In recent years, personalized learning has become a buzzword in the field of education and an approach that schools across the United States have adopted in their attempts to account for the diverse interests, aspirations, and needs of their students. Despite the growing interest in personalized learning, there is a dearth of empirical research on this educational approach, particularly as it relates to the student experience. Given the paucity of research in this area, little is known about the extent to which personalized learning can offer students a more beneficial quality of experience than traditional educational methods. This question is further complicated by the fact that personalized learning has been defined and put into practice in diverse ways. Given these conditions, the purpose of this study was to explore students' experiences with more humanistic forms of personalized learning at three high schools in Vermont. A pragmatic approach to qualitative research was used along with self-determination theory (SDT) as a framework to investigate students' perceptions of their autonomy, competence, relatedness, motivation, and well-being within the context of personalized learning. SDT was used as framework because it offers a lens for analyzing how social contexts affect people's experiences and proposes that individuals experience higher qualities of motivation, engagement, and performance when their basic psychological needs for autonomy, competence, and relatedness are met. Study findings, which are based on interviews with 28 students from three Vermont high schools, suggest participants generally felt autonomous, competent, and related in their personalized learning environments, which contributed to their intrinsic motivation, engagement, and well-being within these settings. Some features of personalized learning that supported multiple facets of students' basic psychological needs were the individualized nature of instruction, student-driven curriculum, and structures that enabled and supported community-based learning. Although many students suggested personalized learning supported their basic psychological needs, some struggled to direct and manage their own learning, which diminished their feelings of competence while others indicated that the individualized nature of their projects undermined their sense of relatedness to their peers. Overall, the findings indicate that humanistic approaches to personalized learning have the potential to contribute to a more beneficial quality of experience for high school students than traditional educational methods. The study has implications for educational policy and practice as it suggests personalization may be an effective approach for engaging a variety of students with their education and promoting the skills and dispositions for lifelong learning.

Self-Directed Work Teams (SDWT) are strategic organization designs based on the belief that the time required to make good decisions decreases when employees are empowered to tap their tacit job knowledge. Because this strategy requires employees to think differently about the way they perform their jobs, the supervisor plays a critical role in SDWT implementations. If leaders fail to adequately manage the challenges associated with the transition to the SDWT structure, employee commitment towards the team and organization at large may suffer, putting the realization of SDWT benefits at risk. To better understand this complicated process, this research describes a field study observation designed to explore the relationship between the constructs of Self-Determination Theory (autonomy, competence, relatedness) with employee affective commitment towards a SDWT transition. Additionally, this research evaluates the mediating role leadership influence tactics has on the relationship between Self-Determination Theory and employee affective commitment towards a SDWT transition.

The purpose of the thesis is to examine how adult immigrants in Romania describe the learning strategies that have helped them integrate in the new culture. To be able to draw conclusions about migrants' learning strategies and what has made them work, I have looked at the experience of five immigrants who speak Romanian and who have successfully integrated in the Romanian culture. The study employs a qualitative methodology, information has been collected through semi-structured interviews and analyzed using thematic analysis and a framework approach to data analysis. The key findings of the thesis are that integration through education, specifically through language learning, takes place more effectively if migrants are driven by intrinsic goals or if they internalize the extrinsic rewards that they expect upon completion of their goals. These findings can be put into practice to form better strategies and actions steps in organizational programs that aim at integrating migrants. They can also be brought to the knowledge of migrants looking to successfully integrate, to make them aware of how their choices and goals, even those apparently unrelated, can impact the outcome of their integration efforts.

Motor vehicle crashes are the leading cause of teenage deaths in the United States, highlighting the need for ways to reduce teenage driver crash rates. Adolescents (n = 176, M age = 16.4 years, 53% female) and their parents (n = 204, 71% mothers) self-reported on parenting style, driving restrictions, and risky driving. Results showed that more parental restrictions were associated with less adolescent risky driving. Three-way interactions were found such that more restrictions were associated with less concurrent risky driving in boys only under conditions of high parental warmth, structure, or autonomy support. Parenting style generally did not moderate the association for girls, although more restrictions were associated with less risky driving one year later for girls only in the context of low autonomy support. Findings are discussed in terms of how parenting may differentially affect risky driving as a form of risk-taking versus risky driving stemming from inexperience.

Over the last three decades, Indigenous peoples in the CANZUS countries (Canada, Australia, New Zealand, and the United States) have been reclaiming self-government as an Indigenous right and practice. In the process, they have been asserting various forms of Indigenous nationhood. This article argues that this development involves a common set of activities on the part of Indigenous peoples: (1) identifying as a nation or a people (determining who the appropriate collective "self " is in self-determination and self-government); (2) organizing as a political body (not just as a corporate holder of assets); and (3) acting on behalf of Indigenous goals (asserting and exercising practical decision-making power and responsibility, even in cases where central governments deny recognition). The article compares these activities in the four countries and argues that, while contexts and circumstances differ, the Indigenous politics of self-government show striking commonalities across the four. Among those commonalities: it is a positional as opposed to a distributional politics; while not ignoring individual welfare, it measures success in terms of collective power; and it focuses less on what central governments are willing to do in the way of recognition and rights than on what Indigenous nations or communities can do for themselves.

The purpose of this quantitative study was to examine undergraduate military veteran students’ self-determination and academic effort in relation to their nonveteran college peers. A total of 734 undergraduates attending 4-year institutions in Texas completed a survey, including: 76 veterans (63% males, 37% females); and 658 non-veterans (26% males, 74% females). This research created a more holistic survey of self-determination by adding the 8-item New General Self-Efficacy Scale to the 10-item Self-determination Scale. The survey also included 13-items drawn from the National Survey of Student Engagement. A factor analysis with a varimax rotation of the items identified six factors: competence, autonomy, relatedness, reflection, learning strategies, and quantitative reasoning resulting in a significant Bartlett’s test of sphericity (2 (465) = 12324.53, p < .001). The first hierarchical ordinary least squares (HOLS) analysis results showed that undergraduate veteran students have statistically significant higher levels of self-determination than students without military experience with a small effect size (R2 = .022%, p < .001); however, a meta-analysis of self-determination revealed a large effect size of d = 1.33 between veterans (M = .81, SD = .12) and freshmen undergraduates (M = .65, SD = .12). The second HOLS analysis revealed that self-determination is a positively related, statistically significant factor in academic effort potentially adding 6.8% variance explained to the multi-factored general causal model of college impact (GCMCI).

Ce mémoire de maîtrise a été accompli simultanément à des études à temps plein en droit. / Le Québec est confronté à un vieillissement de sa population et une pénurie de main-d’œuvre spécialisée. Pour faire face à ces difficultés tout en restant compétitives à l’échelle internationale, les entreprises québécoises doivent adopter des méthodes de gestion novatrices qui génèrent une performance élevée chez leurs travailleurs peu nombreux. Il est donc essentiel de se servir – et de repenser – le mieux possible des déterminants reconnus de la performance au travail, au premier chef : la motivation. Or, les recherches adoptent habituellement une perspective linéaire en un temps entre ces variables, alors que différentes études soulèvent la possibilité que les relations soient différentes lorsque ces variables sont analysées dans une perspective autre que linéaire. La présente étude teste si une dynamique cyclique se produit. Les résultats de médiation multiples ne révèlent pas d’effet significatif de la motivation entre les performances de deux temps de mesure consécutifs. Cela conforte la nécessité d’élargir la recherche sur de nouvelles variables de manière à vérifier le potentiel lien cyclique entre deux performances. Également, cette recherche relève une zone d’ombre dans la relation dynamique entre la motivation et la performance : ce lien n’est pas aussi lisse qu’il ne le semble. Il arrive parfois que les motivations et performances initiales aient un impact plus déterminant sur les comportements futurs. / Québec has to deal with an aging population and a shortage of highly-skilled labor. In order to face these difficulties while remaining competitive internationally, Quebec’s businesses must adopt new management methods that generate a higher performance from their fewer workers. It is therefore essential to better utilize – and rethink – the predictors of work performance with motivation at the forefront of this endeavor. However, studies usually adopt a one-time only linear perspective between these variables, while other studies suggest that the relations between them would differ when analyzed more dynamically. The present study tests if a cyclic relation performance-motivation- performance occurs. Multiple mediation results do not show a significant effect of various forms of motivation on the performance of two consecutive time measures; hence supporting the need for future studies to test new variables in order to verify the potential cyclical link between two performances. Moreover, the present study identifies a grey zone in the dynamic relation between motivation and performance. Indeed, the link isn’t as smooth as it seems since initial motivations and performances appear to have the greatest impact on future behaviors.

L’objectif de cette thèse est de mieux comprendre le phénomène d’orientation choisie vs. subie et d’en déterminer les implications, pour les adolescents, sur le plan motivationnel. Nos recherches s’inscrivent dans la perspective de la Théorie de l’Autodétermination (Deci & Ryan, 2002) qui s’avère pertinente pour appréhender les notions de choix et de contrainte en orientation ainsi que les facteurs influençant les choix. En effet, l’un des concepts centraux de cette théorie est le besoin d’autodétermination qui correspond au fait de se sentir libre de s’engager dans des activités et à l’origine de celles-ci.Tout d’abord, il s’agissait au travers de deux études d’analyser la motivation scolaire des adolescents en filières générale, technologique et professionnelle. L’orientation vers ces filières est déterminée par de multiples facteurs susceptibles de conduire à une orientation vécue comme subie. Notre intérêt s’est porté sur l’influence des parents, des professeurs et le sentiment de liberté perçu par les élèves lors du processus d’orientation : l’objectif était donc, dans une troisième étude, de déterminer le caractère prédicteur de ces variables sur la motivation scolaire ultérieure des élèves en classe de première. Ces recherches nous ont amenés dans les études 4 et 5 à développer un nouvel outil mesurant les perceptions d’autodétermination et d’influence en orientation.Notre travail invite les professionnels de l’éducation et de l’orientation à une réflexion en termes de prévention et de remédiation, en considérant le soutien à l’autodétermination dans les contextes de l’éducation et de l’orientation comme un facteur déterminant de la motivation scolaire. / The objective of this thesis is to develop a better understanding of the phenomenon of chosen or imposed academic pathway and its consequences on adolescents’ academic motivation. Our research are in line with the self-determination theory (Deci & Ryan, 2002). This perspective seems relevant to investigate the notions of choice and constraint in the field of educational and vocational guidance and the factors influencing these choices. Effectively, one of the fundamental concepts of this theory is the need of self-determination defined by a sense of freedom and a sense of choice experienced in the initiating activities.First, the two first studies’ aim was to analyze academic motivation of high school students. The adolescents were enrolled in different courses: general, technological and professional. The choice of an academic pathway is influenced or even constrained by many factors: the student thus feels forced to take part in an academic pathway that is not his or her initial choice. Our interest focuses on parents and teachers’ influence and sense of freedom in academic decision-making process. In the third study, the purpose was to determine the contribution of these variables in subsequent academic motivation. These results led us in studies 4 and 5 to develop a new questionnaire evaluating perceptions of self-determination and influence in academic decision-making.These research invite career counseling professionals and professors to thinking in terms of motivational prevention and remediation. Autonomy support in the fields of vocational guidance and education is considered as a crucial determinant of academic motivation.

Depuis que les démarches qualité sont entrées dans le monde de l’hôpital imposant la construction de référentiels et la recherche de rentabilité, la logique sociale a cédé le pas à la logique économique. La rationalisation du travail s’est imposée aux soignants par la mise en place de ces référentiels, ne prenant pas en compte les considérations psychologiques et physiques de l’activité des soignants, d’où les effets sur leur santé et les manifestations de la souffrance au travail. C’est dans ce contexte que nous avons souhaité aborder la santé au travail des soignants non sous l’angle de la souffrance au travail mais sous celui du développement du bien-être psychologique. Nous avons étudié la manière dont se construit le bien-être psychologique au travail au travers des expériences vécues par les soignants à l’hôpital c’est-à-dire comment il se constitue comme objet de représentations professionnelles auquel se rattachent les composantes cognitives, affectives liées aux souvenirs d’expériences vécues et symbolisées. A la lumière de la psychologie sociale et du travail, des apports de la psychologie positive et de la théorie de l’autodétermination, l’analyse des données issues d’entretiens non-directifs avec les soignants nous a permis d’ identifier les caractéristiques du concept. Liées à l’interaction entre l’individu et l’environnement professionnel d’une part et liées à l’individu d’autre part, ces caractéristiques nous ont permis d’envisager des actions de développement du bien-être psychologique au travail tant sur le plan individuel qu’organisationnel. / Since the quality procedures are entered into the world of the hospital imposing building standards and the search for profitability, social logic has given way to economic logic. Rationalization of labor has become caregivers by implementing these standards, not taking into account the considerations of the psychological and physical activity providers, where the effects on their health and the manifestations of suffering at work. It is in the context that addressed occupational health officers not in terms of the reduction of suffering at work but in the development of psychological well-being. We propose to study how to build the psychological well-being at work through the experiences of caregivers in the hospital is to say how it is an object representations which relate to professional cognitive, emotional memories related to experiences and symbolized. In the light of social psychology and labor contributions of positive psychology and the theory of self-analysis of data from non-directive interviews with caregivers has allowed us to identify the characteristics of concept. Related to the interaction between the individual and the work environment on the one hand, and related to the individual on the other hand, these characteristics have allowed us to consider actions for the development of psychological well-being at work both the individual and organizational.

Regular physical activity (PA) participation and fruit and vegetable (FV) consumption confers numerous positive health outcomes for cancer survivors, including prevention of cancer recurrence, second primary cancers, and other non-communicable chronic diseases. Rural-living young adult cancer survivors (YAs) possess unique barriers and concerns that influence their ability to participate in traditional face-to-face behaviour change interventions. Few researchers have explored alternative means for delivering behaviour change interventions grounded in theory utilizing a mixed-methods approach to assess processes of change and behavioural outcomes. To fill this gap and provide recommendations for future interventions and services focused on positive health behaviours in this population, the objective of the research presented in this thesis was to explore the feasibility and acceptability of a 12-week theory-based telehealth behaviour change intervention aiming to improve PA and FV consumption using a single-arm, mixed methods pilot trial. Over a 7-month period, 14 YAs self-referred. Of these 14, 5 were eligible and consented to participate with 3 completing the study. Retention to the study was 73% and adherence to the health coaching program ranged from 66.67-100% with a 40% attrition rate. Inquiry into the acceptability of the intervention offered insight into participants experiences, which was summarized within five themes: (1) the more time the better, (2) the human factor, (3) supporting access, (4) influencing the basic psychological needs, and (5) finding motivation. Collectively, the findings suggest the methods used require minor modifications before being deemed feasible despite the general acceptability of the intervention. Importantly, they highlight the necessity of more expansive recruitment strategies and a need to explore participants’ underlying intentions for participating in behaviour change interventions. Further, recommendations are made based on the findings to improve this style of intervention, including testing stepped down models of support because it may help some YAs maintain behaviour change post-intervention.