Academic Self-Efficacy and Personality Factors Predicting Academic Achievement Motivation among Open/Distance Learning Students of University of Ibadan

Abstract

Difficulty of access to regular/traditional schooling system at tertiary level has increased the demand for open/distance learning (ODL) mode of study at university level. Achievement motivation has been found to be an important factor for academic success, continuity and completion of academic programme in the ODL mode of study. Therefore, this study investigated academic self-efficacy and personality as predictors of achievement motivation among open/distance learning students of University of Ibadan, Nigeria. The research adopted an ex-post facto research design and randomly sampled 199 distance learning students of University of Ibadan comprising of 94 females and 105 males, with ages between 20 and 46 years. A self-administered structured questionnaire that contained validated scales measuring achievement motivation, academic self-efficacy and personality was administered via the institutional e-mail addresses. Academic self-efficacy and personality factors accounted for 45.3% of the academic achievement motivation among students in ODL programmes (R2=.453; F(7,190)=24.261, p<.01). The ODL students’ level of agreeableness and emotional stability significantly determined motivation towards academic achievement [B=-.306; p<.01) & (B=.311; p<.01)] respectively. There was a significant interaction between gender and employment status of distance learning students (F(l, 195)=12.78, P <.01), such that employed males were more motivated towards academic achievement. For open/distance learning students to be motivated to follow through their programmes to the end, their academic self-efficacy is very important, bearing the few student-lecturer contact hours characteristic of ODL. Each ODL institution needs to put this into consideration when designing their programme curricula, with keen attention to the personality differences of the students.