Need-supportive teaching in higher education: Configurations of autonomy support, structure, and involvement

Need-supportive teaching is believed to increase students' motivation and achievement. This assumption was tested in a higher education sample from a Dutch university of applied sciences (N = 623). Configurations of students' perceptions of autonomy support, structure, and involvement were explored using cluster analysis to establish the relationship among these three dimensions of need-supportive teaching. Three clusters of need-supportive teaching were found: high, average, and low perceived need support. Associations with students' motivation and performance were explored using ANOVAs. The clusters were respectively associated with relatively high, average, and low student autonomous motivation and achievement.