Reframing the autonomy support problem: a new framework for analyzing adult-child problem solving interactions in naturalistic settings.

Abstract

A central question in the study of autonomy support (Grolnik, 1989) is how adults structurechildren’s learning while also preserving their sense of self-determination. In recent years, researchers have made strides in describing what types of parental and teaching behaviors constitute autonomy support, developing detailed coding schemes for evaluating how supportive adults interact with children in researcher-defined, goal-oriented tasks (Whipple et al., 2011). In two case-driven studies, I expand on the construct of autonomy support by studying adult-child problem solving interactions in more open-ended, naturalistic task environments. In Study 1, I analyze video of parent-child outdoor play, utilizing interaction analysis (IA, Jordan and Henderson, 1995) to capture in detail participants’ moment-to-moment contributions to the problem solving process. The outcome is a framework capable of mapping dyadic problem-solving interactions at a more granular level, including tracking who leads each part of the interaction, and what learning goals are being oriented to. In Study 2, I apply that framework to the pedagogical perspectives of teachers in an elementary charter school that expressly values children’s self- determination. In interviews, the teachers described their approaches to achieving important learning outcomes while embracing children’s naturalistic learning behaviors, and the Study 1 problem solving framework is used to generate insights into the teachers’ strategic approaches. The findings of the two studies suggest the existence of inherent tradeoffs between various potential goals and time horizons for adult-child learning interactions, and raise considerations for future research into autonomy support, while the problem solving framework demonstrates potential for developing practical tools that could eventually directly support adults and children in reflecting on their co-learning processes.