Date
5-22-2024
Department
School of Education
Degree
Doctor of Philosophy in Education (PhD)
Chair
Denise Nixon
Keywords
early childhood teachers, intrinsic motivation, social-emotional learning, self-determination theory, autonomy, relatedness, competence
Disciplines
Education | Educational Assessment, Evaluation, and Research
Recommended Citation
Brouwer, Ingrid, "A Case Study of Early Childhood Educators' Self-Determination in Implementing Social Emotional Learning Pedagogy" (2024). Doctoral Dissertations and Projects. 5638.
https://digitalcommons.liberty.edu/doctoral/5638
Abstract
The purpose of this single common case study will be to answer the question, “How does intrinsic motivation and self-determination in the ability to make choices and manage one’s behavior guide the implementation of social-emotional teaching practices into the early childhood classroom?” for the participants at Mount Uinta (pseudonym). The theory guiding this study will be Deci and Ryan’s Self-determination Theory (SDT), as it will validate the three basic psychological needs to strengthen learners’ autonomy, competence, and a sense of positive relatedness in social-emotional learning and teaching. Reaching the goal of implementing intrinsic motivation and professional development (PD) for early childhood teachers can complement the teaching of SEL skills. The method for the selected research will be qualitative, using exploration and understanding of a group of teachers and the social problem of teacher intrinsic motivation and self-determination. Detailed information will be collected using a variety of data collection methods for this single common case study, by conducting interviews with the staff, holding focus groups, and collecting teacher reflection surveys on their level of preparedness to incorporate SEL into early childhood classrooms. The analysis will be conducted via two-cycle coding methods, including emotion coding and pattern matching to form an understanding of teacher self-determination.
