Evaluating the Influence of Self-Determination in Secondary Writing Instruction on Post-Secondary Academic Success

The purpose of this case study was to discover what components of secondary education writing instruction develop adequate self-determination for post-secondary academic writing success for first year university students at Central midwestern metropolitan area universities. The theory guiding this study was Ryan and Deci’s Self-Determination Theory as it connects the idea of developing adequate relatedness, competence, and autonomy with successful development of critical thinking and social cognitive skills for success beyond secondary education. The Central Research Question asked, “what methods of secondary writing instruction adequately develop self-determination for first year university students in the Central midwestern metropolitan area to enable them to be successful in post-secondary academic writing?” An explanatory, single case study of 11 participants was conducted in the Central Midwest region. The research used surveys, individual interviews, and artifact collection to evaluate through critical realism, explanatory case building, and pattern matching to discover themes within secondary writing instruction that promote the growth of self-determination to achieve post-secondary writing success. The findings of the study detail the components of secondary education writing instruction that promote the development of student-self-determination for post-secondary academic success, including positive teacher relationships, content-specific writing, and understanding of the writing process and structures.