Self-Determination Theory (SDT) in Service-Learning (S-L)

What is Self-Determination Theory(SDT)?

SDT is a conceptual framework developed by psychologists, Deci and Ryan, which posits that human motivation and well-being thrive when three innate psychological needs: 

Autonomy (making their own choices)

Competence (feeling capable)

Relatedness (meaningful connections) are met.

Autonomy
Competence
Relatedness

(Deci & Ryan, 2020)

Why SDT in S-L?

We aim to apply the SDT framework to investigate students’ motivation and engagement in Service-Learning(S-L). SDT is adapted to offer clear purpose and relevance, greater autonomy and choice, and better support through appropriate feedback to enhance students’ S-L experience in CUHK. Additionally, by blending community service with academic studies within the SDT framework, we leverage students’ academic and personal competencies to enhance their civic responsibility, raise global awareness, deepen disciplinary knowledge, and foster personal growth.

Three Types of Motivations in S-L

SDT can be aligned with three types of motivation.

  1. Autonomous motivation: students join a project because they care.
  2. Controlled motivation: they join because it is graded, or they want to avoid punishment. 
  3. Amotivation: they feel the project being pointless, or in other words, unmotivated to engage.


Understanding the correlation between the three needs and three types of motivation provides a lens to better motivate our students.

(Weinstein & Ryan, 2010; Vallerand, 2000; Cheng & Tse, 2019)

Correlation between SDT and S-L Motivation in CUHK

According to the recent research conducted by CLEAR, we have the following findings: 

  1. Autonomy, competence, and relatedness enhanced students’ autonomous motivation. Autonomy decreased controlled motivation. Relatedness ameliorated amotivation. 
  2. Autonomous motivation enhanced all types of engagement, while amotivation decreased all types of engagement. Compared to autonomous motivation, controlled motivation was less associated with engagement. 
  3. High amotivation could co-exist with high autonomous motivation.
  4. Compared to autonomous motivation, controlled motivation was less associated with engagement. Controlled motivation was positively associated with amotivation.
  5. Amotivation decreases all types of engagement. Relatedness was the only basic psychological factor that ameliorated students’ amotivation.


The figure shows 3 clusters of students by motivation: despite high autonomous or controlled motivation, students showed high, moderate, or low amotivation.

(Ren & Lee, 2025; Deci et al., 1999)

Examples of SDT in S-L

Here are 2 examples about practical Service-Learning aligned with SDT:

1.⁠ ⁠Community Gardening

Participants experience autonomy through choosing involvement levels and gardening approaches, competence through developing horticultural skills and seeing successful harvests, and relatedness through working together and sharing expertise with community members.

2.⁠ ⁠Community-based STEM Learning Research

Autonomy encourage learning beyond the classroom, competence was built through iterative product development with user feedback, and relatedness was fostered through creating useful products for others.

(Quested et al., 2018; Chiu et al., 2023)

Benefits of SDT in S-L to Students/Teachers/Community
Benefits to Students
Personal growth
Citizenship
Academic enhancement
Career development

(Eyler et al., 2001; Celio et al., 2011; Jacoby, 2015)

Benefits to Teachers
Enhancement in quality of teaching and learning
Professional development
COMMUNITY-UNIVERSITY PARTNERSHIP
Scholarship

(Jacoby, 2015)

Benefits to the Community
Greater capacity to serve
Community-University partnership
Contribution to teaching & learning
Change in attitude

(Cruz & Giles, 2000; Jacoby, 2015)

References
  1. Celio, C. I., Durlak, J., & Dymnicki, A. (2011). A Meta-Analysis of the Impact of Service-Learning on Students. Journal of Experiential Education, 34(2), 164-181. https://doi.org/10.1177/105382591103400205
  2. Cheng, L. L., & Tse, C. S. (2019). The effect of non-academic activities on the personal-social development self-efficacy, psychological well-being, and negative emotional symptoms of Hong Kong students: a study based on self-determination theory [Master’s thesis]. https://repository.lib.cuhk.edu.hk/en/item/cuhk-1839146
  3. Chiu, T. K. F., Ismailov, M., Zhou, X., Xia, Q., Au, C. K., & Chai, C. S. (2023). Using Self-Determination Theory to explain how community-based learning fosters student interest and identity in integrated STEM education. International Journal of Science and Mathematics Education. 21(Suppl 1), 109-130. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10763-023-10382-x
  4. Cruz, N. I., & Giles, D. E. (2000). Where’s the community in service-learning research. Michigan Journal of Community Service Learning, 7(1), 28-34.
  5. Deci, E. L., Koestner, R., & Ryan, R. M. (1999). A meta-analytic review of experiments examining the effects of extrinsic rewards on intrinsic motivation. Psychological Bulletin, 125(6), 627–668; discussion 692-700. https://doi.org/10.1037/0033-2909.125.6.627.
  6. Deci, E.L., & Ryan, R.M. (2000). The “what” and “why” of goal pursuits: Human needs and the self-determination of behavior. Psychological Inquiry. 11(4), 227–268. https://doi.org/10.1207/S15327965PLI1104_01
  7. Eyler, J.S., Giles, D.E., Stenson, C.M., & Gray, C.J. (2001). At a Glance: What We Know About the Effects of Service-Learning on College Students, Faculty, Institutions, and Communities 1993-2000: Third Edition. http://ewucommunityengagement.pbworks.com/w/file/fetch/62951195/aag.pdf
  8. Jacoby, B. (2015). Service-learning essentials : Questions, answers, and lessons learned (First ed., Jossey-Bass higher and adult education series). San Francisco, CA: Jossey-Bass.
  9. Quested, E., Thøgersen-Ntoumani, C., Uren, H., Hardcastle, S. J., and Ryan, R. M. (2018). Community Gardening: Basic psychological needs as mechanisms to enhance individual and community well-being. Ecopsychology. 10(3), 173-180. https://doi.org/10.1089/eco.2018.0002
  10. Ren, N., & Lee, V. W. Y. (2025). On enhancing students’ motivation and engagement in service learning: A self-determination theory perspective. The 11th International Conference on Education 2025, Bangkok, Thailand.
  11. Vallerland, R. J. (2000). Deci and Ryan’s Self-Determination Theory: A View from the Hierarchical Model of Intrinsic and Extrinsic Motivation. Psychological Inquiry, 11(4), 312-318. https://www.jstor.org/stable/1449629
  12. Weinstein, N., & Ryan, R. M. (2010). When helping helps: Autonomous motivation for prosocial behavior and its influence on well-being for the helper and recipient. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 98(2), 222-244. https://doi.org/10.1037/a0016984