How teacher autonomy support and student creativity jointly contribute to self-regulated learning: a dynamic, person-environment fit perspective

According to emergent research, being creative at school could benefit self-regulated learning, but only within “creative learning” contexts that encourage student creativity. This study explored these relations among vocational students in high school (N = 8224). Theoretically, it merged creativity research and self-determination theory (Ryan & Deci, 2020) by operationalising creative-supportive contexts as teaching that supports the need for autonomous learning. Methodologically, the study investigated reciprocal influences between student perceptions of creativity (i.e., use of creative cognitive processes while studying), teacher autonomy support (i.e., teacher behaviours that foster autonomous learning behaviour) and self-regulation (i.e., regulation of resources, efforts, motivation in learning activities), while accounting for different temporalities of effects (i.e., lagged vs. contemporaneous) and for the possibility that self-regulation responds to a process of fit between student creativity and teacher autonomy support. Overall, results from random-intercept cross-lagged panel models and cubic response surface analysis revealed complex patterns of relations. Whereas self-regulation predicted positive changes in creativity and autonomy support over time (lagged effects), the reciprocal effects on self-regulation appeared instead to be contemporaneous and to be optimal when both creativity and autonomy support were present (person-environment fit). Moreover, teacher autonomy support played a dual role, partly compensating for low creativity to maintain adequate self-regulation, and partly increasing creativity among students. Implications on reciprocal relations between creativity and self-regulation, on fostering creative learning contexts via teacher autonomy support, and on modelling strategies in creativity research are discussed.