Assessment of the Academic Motivation Level of Freshmen Education Students
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.69569/jip.2025.538Keywords:
Academic motivation, Motivation level, With support, ScholarshipAbstract
Academic motivation plays an essential role in any educational setting. Analysis of students' motivation may impact students’ academic success. At VSU-Isabel, it is observed that some students have poor academic achievement, a few intend to drop out, and absenteeism is also noted. These are the severe outcomes resulting from a lack of motivation. This study employed a descriptive research design to examine the academic motivation levels of 154 university students grouped by academic program, sex, age, and scholarship status. A standardized academic motivation scale consisting of 28 items, with four items per subscale, was assessed on a 7-point scale. Results showed that BPEd students demonstrated better motivation than students in other courses. Females were more motivated than men, and students aged 20 years and above were more motivated compared to younger students. Additionally, students without scholarships showed higher motivation. It is concluded that there are no differences in the level of academic motivation across all variables involved, indicating that students have the same level of academic motivation. Theoretically, the findings reinforce the tenets of Self-Determination Theory, suggesting that autonomy and internal drivers influence motivations. Practically, the results imply the need for educational institutions to design personalized pedagogies and develop multiple instructional activities or interventions that help improve the level of academic motivation, supporting the autonomy, competence, and relatedness of these students until they successfully graduate.
Downloads
References
Argaw, A. S., Haile, B. B., Ayalew, B. T., & Kuma, S. G. (2017). The effect of problem-based learning (PBL) instruction on students’ motivation and problem-solving skills in physics. Eurasia Journal of Mathematics, Science and Technology Education, 13(3), 857–871. https://doi.org/10.12973/eurasia.2017.00647a
Artino, A. R. (2008). Motivational beliefs and perceptions of instructional quality: Predicting satisfaction with online training. Journal of Computer Assisted Learning, 24(3), 260–270. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1365-2729.2007.00258.x
Asimaki, A., & Vergidis, D. K. (2013). Detecting the gender dimension of the choice of the teaching profession prior to the economic crisis and IMF (International Monetary Fund) memorandum in Greece–A case study. International Education Studies, 6(4), 140–153. https://doi.org/10.5539/ies.v6n4p140
Bakar, R. (2014). The effect of learning motivation on students’ productive competencies in vocational high school, West Sumatra. International Journal of Asian Social Science, 4(6), 2226–5139. http://www.aessweb.com/journals/5007
Brewer, E. W., & Burgess, D. N. (2005). Professor’s role in motivating students to attend class. Journal of Industrial Teacher Education, 42(23), 23–47. https://tinyurl.com/y43uubnu
Can, G. (2015). Turkish version of the Academic Motivation Scale. Psychological Reports, 116(2), 388–408. https://doi.org/10.2466/14.08.PR0.116k24w5
Carvalho, R. G. G. (2016). Gender differences in academic achievement: The mediating role of personality. Personality and Individual Differences, 94, 54–58. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.paid.2016.01.011
Cheng, P. H., Yang, Y. T. C., Chang, S. H. G., & Kuo, F. R. R. (2016). 5E mobile inquiry learning approach for enhancing learning motivation and scientific inquiry ability of university students. IEEE Transactions on Education, 59(2), 147–153. https://doi.org/10.1109/TE.2015.2467352
Chiang, C. L., & Lee, H. (2016). The effect of project-based learning on learning motivation and problem-solving ability of vocational high school students. International Journal of Information and Education Technology, 6(9), 709–712. https://doi.org/10.7763/ijiet.2016.v6.779
Cokley, K. O., Bernard, N., Cunningham, D., & Motoike, J. (2001). A psychometric investigation of the Academic Motivation Scale using a United States sample. Measurement and Evaluation in Counseling and Development, 34(2), 109–119. https://doi.org/10.1080/07481756.2001.12069027
Cudney, E. A., & Ezzell, J. M. (2017). Evaluating the impact of teaching methods on student motivation. Journal of STEM Education, 18(1), 32–49. https://tinyurl.com/yw9edf53
Duckworth, A. L., Shulman, E. P., Mastronarde, A. J., Patrick, S. D., Zhang, J., & Druckman, J. (2015). Self-control rather than motivation explains the female advantage in report card grades. Learning and Individual Differences, 39, 13–23. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.lindif.2015.02.006
Fairchild, A. J., Horst, S. J., Finney, S. J., & Barron, K. E. (2005). Evaluating existing and new validity evidence for the Academic Motivation Scale. Contemporary Educational Psychology, 30(3), 331–358. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cedpsych.2004.11.001
Filgona, J., Sakiyo, J., Gwany, D. M., & Okoronka, A. U. (2020). Motivation in learning. Asian Journal of Education and Social Studies (September), 16–37. https://doi.org/10.9734/ajess/2020/v10i430273
Howard, J. L., Bureau, J., Guay, F., Chong, J. X. Y., & Ryan, R. M. (2021). Student motivation and associated outcomes: A meta-analysis from Self-Determination Theory. Perspectives on Psychological Science, 16(6), 1300–1323. https://doi.org/10.1177/1745691620966789
Hu, H., & Luo, H. (2021). Academic motivation among senior students majoring in rehabilitation-related professions in China. BMC Medical Education, 21(1), 1–9. https://doi.org/10.1186/s12909-021-03016-9
Hulleman, C. S., Barron, K. E., Kosovich, J. J., & Lazowski, R. A. (2016). Student motivation: Current theories, constructs, and interventions within an expectancy-value framework. In A. A. Lipnevich, F. Preckel, & R. D. Roberts (Eds.), Psychosocial Skills and School Systems in the 21st Century (pp. 241–278). Springer International Publishing. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-28606-8_10
Iglesias Benavides, J. L., Blum Valenzuela, E., López Tovar, A. V., Espinosa Galindo, A. M., & Rivas Estilla, A. M. (2016). The College Adjustment Scales (CAS) test and recent students’ school performance upon entry into a medical school. Medicina Universitaria, 18(73), 201–204. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.rmu.2016.10.005
Khan, M., & Chong Ewe, L. (2015). Impact of motivation on student’s academic performance: A case study of Metharath University (MRU) students. https://doi.org/10.21203/rs.3.rs-4148198/v1
LaBrie, J. W., Ehret, P. J., Hummer, J. F., & Prenovost, K. (2012). Poor adjustment to college life mediates the relationship between drinking motives and alcohol consequences: A look at college adjustment, drinking motives, and drinking outcomes. Addictive Behaviors, 37(4), 379–386. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.addbeh.2011.11.018
Larsen, D. M., & Puck, M. R. (2020). Developing a validated test to measure students’ progression in mathematical reasoning in primary school. International Journal on Social and Education Sciences, 2(1), 20–33. https://tinyurl.com/mvew9a5y
Mamolo, L. A. (2019). Development of digital interactive math comics (DIMaC) for senior high school students in general mathematics. Cogent Education, 6(1), 1–13. https://doi.org/10.1080/2331186X.2019.1689639
Mamolo, L. A. (2022). Online learning and students’ mathematics motivation, self-efficacy, and anxiety in the “new normal.” Education Research International, 2022, 1–10. https://doi.org/10.1155/2022/9439634
Marumo, P., Joseph, C. H., & Anikelechi, I. G. (2019). Academic motivation of school-going adolescents: Gender and age difference. Gender and Behaviour, 17(1). https://journals.co.za/doi/abs/10.10520/EJC-15d528d74f
McCombes, S. (2022). Descriptive research | Definition, types, methods & examples. Scribbr. Retrieved from https://tinyurl.com/bdeyncab
Momanyi, J. M., Too, J., & Simiyu, C. (2015). Effect of students’ age on academic motivation and academic performance among high school students in Kenya. Asian Journal of Education and E-Learning, 3(5), 2321–2454. www.ajouronline.com
Otanes, M. E. M., Bangalan, S. G., Escalona, A. M., & Sibug, N. L. (2022). College motivation, self-efficacy, and college adjustment of freshmen college students. International Journal of Health Sciences, 6(6), 817–825. https://doi.org/10.53730/ijhs.v6ns6.9675
Oweis, T. I. (2018). Effects of using a blended learning method on students’ achievement and motivation to learn English in Jordan: A pilot case study. Education Research International, 2018. https://doi.org/10.1155/2018/7425924
Reeve, J. (2016). A grand theory of motivation: Why not? Motivation and Emotion, 40(1), 31–35. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11031-015-9538-2
Roksa, J., & Whitley, S. E. (2017). Fostering academic success of first-year students: Exploring the roles of motivation, race, and faculty. Journal of College Student Development, 58(3), 333–348. https://doi.org/10.1353/csd.2017.0026
Ryan, R. M., & Deci, E. L. (2020). Intrinsic and extrinsic motivation from a Self-Determination Theory perspective: Definitions, theory, practices, and future directions. Contemporary Educational Psychology, 61. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cedpsych.2020.101860
Seth, C. M., Tackett, C. M., McDaniel, J., & Nelson, K. (2023). Academic motivation in college students: A comparison of majors. Multidisciplinary Psychology: A Journal of Collaboration, 3(1). https://repository.ulm.edu/mp-ajc/vol3/iss1/2
Sugano, S. G. C., & Mamolo, L. A. (2021). The effects of teaching methodologies on students’ attitude and motivation: A meta-analysis. International Journal of Instruction, 14(3), 827–846. https://doi.org/10.29333/iji.2021.14348a
Vakilimofrad, H., Ahmadian, M., Masoumi, L., & Halaj, M. M. (2021). Factors affecting academic motivation of medical library and information science students: A case study of Hamadan University of Medical Sciences, Iran. Library Philosophy and Practice, 2021, 1–18. https://tinyurl.com/mp2t5dpd
Vallerand, R. J., Pelletier, L. G., Blais, M. R., Brière, N. M., Sénécal, C., Et Vallières, E. F. (1992). The Academic Motivation Scale: A measure of intrinsic, extrinsic, and amotivation in education. Educational and Psychological Measurement, 52(4), 1003–1017. https://doi.org/10.1177/0013164492052004025
Vanslambrouck, S., Zhu, C., Lombaerts, K., Philipsen, B., & Tondeur, J. (2018). Students’ motivation and subjective task value of participating in online and blended learning environments. Internet and Higher Education, 36, 33–40. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.iheduc.2017.09.002
Vijayamohan, P. (2021). Descriptive research 101: Definition, methods and examples. Survey Sparrow. Retrieved from https://tinyurl.com/yeakrh6w
Widjaja, A. E., & Chen, J. V. (2017). Online learners’ motivation in online learning: The effect of online participation, social presence, and collaboration. Learning Technologies in Education: Issues and Trends (December), 72–93. https://tinyurl.com/3bam5du9
Yi-Yin, L. (2011). Older adults’ motivation to learn in higher education. New Prairie Press. https://newprairiepress.org/aerc
Zhang, B., Li, Y. M., Li, J., Li, Y., & Zhang, H. (2016). The revision and validation of the Academic Motivation Scale in China. Journal of Psychoeducational Assessment, 34(1), 15–27. https://doi.org/10.1177/0734282915575909
Downloads
Published
How to Cite
Issue
Section
License
Copyright (c) 2025 Journal of Interdisciplinary Perspectives
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International License.
