Self-determined approach to learning: A social science perspective

Over recent years the higher education sector has been encouraged to find different, effective and flexible ways of teaching. This enthusiasm is apparent more than ever before, as the current British Conservative government have produced a white paper on the Teaching Excellence Framework (TEF). The Teaching Excellence Framework intends to measure and improve the quality of teaching and learning within the higher education sector. With this proposed framework being introduced, universities will have to think of new ways of teaching and learning. This paper examines the pedagogical approach to self-determined learning within the dynamic of the tutor and the learner. In the paper, the authors argue for a fundamental rethink of how students learn in the higher education sector. Moreover, the authors call for a greater emphasis on a self-determined approach to learning and the integration of heutagogy, as this approach challenges the pedagogical approach to teaching and learning.