This section explores how psychological ownership and ownership of learning manifest in education, specifically in strategies that foster both phenomena. Expert opinions about ownership further complement the sub-chapter.
Factors that Cultivate Psychological Ownership & Ownership of Learning
As mentioned by several researchers, one of the key factors that promotes psychological ownership within the classroom is building an emotional connection with the learning material. For instance, Pierce et al. (2003) suggest that for individuals to develop a sense of ownership, the target of their interest must be “attractive, socially esteemed, and self-revealing” to them (p. 19). When students perceive learning as a reflection of who they are, they are more motivated to engage emotionally, thereby nurturing a sense of psychological ownership within the lesson.
As discussed in the previous sub-chapter, ownership of learning occurs when students are actively engaged in their education and take responsibility for their progress. It begins with the student's emotional connection with the material (an intrinsic motivation in learning), which turns into action potential, which “exists between the current state and a desired state of being” (Conley & French, 2014, p. 1021). This action potential matures through an ongoing active learning process, which is fundamental to developing ownership of learning. In the article “Constructivist active learning environments from the students' perspective,” Gazibara (2018) states that active learning is a constructive and socio-constructivist teaching approach where “the process of learning includes the students’ experiences and interests, pre-knowledge, and the creation of their own interpretations” (p. 1). Through this approach, students engage actively, maturing into independent individuals who analyze the real world critically, cultivate their own abilities, and take responsibility for their actions. The article further discusses how students participate in the planning, execution, and assessment of the educational process. Consistent with other research, strategies for developing active learning should include practical activities where students make autonomous decisions about the learning material, set learning goals, and collaborate with teachers and classmates to give and receive feedback. (Chan et al., 2014, p. 8; Gazibara, 2018, p. 1).
Experts Opinions
Additionally, I interviewed two expert teachers of the Pi - Music for Wind Instruments course at the Royal Conservatoire of The Hague, Netherlands, about their thoughts on academic ownership and strategies to cultivate it in their students.
- Martine Belderok is a clarinet teacher involved in various projects with young students. Her teaching incorporates different approaches, including the Kodály Method and a more explorative and creative approach to music-making.
- Irma Kort is an oboe teacher involved in projects ranging from toddlers to young music students. She recently co-conducted and published research on practicing and well-being with students from the Young Talent Department of the Royal Conservatoire of The Hague, and she values the role of autonomy and intrinsic motivation in students' musical learning processes.
The previous discussion about ownership has been supported by Martine Belderok as students being “at the steering wheel” of their education, exhibiting “motivation, flow, fun, creativity, experiment, courage, and a growth mindset.” She highlights the intimate connection students form with their learning when they actively engage in the process. Irma Kort additionally emphasized the importance of autonomy in choices, particularly in repertoire selection. Irma Kort noted that when students feel ownership over their decisions, they are “more motivated to practice their pieces.” Lastly, both teachers stressed the role of pride as a factor in cultivating ownership. This aligns with Chan et al. (2014), who stated, “When students collect evidence of their learning, they experience the ownership and excitement of monitoring their achievement and growth” (p. 4), suggesting that teachers should provide space for student’s results (such as artworks and or performances) or if not possible, collect evidence of growth.
In conclusion, I identified and categorized the following factors as contributing to cultivating a sense of ownership in education. These latter served as inspiration for designing my activities and as indicators for ownership when observing students' behaviors: Engagement, Autonomy, Collaboration (leadership), Self-Assessment, Pride, and Self-Image and Expression: This final section looks for signs of personal investment, such as students referring to ideas as “my idea” as an emotional connection to the task.