Harts Ladder
These bottom three rungs of the ladder—Manipulation, Decoration, and Tokenism—represent this category of youth involvement where genuine participation does not occur.
What is Non-Participation?
Clue: According to SDT, optimal human functioning and psychological growth depend on satisfying three basic psychological needs: Competence, Relatedness, and this third need for self-governance and choice.
Answer: What is Autonomy?
Clue: In Dana Mitra's framework, the "A" stands for this concept—the capacity of young people to act independently, make choices, and exert power over their own learning and environment.
Answer: What is Agency?
Answer: What is Agency?
Clue: At this lowest tier of engagement, students exhibit low interest and minimal investment, manifesting as passive withdrawal, refusal to complete work, or disruptive behaviors.
Answer: What is Resistance (or Disengagement)?
Clue: First published in 1992 for UNICEF, this 8-rung metaphorical framework categorizes youth involvement, dividing the bottom three rungs (Non-Participation) from the top five rungs (True Participation).
Answer: What is Hart's Ladder of Youth Participation?
This rung occurs when adults dress children in matching T-shirts or have them sing at an event to bolster a cause, without the youth understanding or planning the effort.
What is Decoration?
Clue: Unlike extrinsic motivation driven by external rewards or punishments, this type of motivation occurs when a person engages in an activity purely for its inherent satisfaction and enjoyment.
Answer: What is Intrinsic Motivation?
Clue: In Dana Mitra’s student voice framework, the acronym "ABC" stands for these three core developmental needs that must be met to foster student engagement.
Answer: What are Agency, Belonging, and Competence?
Clue: Moving into active involvement, this level occurs when students share their perspectives, contribute ideas, and actively participate in shaping their classroom learning environment.
Answer: What is Participation and Voice?
Clue: Developed by Edward Deci and Richard Ryan, this psychological framework posits that human motivation operates along a continuum ranging from amotivation to intrinsic motivation, driven by three basic psychological needs.
Answer: What is Self-Determination Theory?
This rung is the lowest rung considered true participation, where youth are assigned roles by adults but fully understand the project’s purpose and volunteer willingly.
What is Assigned but Informed?
Clue: On the SDT motivation continuum, this form of extrinsic motivation occurs when behavior is driven by internal pressures like guilt, ego involvement, or seeking approval from others.
Answer: What is Introjected Regulation (or Introjection)?
DAILY DOUBLE!!!!!
How much would you like to bet?
Which student won a horchata chugging contest during a Fresno State Football Game this semester?
Clue: Representing the highest level of student engagement, this tier features students and educators co-creating curriculum, sharing decision-making authority, and co-leading school initiatives.
Answer: What is Leadership and Youth-Adult Partnership?
Clue: This 3-part framework demonstrates how student voice initiatives boost engagement by fulfilling students' developmental needs for Agency, Belonging, and Competence.
Answer: What is Dana Mitra's ABC Model (or Youth Development Framework)?
On this rung adults initiate the project idea, but this key management authority is shared equally with young people throughout planning and execution.
What is Decision-Making (or Decision-Making Power)?
Clue: Standing at the far left end of the self-determination continuum, this state describes a complete lack of intention or motivation to act, often resulting from feeling incompetent or valuing an activity zero percent.
Answer: What is Amotivation?
Clue: At the foundational level of Mitra’s Pyramid of Student Voice, adults seek out student perspectives and gather their input, though adults retain full control over decisions.
Answer: What is Being Heard (or Listening to Students)?
Clue: Transitioning a classroom from Level 2 (Compliance) to Levels 3 and 4 requires educators to shift away from traditional teacher-led control and toward sharing this key element with students.
Answer: What is Authority (or Decision-Making Power / Ownership)?
Clue: This 2012 framework outlines a 4-level continuum of student activity, progressing from Resistance/Disengagement to Compliance, Participation & Voice, and ultimately Leadership & Youth-Adult Partnership.
Answer: What is the Spectrum of Student Voice (or Toshalis & Nakkula's Spectrum)?
Clue: This rung represents the highest level of participation, projects are conceived by young people who then invite adults to join in this capacity.
Answer: What is Shared Decision-Making (or Youth-Initiated, Shared Decisions with Adults)?
Clue: This highly autonomous form of extrinsic motivation occurs when a person consciously values a goal or regulation, accepting it as personally important—such as a student studying statistics because they realize it will help them become a better researcher.
Answer: What is Identified Regulation (or Identification)?
Clue: Occupying the highest level of Dana Mitra's Pyramid of Student Voice, this top tier occurs when young people take full ownership to initiate change and share authority with adults in leading school reform.
Answer: What is Building Leadership (or Student Leadership)?
Clue: These two researchers co-authored the influential 2012 paper "Motivation, Engagement, and Student Voice" for Jobs for the Future, defining student voice as a spectrum extending from basic expression to student activism.
Answer: Who are Eric Toshalis and Michael Nakkula?
Clue: Across Hart’s Ladder, SDT, Mitra’s ABCs, and Toshalis & Nakkula’s Spectrum, shifting students from lower to higher levels consistently requires adults to relinquish this key element in favor of shared decision-making.
Answer: What is Control (or Authority / Power / Unilateral Decision-Making)?