The self-determination theory, in my opinion is a very empowering theory, once understood. The idea of autonomy, competence, and relatedness, and the relation to a better state of being, is incredible. I believe it ties the ability of self control, the ability to align your goals to your current situation, and the concept of being related, or connected. The article by Ryan and Deci, really delve into the subcomponents of SDT much more in detail. I use this article to really focus on the theory and its impact on my experiences with academics. The focus on autonomy and motivation for me academically is really key, and in that sense I satisfy it by being able to fulfill my education online, where my own motivation is what keeps me on time with assignments, and knowing that if I want to succeed, I must stay on top of it all, and manage my time well, if not I will fail, and my end goal is hindered. Competence is an important psychological aspect in the SDT. Competence is a subtract of conscientiousness, and that plays a role in regards to actual comprehension of the subjects at hand, as well as being aware of the overall course load. I attain a certain level of competence by taking high level overviews before actually tackling a chapter, or assignment, and then I attempt a level of mastery. Lastly, I think relatedness is a big hurdle for a lot of people, especially when it comes to online learning. From my experience thus far, I think engaging in things like blogs and discussion boards help alleviate this problem.

Overall there is an important connection between autonomy, competence, and relatedness when it comes to the self-determination theory. I believe when it comes to school, you truly lose the ability to succeed on your own and the motivation that comes with that, if you lack one of those three components.