Leadership in the transition to online instruction: implications for teachers’ need satisfaction and motivation

The transition to remote teaching during the COVID-19 pandemic introduced many threats to teachers’ psychological needs and intrinsic motivation. Given the possibility of similar disruptions in the future, we examined the potential influence of three resources provided by school leaders to smoothen...

Full description

Saved in:
Bibliographic Details
Main Authors: David B. Morris, M. Shane Tutwiler, Katy Arnett
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Taylor & Francis Group 2025-12-01
Series:Cogent Education
Subjects:
Online Access:https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/10.1080/2331186X.2024.2445963
Tags: Add Tag
No Tags, Be the first to tag this record!
_version_ 1846100197456740352
author David B. Morris
M. Shane Tutwiler
Katy Arnett
author_facet David B. Morris
M. Shane Tutwiler
Katy Arnett
author_sort David B. Morris
collection DOAJ
description The transition to remote teaching during the COVID-19 pandemic introduced many threats to teachers’ psychological needs and intrinsic motivation. Given the possibility of similar disruptions in the future, we examined the potential influence of three resources provided by school leaders to smoothen teachers’ transition to online instruction: pedagogical support, availability of instructional technologies, and professional freedom. Survey data from 103 PreK-12 teachers in the United States and Canada were analyzed using Bayesian mediation models to explore how these administrative resources influenced teachers’ need satisfaction and intrinsic motivation. Results indicated that teachers who received more pedagogical support were more intrinsically motivated, and this relationship was partially mediated by their perceived competence and relatedness with students. Those with greater access to instructional technologies reported higher perceived competence and relatedness with students but were no more intrinsically motivated than their peers. Teachers who were granted professional freedom reported greater intrinsic motivation, and the relationship was partially mediated by all three psychological needs. Results highlight the importance of maintaining teacher-student relationships and suggest that, during unplanned transitions to online instruction, teachers are most self-determined when provided high quality instructional support and allowed freedom in how they navigate new challenges.
format Article
id doaj-art-c18d87f6beca40b693a6468195e0f36a
institution Kabale University
issn 2331-186X
language English
publishDate 2025-12-01
publisher Taylor & Francis Group
record_format Article
series Cogent Education
spelling doaj-art-c18d87f6beca40b693a6468195e0f36a2024-12-30T13:45:55ZengTaylor & Francis GroupCogent Education2331-186X2025-12-0112110.1080/2331186X.2024.2445963Leadership in the transition to online instruction: implications for teachers’ need satisfaction and motivationDavid B. Morris0M. Shane Tutwiler1Katy Arnett2Department of Educational Studies, St. Mary’s College of Maryland, St. Mary's City, MD, USASchool of Education, University of Rhode Island, Kingston, RI, USADepartment of Educational Studies, St. Mary’s College of Maryland, St. Mary's City, MD, USAThe transition to remote teaching during the COVID-19 pandemic introduced many threats to teachers’ psychological needs and intrinsic motivation. Given the possibility of similar disruptions in the future, we examined the potential influence of three resources provided by school leaders to smoothen teachers’ transition to online instruction: pedagogical support, availability of instructional technologies, and professional freedom. Survey data from 103 PreK-12 teachers in the United States and Canada were analyzed using Bayesian mediation models to explore how these administrative resources influenced teachers’ need satisfaction and intrinsic motivation. Results indicated that teachers who received more pedagogical support were more intrinsically motivated, and this relationship was partially mediated by their perceived competence and relatedness with students. Those with greater access to instructional technologies reported higher perceived competence and relatedness with students but were no more intrinsically motivated than their peers. Teachers who were granted professional freedom reported greater intrinsic motivation, and the relationship was partially mediated by all three psychological needs. Results highlight the importance of maintaining teacher-student relationships and suggest that, during unplanned transitions to online instruction, teachers are most self-determined when provided high quality instructional support and allowed freedom in how they navigate new challenges.https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/10.1080/2331186X.2024.2445963Teachersmotivationtechnologyleadershipself-determinationLeadership Strategy
spellingShingle David B. Morris
M. Shane Tutwiler
Katy Arnett
Leadership in the transition to online instruction: implications for teachers’ need satisfaction and motivation
Cogent Education
Teachers
motivation
technology
leadership
self-determination
Leadership Strategy
title Leadership in the transition to online instruction: implications for teachers’ need satisfaction and motivation
title_full Leadership in the transition to online instruction: implications for teachers’ need satisfaction and motivation
title_fullStr Leadership in the transition to online instruction: implications for teachers’ need satisfaction and motivation
title_full_unstemmed Leadership in the transition to online instruction: implications for teachers’ need satisfaction and motivation
title_short Leadership in the transition to online instruction: implications for teachers’ need satisfaction and motivation
title_sort leadership in the transition to online instruction implications for teachers need satisfaction and motivation
topic Teachers
motivation
technology
leadership
self-determination
Leadership Strategy
url https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/10.1080/2331186X.2024.2445963
work_keys_str_mv AT davidbmorris leadershipinthetransitiontoonlineinstructionimplicationsforteachersneedsatisfactionandmotivation
AT mshanetutwiler leadershipinthetransitiontoonlineinstructionimplicationsforteachersneedsatisfactionandmotivation
AT katyarnett leadershipinthetransitiontoonlineinstructionimplicationsforteachersneedsatisfactionandmotivation