Teacher Autonomy Support and Learning Engagement in Flipped Classroom Method: The Mediating Roles of Intrinsic Motivation and Self-Regulated Learning

Abstract

As the adoption of flipped classroom methods (FCM) continues to grow in higher education, understanding the factors that promote students' learning engagement is crucial. While teachers' autonomy support (TAS) is widely recognized to enhance it, the underlying mechanism remains largely unexplored within the context. Based on Self-Determination Theory (SDT) and Constructivist Learning Theory, the study examined the mediating effects of students' intrinsic motivation (IM) and self-regulated learning (SRL) between TAS and learning engagement in a cross-sectional research design. Data were collected from 360 university students across six Indian states, and mediation analysis was incorporated. The findings disclosed that TAS positively impacts the learning engagement of the students directly and indirectly by fostering IM and SRL. It supports the propositions of the two theories. It suggests that autonomy-supportive pedagogical practices fashion psychologically empowering learning environments that, in turn, encourage learners to actively participate, thus creating effective student-centered flipped classroom environments. Educators should bring about conducive environments for effective pedagogy employment by offering choices, explaining rationales behind given tasks, and acknowledging student perspectives to nurture their motivation and self-regulated learning.