The Relationship between Motivational Persistence, Self-Directed Learning Readiness and Achievement Goal Orientations of Medical Students

Abstract

Aim: Nowadays educators are expected to be learners' companions and to guide directing learning successfully. Moreover, learners are expected to be individuals who can direct their own learning, be a stakeholder in their education, have a say in their own education, and understand their learning needs realistically. In this context, the features of learners such as orientation to academic success, motivation, and self-directed learning come to the fore. The driving force and starting point of this research is to determine students' motivational persistence levels, self-directed learning readiness levels and success orientations, and to examine the relationships between them.Methods This research is designed with descriptive method along with relational method. 780 students from Çanakkale Onsekiz Mart University Faculty of Medicine, from Term I to Term VI joined the study. The data were obtained with the "Motivational Determination", "2X2 Achievement Orientations" and "Readiness for Self-directed Learning" scales. In the analysis of the data, correlation analysis was used in addition to descriptive statistics.Results: Medical students were mostly goal-oriented while their performance orientation was relatively low. Medical students’ motivational stability level is moderate. Medical students’ self-directed learning readiness level is relatively high. Medical students’ success orientation, motivational stability and self-directed learning readiness are positively and significantly related to each other. Medical students’ approach learning, avoidance learning, performance avoidance, revision of the goals which have not been achieved, willingness to learn, and self-control differ according to the period they study. Medical students’ performance approach, pursuing long-term goals, pursuing current goals and self-direction did not differ according to the period they study.Conclusion: The results of the study showed that medical school students have a learning-oriented goal orientation rather than a performance goal orientation. In period VI, the level of motivational stability is lower than in other periods. Similarly, the highest self-directed learning readiness of students is in Term III and the lowest in Term VI. The characteristics that show a high level of positive correlation with the learning approach are willingness to learn and self-control. Performance approach is the trait that is highly positively correlated with learning avoidance achievement orientation. Performance avoidance achievement orientation and performance approach orientation show a high correlation. Characteristics that are highly positively associated with pursuing long-term goals are pursuing current goals, repeating unachieved goals, self-management, and a willingness to learn. Characteristics that are highly positively associated with pursuing current goals are repetition of unattained goals, self-management, willingness to learn, and self-control. Self-management and willingness to learn and self-control have a high positive relationship. The desire to learn and self-control are in a highly positive relationship. Research findings showed similarities with the literature as well as different aspects.