How do ninth-graders perceive their involvement in the most meaningful episodes of their school career?

This study explored students’ perceived involvement in school. The data were collected from six schools around Finland. The participants were ninth graders (n 518) who were asked to take a retrospective look at their nine-year school career by completing an open-ended survey. Data were analyzed by using abductive content analysis. According to the results, the students viewed their involvement in school internally regulated and autonomous in over half of the cases (51%, f 637) but students reported almost equally involvement, which was externally regulated and pressured (49%, f 614). Most of the described episodes concerned involvement in school's academic and social processes. Involvement in co-curricular activities was almost exclusively internally regulated, as described by ninth graders.

► Students involvement in school is viewed as internally or externally regulated. ► The involvement is academic, social and co-curricular. ► Internally regulated involvement seems possible, when psychological needs are met. ► The quality of student involvement may differ between school contexts.