Motivated learning with digital learning tasks: what about autonomy and structure?

In the present study, the ways in which digital learning tasks contribute to students’ intrinsic motivation and learning outcomes were examined. In particular, this study explored the relative contributions of autonomy support and the provision of structure in digital learning tasks. Participants were 320 fifth- and sixth-grade students from eight elementary schools throughout the Netherlands. The results show that a digital learning task that combined autonomy support and structure had a positive effect on both intrinsic motivation and learning outcomes in students. A digital learning task that only provided structure also had a positive effect on learning outcomes, but a digital learning task with only autonomy support did not yield a similar effect.

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