The Impact of Motivation on Student's Academic Achievement of Undergraduates at the University Of Buea.
Department: Educational Psychology
No of Pages: 79
Project Code: EPY8
References: Yes
Cost: 5,000XAF Cameroonian
: $15 for International students
ABSTRACT
Motivation
is the force that keeps you going and doing things, and that arouse your
interest and desire for success. It is the drive that sustains your will to
float not to drown even in the face of serious difficulties.
Extrinsic
motivation refers to action or behaviour performed in the hopes of receiving an
external reward or outcome or due to external rewards. Motivation is very vital
in enhancing the teaching and learning process. This study investigated The
Impact of Motivation on student’s academic
achevement in the University of Buea.
Specifically,
the study sought to investigate the extent to which teaching learning process
influence, learning resources, Role model and Peer acceptance influence
academic achievement of students in the University of Buea. The study was
guided by the Humanistic Theory of Motivation by Abraham Maslow's (1941),
Herzberg's two factor theory of motivation and McClellan achievement theory of
motivation.
The study employed a case study research design. Data was collected purposively, with the use of a questionnaire, from a sample population of 200 students from 4 selected department of Education schools.
Data was descriptively analysed
from the questionnaire by calculating frequencies and percentages and Spearman
rank Correlation Biological statistics was also used for the data analysis.
Findings revealed that motivation has an influence on student’s academic achievement
in the University of Buea.
The
study has proven that the teaching learning process has an influence on student’s
academic achievement in the University of Buea. This is evident as students
were motivated to learn due to their lecturers teaching strategy. It was
equally revealed that learning resources used has an influence on student’s
academic achievement in the University of Buea. As the use of handout motivate
students to learn.
Furthermore,
students agreed that they regularly attend tutorial classes and checked the
school notice board.. The study further revealed that the use of role models
has an influence on student’s academic achievement of undergraduates Students
at the University of Buea. This was proven by the fact that role models
motivate students to work hard, students gain inspiration to study hard due to
the people they admire.
The
study recommended that seminars should be organized for talk on peer influences
and role model and it consequences. This will encourage and students to stay
focus on Educational activities thus improving student's achievement.
It
also recommended that Teachers should always be in their best Christmas during
Instructional activities. tschools and government should continue to award
scholarships to deserving students. . It was further recommended that parents
and teachers should provide enough motivation to students.
CHAPTER ONE
GENERAL INTRODUCTION
Introduction
This
chapter focuses on the introduction to the study, the background of the study,
statement of the problem, objectives of the study, research questions,
hypotheses, scope of the study, significance of the study, , and the
operational definition of terms.
Background of the Study
Historically,
the concept of motivation can be traced from ancient Greek; Plato, Socrates, and Aristotle. Plato believed
in hierarchy organization such as dietary components, rational and emotional.
Aristotle, for more than twenty years Continue to affirm the hierarchy
spiritual.
However,
he used different reforms which were different from his original belief. He
believed in those dietary and emotional components are relevant to the body and
part of the concept of motivation. These two part together were based on
irrational motivation force.
And
the ancient Greek presumes three components: the body's desire, pleasure and
pain in hierarchical arrangements for the first theoritical justification of
the motivation activities. Also, the history of science of human motivation is
Darwin's (1872), speculation concerning emotional and motivation.
To
add Darwin's argued that human have evolved emotional reaction that lead to or
energized action that has been adaptive. In addition, after the Renaissance,
Rene Descartes distinguish between inactive and active aspect of motivation.
Descartes believe that body is the inactive factor of motivation while the Will
is the active factor of motivation.
In
the modern era, Maslow's (1954) developed the hierarchy of needs consisting of
hierarchical classes. According to him, people are motivated by unsatisfied
needs. Based on these needs the lower order needs must be met before the higher
needs, they include; physiological needs, safety needs, Love and belonging,
Esteem need and self-actualization.
Conceptually, the word motivation comes from
a latin word "Motus" meaning to move or stimulate some inner drives
that can cause a person to act in some certain way. Its involving biological,
social, emotional and cognitive activities behavior.
According
to Spolsky motivation is the amount of time a learner prepared to spend on learning tasks. Ortega- Martin explained that
motivation is an individual disposition to learn task that can be modify both
by him/herself and by help from the surrounding circumstances. According to
Bhatia, motivation is the stimulus or action toward a particular goal where
previously there were little or no attraction toward that goal.
According to Luma, motivation is the force
that keeps you going and doing things, and that arouse your interest and desire
for success. The drive sustains your will to float not to drown even in the
face of serious difficulties.
According
to Tambo, Motivation is the process of arousing, sustaining and regulating
activity. It is the act of applying incentive and arousing interest for causing
a pupil perform in a desired way. Motivation results from the interaction of
both conscious and unconscious factors such as: Intensity of desire or need,
Incentive or reward value of the goal, Expectations of the individual and of
his or her peers.
In
the light of the above viewpoints, motivation acts as an incentive that
arouses students’ interest and desire
for success. In the teaching-learning situation, motivation can be extrinsic or
intrinsic that is to say two types of motivation exist.
Intrinsic
motivation according to Psychology is known as the best type of motivation. The
word "intrinsic" means something is inherent by nature. It is
something refers to as inner. Intrinsic motivation is an inner drives that
propel a person to pursue an activity, not for external reward but because the
action itself is enjoyable. For instant a student studying maths because he
enjoys doing it. This type of motivation is common in higher education and
universities.
On
the other hand, extrinsic motivation according to psyche study. Com (2018)
refers to action or behaviour performed in the hopes of receiving an external
reward or outcome. According to Psychestudy.com, extrinsic motivation could be
used to motivate a whole group, thus increasing productivity in workplace or
creating a better learning environment.
Psychestudy.com
also stated that, extrinsic motivation could lead to personal benefits. It
(Psychestudy.com) added that, extrinsic motivation could lead to behaviour
which could never have been possible otherwise. Psychestudy.com went further to
explain its point by giving an example that; a student might never feel the
intrinsic motivation to study, but extrinsic motivations like medals or other
forms of prize might motivate the student to study harder.
The
explanation provided by Psychestudy.com indicates that, from personal academic
benefits, extrinsic motivation has economic advantage as it has the potential
of stimulating productivity in the workplace.
According
to Tambo, (2012), extrinsic motivation comes as a result of pressure or forces
outside the learner. A child who is extrinsically motivated learns because
he/she is afraid of punishment by parents or teachers. A child may also learn
because he/she wants to be rewarded with marks, praises, a pleasure trip and
Christmas cloths from parents.
Parents
are in the habit of motivating their children extrinsically by promises of such
rewards. Teachers and parents play a major role in motivation, which leads to
students’ educational success. Students who have lost interest in learning need
more extrinsic motivation.
Extrinsic
motivation is also seen as motivation which comes from outside the individual.
The motivating factors are external or outside rewards such as money. These
rewards provide satisfaction and pleasure that the task itself may not
necessarily enjoy an activity to perform well in order to receive some kind of
reward or to avoid negative consequences (Aamdi, 2007).
Also,
in the view of Meadows-Fernandez (2017), extrinsic motivation is reward driven
behaviour. According to Meadows-Fernandez, extrinsic motivation, rewards or
other incentives like praise, fame or money are used as motivation for specific
activities.
Meadows-Fernandez
gave examples of extrinsic motivation which include competing in sports for
trophies, completing work for money, customer loyalty discounts, buy one get
one free sales, frequent flier rewards, helping people for praise from friends
or family, doing work for attention, either positive or negative, doing task
for public acclaim or fame, doing task to avoid judgment and completing
coursework for grades.
From
the definition and examples of extrinsic motivation provided by
Meadows-Fernandez, it is understandable that, extrinsic motivation is either
material or psychological in form. Meadows-Fernandez went further to stress on
the need to motivate students.
According
to Meadows-Fernandez, motivation will increase students’ time on task and is
also an important factor affecting their learning and achievement. The
authority (Meadows-Fernandez) continued that, motivation enhances cognitive
processing.
However,
both Intrinsic and Extrinsic motivation Make up the underlying reasons,
attitude and goals that gives rise to behavior, that is why we do what we do.
With regard to this, more emphasizes will be on Intrinsic motivation because
the population is make up of adult who are goal oriented and have prior
knowledge. Also because they are likely to be successful, committed and
creative.
Although
it is still not very clear which of these two types of motivation is preferable
with regards to learning, it may be much better for the teacher to try to
understand both types of motivation and use them in a complementary manner.
For example, the teacher can use marks or praises to extrinsically motivate the students. At other times he may convince pupils about the need to be more knowledgeable in the subject (intrinsic motivation). It should be noted that teachers are in privileged positions to know the most appropriate form of motivation to be used because they have the opportunity to observe the students in various situations for many hours.
This even explains why some teachers said
some students in class are ‘’unmotivated ‘’ because they do not show sufficient
interest in what they have to learn and therefore something has to be done to
arouse their interest in learning.
More
so, if learners are not motivated they will not have interest in learning for
example and when they do not perform well it becomes a problem not only to the
parents and teachers but to the environment and society as a whole.
This
is because when learners do not attain their academic goals, majority turn out
to be bandits or cause societal miss-haps such as drug abuse, scam, robbery and
other mal-practices that one can think of as a result of not been motivated
either extrinsically or intrinsically.
On
the other hand, we can say that if these learners were motivated able to attain
their educational goals, they might have been better placed or better still be
able to know what is wrong and what is right. This will enable one to know where,
what he/she wants, and where they are heading.
Achievement
motivation by Murray (1938) is the need to accomplish something difficult that
is to overcome obstacle and attain a high standard to rival and surpass others.
To increase self-regard by successful exercise of talents.
It
is also to outperform others and to meet high standard of excellence. Above
all, the need for achievement involves the desire to excel especially in
competition with others. High achievement motivation correlate positively with
measures and career success and with upward social mobility among lower class
men. Murray developed The Thematic Appreciation Test (T.A.T) to measure the
need for achievement and other human motives.
A
number of studies show that people who score high in the need for achievement
differ notably from those in moderate or low need for achievement scores. One
way to help instil a desire to achieve
is to encourage students to set reasonable goal and to provide ample
reinforcement for their success. Reasonable goals are likely to achieved thus
allowing children experience success.
Winterbotton (1958) found that children who
demonstrate high achievement motivation usually had parents who expected them
to master to their own environment and to show independent behavior well before
their teenage years.
Although
every student has that enthusiasm to learn statistics have shown that some
students needed to be motivated before effective learning can take place.
This researcher was extrinsically
motivated at the high school by her parent and family members. Presently, she
has observed that intrinsic motivation is better than extrinsic motivation
because with intrinsic motivation.
One
is driven to search for knowledge so as to increase one's skill in learning.
However, both forms of motivation are necessary for teaching learning process.
For example, the teacher can use marks or praises to extrinsically motivate the
students. At other times he may convince pupil about the need to be more
knowledgeable in the subject (intrinsic motivation).
It
should be noted that teachers are in privilege position to know the most
appropriate form of motivation to be used because they have opportunity to
observe the students in varies situations for may hours. This even explain why
some teachers said some students in class are " unmotivated" because
they do not show sufficient interest in what they have to learn and therefore
something has to be done to arouse their interest in learning.
Contextually,
in the University of Buea and Cameroon schools in general, it is known that
most students achievement vary sharply due to motivation. There are some
students in the University of Buea that study by using the availability
learning resources like the library, hangout and by attending tutorial classes.
Some of the students are motivated by the desire to be educated irrespective of
their family background ( lower, middle or higher class).
Also,
teachers have been using praises, gifts and positive reinforcement. Moreso, to
motivate students curriculum framework in the University of Buea and Cameroon
in general had emphasizes lecturers/teachers to avoid using negative words such
as " good for nothing student, dull child , useless and unproductive
Students" to Student when they performed poorly, rather point out the
aspect in which he/she was wrong and direct how it was supposed to be done when
necessary.
Furthermore, orientation classes has been put in place by the leadership of the University Of Buea in order to direct and motivate learners toward academic fulfilment. These have great Impact on students academic achievement in the University Of Buea.
Theoretically,
the study make use of three (3) theories ; Maslow's motivation theory, David
McClellan achievement theory and Herzberg's two facto theory. Maslow's description
of motivation ranges from meeting basic lower order such as those for safety and physiological needs
through attainment increasingly higher order needs such as esteem and
self-actualization.
He
asserted that man always have needs to satisfy, he calls this needs the
Hierarchy of Needs and are catagorized into two: deficit and growth needs. This
theory is relevant to the study in that, account to him motivation is constant
and never ending, fluctuating and complex.
The
theory is related to o the study in that when Students satisfy their lower
order needs such as food, they will be able to learns thus achievement higher
order needs ,hence acting as motivation in the process of teaching learning
process and it necessary in schools and homes.
David McClellan pruposed the theory that people are motivated to fulfill three types of needs: Achievement, Power and Affiliation needs. According to him, regardless our gender, age and culture we all have three motivating drives and one of these will be our dominant motivating drives and influences a broad spectrum of behavior. This theory is related to the study because it help in identifying the dominant motivators of individuals or students to study.
The
information can be used to influence how questions or goals will be set and
provide feedback, how to motivate and rewards participants. Also, it aid in
explaining why certain Individuals are more motivated than others.
Herzberg's two factor Model says that basic
factor like safety and salary need to be met to prevent distraction at work but
another set of motivating factor like autonomy and recognition are required to
create actual happiness at work.
Education
or schooling is a form of work. The theory is related to this study in that
safety, recognition and autonomy Wil motivate learners. Majority of learners
who are recognize by teachers and peers regarding their level of intelligence
turns to feel safe and secured and as a result they will perform more better as
compared to some students who lack these factors.
Statement of the Problem
Motivation plays a major role in students’
academic achievement. It has been shown that some students need to be motivated
before effective learning can take place. During my teaching practice and my
schooling in the University of Buea, I observed that students who are motivated
by indicators such as praises, gifts and public recognition turn to perform
better and have high participation in class as well as ask questions to
understand.
However,
some Students’ academic achievement is higher at the University of Buea
compared to secondary school and higher education. At the University of Buea, the
poor academic achievement of students has been attributed to negative peers’
acceptance, lack of knowledge and use of learning resources, and lack of
passionate teachers and role models.
It
is against this background that the study was conducted to investigate the
impact of motivation on student’s academic achievement at the University of
Buea.
Research Objectives
General Objective
- The objective of this study is to find out the Impact of Motivation on students’ academic achievement at the University of Buea.
Specific Objective
- To investigate the extent to which teaching-learning processes influence the academic achievement of students.
- To examine the extent to which learning resources influence students’ academic achievement.
- To find out the extent to which role models affect student’s academic achievement
- To investigate the extent to which peer acceptance influences students’ academic achievement.
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