An Inquiry Into the Alignment Between the Theoretical Assumptions of Self-determination Theory and the Cultural Assumptions of Saudi Arabian Educators.

Abstract

The purpose of this study is to explore the extent to which there is an alignment between the theoretical assumptions of self-determination theory and the cultural practices and beliefs of preservice special education teachers in Saudi Arabia. The cultural practices and beliefs of twenty-six Saudi preservice special education teachers compared with national, university, and local school documents to further assess their alignment, allowing the researcher to triangulate data across data sources (Lincoln & Guba, 1985). A sequential exploratory case investigation was used to interpret and understand preservice teachers’ perceptions of their nation’s culture, their relationship to educational practices, and alignment with stated national policies from the Minister of Education (Ward et al., 2018). By analyzing the participants' interviews and archival data, findings revealed Saudi preservice special education teachers preferred collectivism orientation over individualism; consequently, the adoption of self-determination theory by Saudi Arabia would require modifications relative to the cultural collectivist orientation.