Teachers’ motivation as a mediation mechanism in self-directed learning-conducive primary school environments

Abstract

Although self-directed learning (SDL) is widely recognised as the foundation for learner autonomy and lifelong learning, limited empirical research has examined how teachers’ motivation mediates the cultivation of SDL-conducive learning environments in primary schools. Guided by Self-Determination Theory and Long’s dimensions of SDL (motivation, metacognition, and self-regulation), this qualitative interpretive study explored how teachers' motivation shapes supportive learning environments. Eleven (11) purposively selected primary school teachers from the North-West Province participated in semi-structured face-to-face individual interviews. Data were analysed inductively using thematic analysis. The findings suggest that teachers’ autonomous motivation operates through two interconnected pathways: (1) climate-building teaching practices that foster psychological safety, competence, autonomy and belonging; and (2) lead-by-example modelling that makes goal setting, reflection, and self-monitoring visible to learners. In contrast, lower motivation and limited support were associated with a reversion to more teacher-centred practices that restrict the autonomy of the learner. This study contributes to SDL scholarship by conceptualising teachers’ motivation not as a static trait, but as an enacted professional resource that mediates between instructional design and the development of learner SDL in primary education settings.