Social and Behavioral Sciences Commons^™

Facilitating Students’ Motivation In The Basic Communication Course: A Self-Determination Theory Perspective, Jessalyn I. Vallade, Renee Kaufmann, T. Kody Frey

Basic Communication Course Annual

Given that students may not find inherent value in their general education courses, and in particular, the basic communication course (BCC), the current study was aimed at exploring the instructor behaviors that students identify as enhancing their motivation within this context. Specifically, the purpose of the current study was to qualitatively explore instructor behaviors and student motivation in the BCC, specifically through the lens of self-determination theory. Open-ended responses from students currently enrolled in a basic communication course resulted in 28 themes, which were organized by student needs of relatedness, autonomy, and competence. Relatedness themes were most frequently reported, with …