Knowledge construction and psychological need support in student-centred learning contexts: an experiment with Estonian 6th grade students

Abstract

The present study analysed the learning outcomes and psychological need support of Estonian 6th grade students (N = 43) in collaborative, peer-supported and individual learning contexts. The study compared the three learning contexts in terms of knowledge construction and psychological need support as well as analysed the relationship between knowledge construction, work performance and psychological need support across the learning contexts. The study was experimental and was designed as a problem-based history lesson, where students were asked to complete a problem-based worksheet either collaboratively (N = 23), individually (N = 9) or with peer support (N = 10). Students were also asked to fill in a pre-test and post-test questionnaire to measure their knowledge and self-reported psychological need support or thwarting. The findings of this study suggest that students’ psychological needs are most supported in peer learning contexts. It was also found that learning outcomes are connected to psychological need support and good work performance does not necessarily predict high quality knowledge construction. The study found collaborative learning to be the learning context where students create best-quality products and peer learning to result in the highest quality of constructed knowledge. While the empirical findings of this study supported the theory and the posed hypotheses, additional research could confirm and elaborate these results. Implications for teaching practice and future research were discussed.