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The Elevator Pitch
Problem: Students are disengaged and uninterested
What if…
Students took control of their learning and took ownership over their education. A.I. empowers students to explore their interests and design their own lessons. Utilizing this powerful tool can be revolutionary in developing lifelong learners. William Glasser proposed Choice Theory as it relates to education, as a means of increasing student investment in their education. This Action Research Project explores the potential for using A.I. to allow students to Choose how they will learn.
Within my Action Research Project, Students explore areas of the Student Technology Leadership Program such as creative digital products from automotive design to website development, and everything in between. Students choose the products they want to make and the application or program that they will use to create their product. They also choose the standards and curriculum that their product will demonstrate mastery of. Finally, they share their products while demonstrating how their product solves a real-world problem. Current examples in my classroom include Educational Videos and PSAs, Advanced Coding Applications and Industry worthy 3D Design. I am seeing students are staying engaged by developing their own interests and investments through the use of technology by taking ownership of their learning.
What I need from you is…
1 Admin/District: Physical Space and Resources
2 Students: Engagement and Personal Investment
3 Teachers: Invite me into your classroom
Students Choose Their Product
Students Choose Their Product
Introduction
William Glasser's educational theories have left an indelible mark on student-centered learning and school reform. Rooted in internal motivation, personal responsibility, and the psychology of human needs, Glasser's Choice Theory and Quality School model provide a blueprint for transforming traditional school systems into learner-driven environments. This paper explores the core tenets of Glasser's work and applies them to the structure and implementation of student choice in curriculum design, as evidenced by an action research project carried out in a media arts and career readiness classroom.
Students Choose Their Application
Students Choose Their Application
Understanding Glasser's Choice Theory
Glasser's Choice Theory is built on the premise that all human behavior is motivated by five basic needs: survival, love and belonging, power, freedom, and fun. Unlike behaviorist models that emphasize external rewards and punishments, Glasser’s approach stresses internal motivation and the belief that individuals choose behaviors to meet their needs. In the classroom, this theory shifts the teacher's role from authoritarian to facilitator, guiding students in making choices that lead to quality learning.
Student Engagement Improves
Student Engagement Improves
69% Report Moderate to Full Engagement in their Lesson Design
Key principles of Choice Theory in education include:
- All behavior is chosen: Students are not passive recipients but active agents in their learning journey.
- Focus on present behavior: Rather than dwelling on past mistakes, the classroom environment encourages students to focus on what they can do now to succeed.
- Internal control: Students are taught to take responsibility for their actions and learning.
- The importance of relationships: A positive teacher-student relationship is seen as the foundation of effective learning.
Students Are More Invested
Students Are More Invested
84% Report Moderate to Full Investment in Completing their Product
The Quality School Concept
In The Quality School, Glasser envisions a learning environment where students are motivated not by grades or fear of failure, but by a commitment to producing quality work that they find personally meaningful. The Quality School operates under the assumption that when students feel a sense of connection, autonomy, and competence, they naturally engage in deep learning.
Three key criteria define a Quality School:
1. All students are capable of quality work.
2. No coercion is used in the classroom.
3. Students and staff are in alignment, working cooperatively toward mutually agreed-upon goals.
Applying Glasser's Theories: A Case Study in Student Choice
The action research project titled "Choice Theory in Lesson Development" applied Glasser’s principles by allowing students to select the academic standards they wished to master, choose a product type that matched their interests and learning style, and use AI tools like Gemini to design personalized learning plans. Rubrics were provided to ensure quality, but the path toward that quality was determined by the student.
This method reflects Glasser’s insistence on internal control and freedom within structure. By empowering students to choose their learning objectives, mode of expression, and technological tools, the classroom became a model of a Quality School in action. The result was a measurable increase in student participation, investment, and the perceived relevance of schoolwork.
Conclusion
William Glasser’s Choice Theory and Quality School model offer a revolutionary framework for reimagining education. By aligning instruction with students’ intrinsic motivations and granting them agency in the learning process, educators can cultivate not just compliance, but curiosity, creativity, and quality. The action research project described herein illustrates that these principles are not only theoretically sound but practically effective.
Glasser’s legacy challenges us to build schools where learning is a joyful, self-directed pursuit—a choice rather than a chore.
Next Steps - Design applications that will allow the student to take full control over their learning.
Solution - Become a Lifelong Learner
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