A Mixed Methods Study of Graduate Students' Achievement Motivation and Perceptions of Implementing Asynchronous Online Discussions

Abstract

This study used sequential explanatory mixed methods to examine higher education female students’ achievement motivation, and explored their perceptions towards the implementation of asynchronous online discussions in the Learning Management course for masters' students at a Western district university of Saudi Arabia. Quantitative data were collected using a one-group pretest-posttest design, and an achievement motivation's scale was administered before and after the treatment. The sample for this phase were a purposeful sample consisted of (n=10).  Qualitative data were collected by a focus group discussion for (n=8) who completed the quantitative phase and volunteered to participate in this phase. Due to the small size of the study sample at the quantitative phase, the Wilcoxon Signed Ranks test was used to identify statistically significant differences between the scores of the experimental group in the pre and post applications of the scale, and Cohen's equation (r) to measure the effect size of asynchronous online discussions on the development of students' achievement motivation. This result indicates that there is a positive effect of using asynchronous online discussions on graduated students’ achievement motivation with a high effect size, at three dimensions (Perseverance, Level of Ambition, and Perceived Efficiency) and total scale, while there was no positive effect of using asynchronous online discussions on graduated students’ achievement motivation at the (Goal Setting) dimension. The qualitative results revealed that students had positive perceptions towards asynchronous online discussions. Benefits and strategies that instructors could try to improve the online discussions' implementation arose. Finally, implications and recommendations for future studies regarding the usage of asynchronous online discussions are discussed.