TY - JOUR AU - Zhao, FangFang AU - Roehrig, Gillian AU - Patrick, Lorelei AU - Levesque-Bristol, Chantal AU - Cotner, Sehoya PY - 2021/09/14 Y2 - 2024/03/28 TI - Using a Self-Determination Theory Approach to Understand Student Perceptions of Inquiry-Based Learning JF - Teaching and Learning Inquiry JA - TLI VL - 9 IS - 2 SE - Articles DO - 10.20343/teachlearninqu.9.2.5 UR - https://journalhosting.ucalgary.ca/index.php/TLI/article/view/70532 SP - AB - <p>Inquiry-based laboratory activities, as a part of science curricula, have been advocated to increase students’ learning outcomes and improve students’ learning experiences, but students sometimes struggle with open-inquiry activities. This study aims to investigate students’ perceptions of inquiry-based learning in a set of laboratory activities, specifically from a psychological (i.e., Self-Determination Theory) perspective. Students’ ratings of the level of inquiry in these activities indicate that students’ perceptions of inquiry align with the instructor-intended amount of inquiry in each exercise. Students’ written responses, explaining their ratings, indicate that students’ perceptions of the amount of inquiry in a given lab exercise relate to their feeling of freedom (or autonomy), competence, and relatedness (or support), during the inquiry-based learning activities. The results imply that instructors implementing inquiry-based learning activities should consider student motivation, and Self-Determination Theory can be a useful diagnostic tool during teaching development.</p> ER -