Empowering Students: How Teachers’ Autonomy Support Shapes Self-Efficacy for Self-Regulated Learning

Abstract

Teacher autonomy support plays a crucial role in fostering students’ motivation and learning behaviours. Grounded in Self-Determination Theory (SDT), this study examines the effect of teacher autonomy on students’ self-regulated learning, with self-efficacy serving as a mediating variable. A quantitative cross-sectional survey design was employed, involving 409 teachers from elementary, junior high, and senior high schools in East Java, Indonesia. Data were analysed using Structural Equation Modelling (SEM). The findings reveal that teacher autonomy has a significant positive effect on students’ self-regulated learning and self-efficacy. Furthermore, self-efficacy significantly predicts students’ self-regulated learning and partially mediates the relationship between teacher autonomy and self-regulated learning. These results indicate that autonomy-supportive teaching practices enhance students’ confidence in their learning abilities, which in turn strengthens their capacity to regulate learning processes independently. The study underscores the importance of empowering teachers with professional autonomy to cultivate autonomy-supportive learning environments that promote student motivation, self-efficacy, and effective self-regulated learning. The findings offer important implications for educational policy, teacher professional development, and instructional practice aimed at improving student learning outcomes.