Self-Determination: Motivational Profiles of Bachelor’s Degree Seeking Students at an Online, For-Profit University

Carol Pugh

doi:10.24059/olj.v23i1.1422

Abstract

Grounded in the self-determination theory, this exploratory quantitative study investigated motivational profiles of bachelor’s degree seeking students at an online, for-profit university. Cluster analysis revealed two distinct motivational profiles (internally and externally regulated) of 158 students enrolled in a bachelor’s degree program. The significant differences between the two profiles offers support for the multidimensional nature of motivation as argued by self-determination theory. A chi-square test of independence revealed a significant association between motivational profile membership and gender. No associations were found between motivational profile membership and age. The results offer insights into the motivations of bachelor’s degree seeking students attending an online, for-profit university. Over two-thirds of the students in this study exhibited high external forms of motivation. It is recommended practitioners employ methods to increase autonomous forms of motivation in the online, for-profit educational setting. Understanding student motivations to graduate may help administrators, curriculum designers, and instructors develop focused interventions and best practices that could be used to increase graduation rates.

Highlights

Grounded in self-determination theory, this exploratory quantitative study investigated motivational profiles of bachelor’s degree-seeking students at an online, for-profit university
Given the links between motivation and important outcomes in other academic settings (Atalay et al, 2016; Ghiasvand et al, 2017; Kriegbaum et al, 2016) and the low graduation rates at for-profit institutions, the current study investigated bachelor’s degree-seeking students’ motivations for graduating within six years at a for-profit university
The first goal of this study was to develop student motivational profiles based on the constructs of self-determination theory (SDT) from the Academic Motivation Scale (AMS)

Summary

Introduction

Grounded in self-determination theory, this exploratory quantitative study investigated motivational profiles of bachelor’s degree-seeking students at an online, for-profit university. By 2015, first-time, full-time bachelor’s degree-seeking students had graduated within six years at a rate of 66% from nonprofit institutions, 59% from public institutions, and only 23% from forprofit institutions (Institute of Education Sciences, 2017). For-profit institutions have the highest application acceptance rates to bachelor’s degree programs (Institute of Education Sciences, 2017). Many students accepted to for-profit institutions are underprepared for university work, have lower performance rates, and are more likely to drop out (Melzer & Grant, 2016). These characteristics present challenges to institutions actively seeking measures to graduate more students and sustain a place in the education market. A different approach is needed in for-profit institutions to identify the factors that contribute to student persistence to graduation

Objectives

Methods

Results

Discussion

Conclusion