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Supporting Mid-Career Students' Psychological Needs to Improve Motivation and Retention in Post-Graduate Courses

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Title: Supporting Mid-Career Students' Psychological Needs to Improve Motivation and Retention in Post-Graduate Courses
Language: English
Authors: Gillian Kirk (ORCID 0000-0002-6386-9016), Helen Adam (ORCID 0000-0002-3005-7142), Fiona Boylan (ORCID 0000-0003-2531-3559), Carly Sanbrook (ORCID 0000-0003-2808-0877)
Source: Australian Educational Researcher. 2025 52(2):879-898.
Availability: Springer. Available from: Springer Nature. One New York Plaza, Suite 4600, New York, NY 10004. Tel: 800-777-4643; Tel: 212-460-1500; Fax: 212-460-1700; e-mail: customerservice@springernature.com; Web site: https://link.springer.com/
Peer Reviewed: Y
Page Count: 20
Publication Date: 2025
Document Type: Journal Articles
Reports - Research
Education Level: Higher Education
Postsecondary Education
Descriptors: Psychological Needs, Student Motivation, School Holding Power, Graduate Study, Graduate Students, Foreign Countries, Personal Autonomy, Learner Controlled Instruction, Pacing, Self Determination
Geographic Terms: Australia
DOI: 10.1007/s13384-024-00745-w
ISSN: 0311-6999
2210-5328
Abstract: Currently Australia is experiencing an unprecedented teacher shortage. Increasing and retaining the number of mid-career Initial Teacher Education entrants has been identified as one strategy to combat the shortage. This study examines the psychological needs (autonomy, competence, and relatedness) innate to autonomous forms of motivation to support retention. While there is much research investigating how universities support students' psychological needs using questionnaires, few have gathered data examining how students articulate their lived experiences, and fewer have examined mid-career students' perspectives. This paper contributes to the literature by sharing 26 Master of Teaching (Early Childhood, Primary, Secondary) mid-career student perspectives on how a university promoted or hindered their psychological needs. The data, analysed using Critical Discourse Analysis, highlighted moments that students identified as maximising or minimising their autonomy and motivation. Similarities were found with previous research on supporting students' psychological needs. Additional findings indicated mid-career students desired more control over the pace of their course, and workload issues in some schools during professional experience eroded their teacher-efficacy. Recommendations on how to support mid-career retention are suggested.
Abstractor: As Provided
Entry Date: 2025
Accession Number: EJ1487817
Database: ERIC
FullText Text:
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  Data: Supporting Mid-Career Students' Psychological Needs to Improve Motivation and Retention in Post-Graduate Courses
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  Data: <searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Gillian+Kirk%22">Gillian Kirk</searchLink> (ORCID <externalLink term="http://orcid.org/0000-0002-6386-9016">0000-0002-6386-9016</externalLink>)<br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Helen+Adam%22">Helen Adam</searchLink> (ORCID <externalLink term="http://orcid.org/0000-0002-3005-7142">0000-0002-3005-7142</externalLink>)<br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Fiona+Boylan%22">Fiona Boylan</searchLink> (ORCID <externalLink term="http://orcid.org/0000-0003-2531-3559">0000-0003-2531-3559</externalLink>)<br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Carly+Sanbrook%22">Carly Sanbrook</searchLink> (ORCID <externalLink term="http://orcid.org/0000-0003-2808-0877">0000-0003-2808-0877</externalLink>)
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  Data: <searchLink fieldCode="SO" term="%22Australian+Educational+Researcher%22"><i>Australian Educational Researcher</i></searchLink>. 2025 52(2):879-898.
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  Data: Springer. Available from: Springer Nature. One New York Plaza, Suite 4600, New York, NY 10004. Tel: 800-777-4643; Tel: 212-460-1500; Fax: 212-460-1700; e-mail: customerservice@springernature.com; Web site: https://link.springer.com/
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  Data: <searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Australia%22">Australia</searchLink>
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  Data: 10.1007/s13384-024-00745-w
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  Data: Currently Australia is experiencing an unprecedented teacher shortage. Increasing and retaining the number of mid-career Initial Teacher Education entrants has been identified as one strategy to combat the shortage. This study examines the psychological needs (autonomy, competence, and relatedness) innate to autonomous forms of motivation to support retention. While there is much research investigating how universities support students' psychological needs using questionnaires, few have gathered data examining how students articulate their lived experiences, and fewer have examined mid-career students' perspectives. This paper contributes to the literature by sharing 26 Master of Teaching (Early Childhood, Primary, Secondary) mid-career student perspectives on how a university promoted or hindered their psychological needs. The data, analysed using Critical Discourse Analysis, highlighted moments that students identified as maximising or minimising their autonomy and motivation. Similarities were found with previous research on supporting students' psychological needs. Additional findings indicated mid-career students desired more control over the pace of their course, and workload issues in some schools during professional experience eroded their teacher-efficacy. Recommendations on how to support mid-career retention are suggested.
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      – SubjectFull: School Holding Power
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