Trajectories of motivation and their academic correlates over the first year of college

Examining Motivation of First-Year Undergraduate Anatomy Students Through the Lens of Universal Design for Learning (UDL): A Single Institution Study

Motivation is critical for meaningful learning among healthcare students studying anatomy. Learners are highly variable, and it is important to ensure learners are equally supported in the diverse aspects of an anatomy curriculum. The implementation of the educational framework, Universal Design for Learning (UDL), in anatomy curricula could potentially enhance student motivation. The multiple means of engagement principle of UDL refers to the enhancement of motivation among students. This study aimed to identify healthcare students' motivation levels at the start and end of their anatomy module and whether there was any change in motivation. The Motivated Strategies for Learning Questionnaire (MSLQ) was distributed to gather the self-reported motivation levels of first-year undergraduate medical, dental and occupational therapy (OT) and speech and language therapy (SLT) students studying anatomy at the start of their respective anatomy modules and again at the end of the module. The overall response rate was 74% and 69%, at the start and end of the study, respectively. Responses were analysed by the respective programme of study. Motivation to study anatomy among medical, dental, OT and SLT students ranged from medium to high on the MSLQ at the start of their respective anatomy modules. By the end of the anatomy modules, dental students reported high levels of motivation to study anatomy, whereas motivation among medical, OT and SLT students ranged from medium to high. A change in students' self-reported motivation levels while studying anatomy was identified. The study emphasises the benefits of UDL and its flexible nature to enhance motivation.

Emotion regulation, academic buoyancy, and academic adjustment of university students within a self-determination theory framework: A systematic review

INTRODUCTION

The transition from secondary to tertiary education seems to be a stressful period for many students since they need to adjust to the new academic environment.

METHOD

This article is a systematic review of 4,285 articles. The aim of this review was to investigate the factors in the university environment associated with emotion regulation, academic buoyancy, and academic adjustment of tertiary students within a self-determination theory framework in combination with the nascent third wave of Positive Psychology. Forty-one articles met the inclusion criteria, all of which were rated as either good or moderate quality.

RESULTS

The bulk of the studies included in the systematic review reported individual factors, i.e., self-efficacy, intrinsic motivation, academic factors, i.e., intention to drop out, learning climate, and family and social factors i.e., faculty, peer, and parental autonomy support.

DISCUSSION

In accordance with the third wave of Positive Psychology that focuses on how interpersonal and ecological factors create nurturing environments and positive institutions, the systematic review highlighted the factors that institutes should consider in order to help students adjust better to the academic environment.

Motivational mindsets, mindset churn and academic performance: The role of a goal-setting intervention and purpose in life

The motivational mindset model (MMM) is a new student-centered, multidimensional perspective on motivation in higher education and aims to better explain differences in wellbeing, study success and intervention effectiveness. The four types of mindsets within the model (high-impact, low-impact, social-impact, and self-impact) have proven to differ in two important dimensions of wellbeing and predictors of study success, namely a sense of purpose in life and study engagement. The present study expands the MMM by (1) examining the relationship between the mindsets and academic performance, (2) observing the mindset churn in the first year, and (3) exploring the role of the mindsets in the effectiveness of an online, narrative goal-setting intervention. To this end, the mindset of 748 first-year university students was measured at the beginning and the end of the first academic year. Results show that the mindset churn was considerable: on average 58% of the students had changed their mindset at follow-up. Results further show that students with a low-impact mindset at follow-up were more likely to drop out of the first year compared to the other three mindsets. Finally, a group of low-impact mindset students show an increased sense of purpose after participating in the goal-setting intervention and moved to a social-impact mindset during the year. This pattern provides preliminary support that the goal-setting intervention is a purpose-fostering intervention for students entering higher education with a low-impact mindset. A potential working mechanism of the goal-setting intervention is discussed as well as implications and directions for future research.

Social Integration in Higher Education and Development of Intrinsic Motivation: A Latent Transition Analysis

This study, based on the self-determination theory, investigates the link between university students' social peer and teacher integration and intrinsic motivation development. Both integration contexts are expected to contribute to the student's development, either additive or compensatory. The analyses rely on a nationally representative sample of 7,619 German university students (NEPS data set) and cover the time between the 3rd and 5th semesters in a longitudinal design. Person-centered analytical tools were applied to tap interindividual differences in the motivational trajectories as well as in integration profiles. Latent transition analyses revealed distinct links between the motivational trajectories (Increase [n = 532], Moderate Decrease [n = 2580], Decrease [n = 4,507]) and the integration profiles (Highly Integrated [n = 2,492], Moderately Integrated [n = 3832], Isolated [n = 1,144], Peer Deprivated [n = 151]), pointing to additive effects of teacher and peer integration. Positive trajectories were more likely in the Highly than in Moderately Integrated profiles. The two profiles pointing to below-average integration levels (Isolated and Peer Deprivated) showed the same probabilities for rather negative trajectories. The results are discussed against the backdrop of self-determination theory and additive vs. compensatory effects of teacher and peer integration, proposing a threshold model.

Academic motivation and self-directed learning readiness of nursing students during the COVID-19 pandemic in three countries: A cross-sectional study

BACKGROUND

It is crucial to evaluate student academic motivation and self-directed learning (SDL) readiness while teaching online or flexibly. During the coronavirus disease 2019 epidemic, there were few investigations on the link between academic motivation and SDL readiness.

AIM

This study investigated the connection between academic motivation and SDL readiness and the three academic motivation domains' predictive features.

METHODS

This cross-sectional study used convenience sampling to recruit 1187 nursing students from four nursing colleges in three countries. We utilized the Academic Motivation Scale College Version and Self-directed Learning Readiness Scale for Nurse Education to collect data. Descriptive and inferential statistics were employed to analyze the data.

RESULTS

Extrinsic motivation received the highest mean. Most nursing students exhibited SDL readiness, whereas "desire for learning" was rated the highest dimension of SDL readiness. We found significant differences in nursing students' intrinsic and extrinsic motivation and amotivation between the three countries. Finally, country, gender, and intrinsic motivation were significant predictors of the nursing students' SDL readiness.

CONCLUSION

Among Filipino, Saudi, and Thai nursing students, their SDL readiness is influenced by the intrinsic motivation domain. Therefore, nursing students with higher levels of intrinsic motivation are proactive learners for SDL.