ABSTRACT
Empowered learners are students who are intrinsically motivated to learn and are “willing and capable to engage in work (learning)” (Frymier, Schulman, & Houser, 1996, p. 184). The concept is adapted from Block’s (1987) initial work on manager-employee relationships in which communication is viewed as the means through which employees are motivated to engage in tasks beneficial to the organization. Thomas and Velthouse (1990) conceptualized empowerment in corporations as consisting of meaningfulness, competence, impact, and choice. Meaningful work consists of tasks that are seen to be beneficial presently or in the future. Competence means that the individual believes that he or she is able to perform the tasks necessary to achieve personal goals. Impact refers to a feeling that the tasks accomplished will make a difference in the long run. And choice refers to a sense that the individual, rather than someone else, can determine the means or methods of task accomplishment. Frymier et al.’s (1996) study served as a framework for the development of the Learner Empowerment measure for use in educational contexts.
