Assessment of the Academic Motivation Level of Freshmen Education Students
Joshua B. Casinillo
Discipline: Education
Abstract:
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.
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