUND 1
1.2.1 CONTEXT OF THE PRESENT STUDY 1
1.2.2 KEY CONCEPTS IN THE PRESENT STUDY 4

1.2.2.1 Basic psychological needs in SDT 4
1.2.2.2 Meaningfulness as a need 4
1.2.2.3 Identity regulation facilitating meaningfulness 5
1.2.2.4 SDT and meaningfulness 6

1.2.2.5 An internalisation continuum: autonomous and controlled motivation 8
1.2.2.6 Self-concordance and identity in SDT 8

1.3 PROBLEM STATEMENT AND RATIONALE 10

1.4 PURPOSE STATEMENT 11

1.5 DELINEATING FACTORS IN THE PRESENT STUDY 12

1.6 HYPOTHESES AND RESEARCH QUESTIONS 12

1.6.1 MODEL 1 – RESEARCH QUESTION AND ACCOMPANYING HYPOTHESES 12

1.6.2 MODEL 2 – RESEARCH QUESTION AND ACCOMPANYING HYPOTHESES 12

1.7 CONCEPTUALISED PREDICTOR MODELS 13
1.7.1 MODEL 1 – CONCEPTUALISED MODEL 13

1.7.2 MODEL 2 – CONCEPTUALISED MODEL 14

1.8 METHODOLOGICAL CONSIDERATIONS 14

1.8.1 PARADIGMATIC ASSUMPTIONS 14

1.8.2 RESEARCH APPROACH AND DESIGN 14

1.8.3 DATA COLLECTION 15

1.8.3.1 Participants 15
1.8.3.2 Data collection instruments 15
1.8.3.3 Research procedures 16

1.8.4 DATA ANALYSIS 17
1.8.4.1 Data capturing and descriptive analysis 17
1.8.4.2 Inferential analysis 17

1.8.5 QUALITY ASSURANCE METHODS 18

1.8.6 ETHICAL PROCEDURES 18

1.9 DEFINITIONS OF TERMS 19

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© University of Pretoria