The Mediating Effects of Autonomy, Competence, Relatedness, and Beneficence on Perceived Meaningfulness in K-12 Social Innovation Projects: An Ex Post Facto Study

Students often struggle to find meaning in current educational practices. Current research suggests that Project Based Learning (PBL) in STEM education can enhance Basic Psychological Needs (BPN) and facilitate knowledge construction. Social innovation projects, a form of PBL in STEM education, emphasize skill acquisition, collaboration, and social impact. Using Self-Determination Theory as a framework, the study investigates how BPN (autonomy, competence, relatedness) and beneficence contribute to meaningful learning experiences through social innovation projects. A quantitative research design was used, using the Basic Psychological Need Satisfaction and Frustration Scale, the Brief Beneficence Satisfaction Scale, and an adapted Work Meaning Inventory to measure students’ BPN and perceived meaningfulness. The results show that students engaged in social innovation projects reported significantly higher meaningfulness than those who did not engage in such projects. The satisfaction of psychological needs and beneficence positively mediated these outcomes.