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According to Self-Determination Theory, autonomy support is essential in fostering optimal learning, growth, and functioning in students across all levels. In contrast, autonomy thwarting is associated with student malfunctioning. The purpose of the current study was to investigate the relationship between perceptions of autonomy support and thwarting, students’ autonomous and controlled motivations, and aspects of student functioning in a higher education setting. The sample consisted of 414 Norwegian university students recruited from introductory calculus courses. Structural equation modeling indicated that perceived autonomy support predicts autonomous motivation and is negatively linked to controlled motivation. Autonomy thwarting is negatively linked to autonomous motivation and positively predicts controlled motivation. We found that autonomous motivation predicts engagement, effort, and learning. Controlled motivation is negatively linked to vitality and engagement, and positively predicts effort. The results are in line with the tenets of Self-Determination Theory, and the present study highlights the importance of providing an autonomy supportive environment during higher education lectures.

The main aim of this study is to test the validity of the Motivation, Engagement, and Thriving in User Experience (METUX) model (Peters et al., 2018) in higher education. We propose a process model in which we investigate how the need-satisfaction of digital learning tools within the interface sphere and task sphere accounts for engagement, learning, and well-being. A total of 426 higher education students drawn from two subsamples participated in this cross-sectional study. A structural equation model shows that interface autonomy and competence satisfaction positively predict task autonomy and competence. Task competence, in turn, negatively predicts focused attention and positively predicts perceived usability and well-being. Task autonomy positively predicts perceived usability and reward. Based on our results, we provide some initial support for the METUX model in higher education. However, more validation work is needed to improve the scale that measures need-satisfaction in the interface and task spheres. Moreover, we find no support for the effect of task sphere on learning. Further investigations are needed into how METUX can be used in domain- and situation-specific contexts to account for increases in engagement, learning, and well-being. Finally, future studies need to include all aspects of the METUX model in order to fully test its validity.