The continuity of college students’ autonomous learning motivation and its predictors: A three-year longitudinal study

This study examined change in Chinese students’ autonomous learning motivation in the first three years of college and how this change is accounted for by intra- and inter-individual variables. The sample included 633 (328 female) college freshmen. Results showed that students’ autonomous learning motivation decreased over years in college. Students’ perceived parental autonomy support and peer relatedness demonstrated different change patterns over time, but each variable positively predicted students’ autonomous learning motivation. Students majoring in science showed a more rapid decline in motivation than liberal arts students. Students studying a major of their own choice showed a higher initial level of motivation than students who were studying a major not of their own choice, but no group difference in the declining trend of motivation was observed. The positive effects of students' perceived institutional support on motivation were limited to the freshmen year.     

Examining relationships between academic motivation and personality among college students

Relationships between personality and academic motivation were examined using 451 first-year college students. Multiple regressions compared three types of intrinsic motivation, three types of extrinsic motivation and amotivation to five personality factors. Results indicated that those who were intrinsically motivated to attend college tended to be extroverted, agreeable, conscientious, and open to new experiences; although these trends varied depending on the specific type of intrinsic motivation. Those who were extrinsically motivated tended to be extroverted, agreeable, conscientious, and neurotic; depending on the type of extrinsic motivation. Those who lacked motivation tended to be disagreeable and careless. These results suggest that students with different personality characteristics have different reasons for pursuing college degrees and different academic priorities.     

A self-determination theory approach to predicting school achievement over time: the unique role of intrinsic motivation

Although many studies have examined the relation of academic motivation to school achievement using the Self-Determination Theory perspective, the results have been inconsistent. The present investigation represents the first systematic attempt to use a meta-analysis and controlled, longitudinal studies to examine the relations of specific types of motivation to overall academic achievement. The meta-analysis (Study 1) pointed toward a potentially important role of intrinsic motivation in predicting school achievement. Three empirical studies of high school and college students in Canada (Studies 2 and 3) and in Sweden (Study 4) showed that intrinsic motivation was the only motivation type to be consistently positively associated with academic achievement over a one-year period, controlling for baseline achievement. Amotivation was significantly associated with lower academic achievement in Studies 3 and 4. Interestingly, intrinsic motivation was also associated with reduced amotivation in two of our studies and it was reciprocally associated with higher school achievement in another study. Overall, our findings highlight the unique importance of intrinsic motivation for the future academic success of high school and college students.     

The assessment of intrinsic and extrinsic motivation and amotivation: Validity and reliability of the Greek version of the Academic Motivation Scale

Self‐determination theory provides an integrated conception of school‐ and academic motivation. The theory proposes a continuum comprising three types of motivation: intrinsic motivation (IM), extrinsic motivation (EM), and amotivation (AM), characterised by seven dimensions (IM = to know, to accomplish and to experience stimulation, EM = external regulation, introjection and identification, and Amotivation). The purpose of the present study was to examine the psychometric properties of the Academic Motivation Scale (AMS) with Greek high school students. Two studies were conducted to examine the factorial, construct, concurrent and predictive validity of the scale along with its reliability properties. Confirmatory factor analyses supported the proposed seven‐factor structure. The scale showed satisfactory levels of internal consistency and temporal stability. Additionally, indices of the scale’s construct, concurrent, and predictive validity were in the desired direction. These findings support the use of the Greek version of the AMS for the assessment of intrinsic motivation, extrinsic motivation, and amotivation.     

What motivates early adolescents for school? A longitudinal analysis of associations between observed teaching and motivation

For many early adolescent students, motivation for school declines after their transition to secondary education. Increasingly, the decisive importance of teachers in shaping early adolescents' motivation is stressed; thus far, however, both longitudinal and observational studies on this topic have been scarce. The present study investigated how early adolescents' interactions with their maths teachers were associated with the development of their motivation for maths. In line with self-determination theory, videotaped teacher–student interactions were coded in terms of their being supportive or thwarting of the three fundamental human needs for autonomy, competence, and relatedness, i.e. in terms of their providing autonomy support, structure, and involvement. To assess need-supportive teaching, at four measurement time-points equally spread over the first year of secondary education, video analysis was conducted of, in total, 137 complete maths lessons in 20 maths classes (40% female teachers). To assess developments in motivation at each of the four measurement time-points, questionnaires were distributed to the 489 students (aged 12–13; 49.9% girls) in the 20 maths classes. Multilevel analysis did not indicate associations of autonomy-supportive teaching with any of the four motivational constructs incorporated in the study (autonomous motivation, controlled motivation, amotivation, and performance avoidance). For structure, associations in expected directions were found with autonomous motivation (positive) and amotivation (negative), but not with the other two motivational constructs. For teacher involvement, associations in the expected direction were found with all four motivational constructs. The findings are discussed in terms of their implications for research and educational practice.     

Materialism does not pay: Materialistic students have lower motivation,engagement, and achievement

The aim of this study was to examine how materialism, or the focus on acquiring money and material possessions, is associated with students’ academic engagement and achievement via their motivational regulation (amotivation, controlled motivation, and autonomous motivation). Study 1 (n = 606 secondary students) was a cross-sectional study which found that materialism was negatively associated with engagement. This association was partially mediated by amotivation. Study 2 (n = 404 secondary students) was a longitudinal study which found that Time 1 materialism was negatively associated with Time 2 engagement and Time 3 academic achievement via amotivation. Results of the two studies provide converging lines of evidence that materialism is negatively associated with key indicators of learning. Students with high levels of materialism have lower levels of engagement and achievement, and these associations are partially mediated by amotivation. Theoretical and practical implications are discussed.     

Immigrant background and gender differences in primary students' motivations toward studying

In the study, based on a representative sample of 26,670 Italian fifth-grade students, the authors examine the academic motivational profiles of immigrant and native students, as well as of boys and girls. To reliably estimate mean differences, the measurement invariance of a short version of the Academic Self-Regulation Questionnaire was first established across the groups. Boys reported less autonomous motives for studying than girls while first-generation immigrant pupils showed higher levels of intrinsic motivation, identified regulation, and external regulation for studying than natives did. Also, second-generation immigrants had higher levels of academic motivation than natives did, although they were less motivated and reported less autonomous reasons for studying than first generations. While confirming the immigrant paradox in a country with a rapidly increasing level of immigrant students, findings show that second-generation immigrants not only report a lower quantity of motivation than first-generations, but also appear to have a different quality of motivation.     

A person-centered investigation of academic motivation and its correlates in high school

This study used a person-centered approach to identify naturally occurring combinations of intrinsic motivation and controlled forms of extrinsic motivation (i.e., introjected and external regulation) and their correlates in an academic context. 1061 high school students completed measures of academic motivation, performance, and school-related correlates. Cluster analysis revealed four motivational profiles characterized by comparably high levels of all types of motivation (high quantity), high intrinsic motivation relative to introjected and external regulation (good quality), low intrinsic motivation and introjected regulation relative to external regulation (poor quality), and very low intrinsic motivation and introjected regulation relative to external regulation (low quantity with poor quality). Students in the high quantity and good quality profiles reported the strongest academic performance and greatest overall extracurricular participation, with students in different motivational profiles likely to participate in different types of activities. Students in the high quantity profile, moreover, perceived the most teacher support and school relatedness. These findings suggest that controlled forms of extrinsic motivation may not be associated with maladaptive outcomes at the high school level when coupled with high levels of intrinsic motivation.     

Role of the Big Five personality traits in predicting college students' academic motivation and achievement

College students (308 undergraduates) completed the Five Factor Inventory and the Academic Motivations Scale, and reported their college grade point average (GPA). A correlation analysis revealed an interesting pattern of significant relationships. Further, regression analyses indicated that conscientiousness and openness explained 17% of the variance in intrinsic motivation; conscientiousness and extraversion explained 13% of the variance in extrinsic motivation; and conscientiousness and agreeableness explained 11% of the variance in amotivation. Further, four personality traits (conscientiousness, openness, neuroticism, and agreeableness) explained 14% of the variance in GPA; and intrinsic motivation to accomplish things explained 5% of the variance in GPA. Finally, conscientiousness emerged as a partial mediator of the relationship between intrinsic motivation to accomplish and GPA. These results are interpreted within the context of what educators could do to encourage and nurture student motivation and achievement.     

Profiles of Intrinsic and Extrinsic Motivations in Elementary School: A Longitudinal Analysis

The authors used a person-centered, longitudinal approach to identify and evaluate naturally occurring combinations of intrinsic and extrinsic motivations among 490 third- through fifth-grade students. Cluster analysis revealed 3 groups, characterized by high levels of both motivations (high quantity): high intrinsic motivation but low extrinsic motivation (primarily intrinsic) and low intrinsic motivation but high extrinsic motivation (primarily extrinsic). Analyses of stability and change in cluster membership indicated that the primarily intrinsic cluster was most stable (76% stability) and the high-quantity cluster most precarious (45% stability) over the course of an academic year. Students in the primarily intrinsic cluster outperformed their peers in the other 2 clusters and showed the greatest increase in achievement over time.     

University students’ use of motivational regulation during one semester

This study examined the interplay between university students' trajectories of motivational regulation and autonomous motivation across one semester, exploring both between and within person components. Participants (N = 193) from one large class reported motivation in two-week intervals over the course of one semester. Bivariate latent curve models with structured residuals revealed rates of change in motivational regulation and autonomous motivation were not linear, declining across the first ten weeks of the semester then bouncing back in the final month. Between-person effects of individual change demonstrated mirroring relationships of latent intercepts and slopes across the semester. Within-person findings revealed that autonomous motivation was a negative predictor of future motivation regulation. Students' grade point average only predicted students’ beginning level of motivational regulation. It appears that students with higher states of autonomous motivation view motivation regulation as unnecessary or even a potential threat to their learning pleasure and satisfaction.     

Effects of Academic Motivation on School Burnout in Turkish College Students

School burnout refers to psychological reactions to academic stress and loads and has been identified as a risk factor contributing to academic failure and subsequent mental health challenges. However, academic motivation, hope, and meaning in life can be potential combating factors against school burnout. This study aimed to examine the effects of academic motivation on school burnout in college students and explore mediator roles of hope and meaning in life. A path analysis was performed with the data collected from 544 Turkish college students to test the direct and indirect effects. The results showed that the direct effects from the three academic motivation variables to school burnout variables were larger than the indirect effects. Both mediators played roles in the relations between amotivation and efficacy and intrinsic motivation and efficacy. The last finding was that hope played more significant mediator roles than meaning in life. The results were discussed, along with implications for faculty, college counselors, and future studies.

     

Applying self-determination theory to understand the motivation for becoming a physical education teacher

This study explored the reasons people choose physical education teaching as a profession and investigated the relationship of these choices with motivation. Physical education pre-service teachers (n = 324) completed the Academic Motivation Scale (AMS) and a measure of reasons for choosing physical education teaching. Confident interpersonal service reasons were linked with intrinsic motivation; whereas sport and physical activity reasons were related to extrinsic motivation. Enrolling because teaching seemed easy was linked with amotivation. Motivation was similar for different course entry methods, however, females were more intrinsically motivated than males and third year students were lower in motivation than other year levels.     

Identification with academics,intrinsic/extrinsic motivation,and self-efficacy as predictors of cognitive engagement

Examined were several theoretically important relations among motivational characteristics of students that are malleable, or changeable with intervention. The motivational construct identification with academics, which includes perceptions of belonging and valuing within an academic context, was investigated along with intrinsic/extrinsic motivation, and self-efficacy as a predictors of cognitive engagement with 191 college students. Consistent with theoretical predictions, intercorrelations among measures of identification with academics, self-efficacy, and intrinsic motivation were all positive, as were the correlations of those three variables with meaningful cognitive engagement. Those three variables were also negatively correlated with a measure of amotivation and not related to a measure of extrinsic motivation. Path analysis demonstrated that self-efficacy, intrinsic motivation, and academic identification each contributed uniquely to the prediction of meaningful cognitive engagement. Only extrinsic motivation predicted shallow cognitive engagement.     

School motivation: A comparison between Kenya and Italy

The authors compare school motivation in Kenya and Italy, two countries that differ in terms of socioeconomic conditions, structure of the school system, and access to education. Free primary education is indeed a recent attainment for Kenyan students. The participants, 449 Kenyan and 480 Italian students, 9–14 years old and attending Grades 4–8, were asked to complete a questionnaire about learning motivation. A factor analysis revealed that school motivation can be described by five dimensions in both contexts: intrinsic motivation, extrinsic motivation, academic self-concept, causal attribution, and amotivation. Differences between countries and lower (Grades 4–5) and higher (Grades 6–8) grades emerged: intrinsic motivation, extrinsic motivation, and academic self-concept were found to be higher in Kenyan than in Italian students, whereas amotivation was lower. Moreover, only Italian students showed less intrinsic motivation and more amotivation in higher grades than in the lower ones.     

浅谈激发大学生内在动机的英语自主学习能力的培养

自主学习能力是当代大学生应具备的基本能力,调动大学生内在动机,培养和增强学生英语自主学习能力是新版《大学英语课程教学要求》提出的大学英语教学改革的方向。本文论述了自我决定动机理论和自主学习的关系,并提出了通过激发大学生内在动机培养英语自主学习能力的策略。     

Connecting teacher and student motivation: Student-perceived teacher need-supportive practices and student need satisfaction

According to Self-Determination Theory (SDT), teacher motivation affects student motivation indirectly via teaching practices that support the satisfaction of students’ basic psychological needs, but studies have not shown evidence of this entire sequence. We tested the complete model: teacher motivation (autonomous, controlled, and amotivation) → perceived need-supportive practices (autonomy support, structure, and involvement) → student need satisfaction (autonomy, competence, and relatedness) → student motivation (autonomous, controlled, and amotivation) → student academic achievement. South Korean 5th and 6th graders (N = 697) and their 35 teachers participated in this study. A multi-level structural equation model showed evidence supporting: 1) a positive link between teacher and student autonomous motivation, and, 2) its mediation by student perceived need-supportive practices and student autonomy and competence. We discussed further conceptual and empirical consideration with the results..     

自主学习环境下的学习动机研究

学习动机分为内在动机和外在动机,内在动机是自主学习能力培养的决定性因素。调查发现,在使用自主学习中心学习外语过程中,学习者的外在动机占主导地位,而内在动机严重不足。因此,进行自主学习培训,应提供网络学习资源和服务的详细信息,开展学习能力培养竞赛,展示成功范例,推进教师发展。     

College English Students' Autonomous Learning Motivation and Cultivation Model Research

Studying the autonomous learning motivation and excitation model can stimulate intrinsic motivation of foreign language learners,develop students self-management strategy evaluation are very necessary.The purpose of this paper is to give students the skills of listening and speaking for their autonomous learning.Then study the cultivation and motivation of college English students autonomous learning,hoping to make students to learn autonomous learning and stimulate their motivation fully.     

Do creativity self-beliefs predict literacy achievement and motivation?

Previous work has suggested that creativity self-beliefs show only small relations with academic achievement and may only be related to intrinsic, not extrinsic motivation. We set out to re-examine these relationships accounting for the multifaceted and process embedded nature of creativity self-beliefs and the full domain range of extrinsic motivation. One hundred and twenty-two secondary school pupils completed self-report measures of creativity self-beliefs and motivation and were administered as test of fluid intelligence. Creativity self-beliefs were positively related to teacher assessed literacy attainment, intrinsic and extrinsic motivation, and also inversely related to amotivation. Creativity self-beliefs accounted for a significant additional proportion of variance in both literacy achievement and in motivational measures, beyond that already accounted for by fluid intelligence. These findings suggest that it is important to attend to the multifaceted nature of creative self-beliefs and the full domain range of extrinsic motivation.