This investigation is driven by the hypothesis that increased autonomy over art materials, themes and techniques impacts a student’s sense of ownership, resilience, self-regulation and belief in their artistic abilities. The research explores the impact educators can have on student self-efficacy by strategically incorporating choice within the art curriculum at second level education. According to Zimmerman (1995), self-efficacy is a strength educators should nurture as it helps students manage anxiety, set higher goals and achieve better academic outcomes.

With ‘creativity’, ‘problem-solving’ and ‘managing learning and the self’ as key competencies of the senior cycle (NCCA, 2024), student agency and initiative is valued now more than ever. Deci and Ryan’s Self Determination Theory (1985) suggests people inherently want to take ownership of tasks, a common denominator between the works of Reeve and Cheon (2021) and Evens and Boucher (2015) who advocate for autonomy supportive teaching strategies. The question this research paper seeks to answer is ‘to what extent’ the teaching strategy of incorporating vast choice into the curriculum can promote student self-efficacy.

The research examines how varying levels of choice in materials, techniques, and themes influence students’ sense of self-efficacy. Conducted over a ten-week second-year mixed-media sculpture project, the research assessed whether increased autonomy enhances factors such as confidence, ownership and resilience. In essence, this research seeks to understand the influence of autonomy-supportive teaching strategies. According to Reeve & Cheon (2021) this is a skill that brings significant benefits to both students and educators.

The findings indicate a direct correlation between choice and self-efficacy, with greater choice leading to increased confidence and ownership. However, structured teacher intervention is needed to prevent overwhelm and disengagement.