Promoting Causal Agency: The Self-Determined Learning Model of Instruction

Seymour Sarason (1990) suggested that an essential purpose of the educational process is to 'produce responsible, self-sufficient citizens who possess the self-esteem, initiative, skills and wisdom to continue individual growth [...]
Teachers seeking to promote the self-determination of their students must enable them to become self-regulated problem-solvers. This article introduces a model of teaching, The Self-Determined Learning Model of Instruction, incorporating principles of self-determination, which enables teachers to teach students to become causal agents in their own lives. This model was field-tested with students with disabilities. Students receiving instruction from teachers using the model attained educationally relevant goals, showed enhanced self-determination, and communicated their satisfaction with the process. Teachers implementing the model likewise indicated their satisfaction with the process and suggested that they would continue to use the model after the completion of the field test.