Motivational Trajectories Research Articles

Distinct trajectories of EFL motivation: A self-determination theory perspective

According to self-determination theory, students who learn English as a foreign language (EFL) can be motivated by autonomous or controlled reasons. These motivations change over time, and students could exhibit distinct motivational trajectories. However, previous studies have mostly adopted cross-sectional designs and overlooked the developmental aspects of motivation. Furthermore, there is little understanding of the key factors associated with students' distinct motivational trajectories. To address these gaps, we used parallel process growth mixture modeling to examine the trajectories of students' autonomous and controlled motivation. Participants were 467 students from four junior secondary schools who were surveyed over the course of a semester. Results revealed three distinct motivational trajectories: “increasing controlled motivation”, “stable motivation”, and “increasing autonomous motivation”. Students whose basic psychological needs were satisfied were more likely to be in the “increasing autonomous motivation” profile. Students across distinct profiles had varying levels of achievement with those in the “increasing autonomous motivation” profile showing the highest levels of achievement, and those in the “increasing controlled motivation” profile having the lowest achievement. This study underscores the significance of nurturing autonomous motivation and supporting students’ basic psychological needs in EFL contexts.

The relationship between the environment and physical activity-related motivational trajectories

The study explores motivational profiles for physical activity, using self-determination theory’s full continuum of motivational regulations, and examines their stability over three months. Furthermore, it investigates whether physical environment and community characteristics are associated with transitioning between profiles, as well as the sociodemographic differences in these motivational transition pathways. Data were collected from 305 U.S. residents at three time points. The three profiles—‘low in motivation’ (23.5 % of the sample in wave 1), ‘self-determined motivation’ (41.4 %), and ‘ambivalent motivation’ (35.0 %)—were relatively stable. Staying in the low-in-motivation profile was negatively associated with being active in social settings, community support, perceived environmental restorativeness, and availability of physical activity opportunities. Having a higher education and income, being male, employed, married or in a partnership, and identifying as White were associated with being in a motivationally positive profile in the last wave of the study. These profiles reported higher activity and life satisfaction.

Not easy to get off track: Motivational trajectories of learners completing a non-formal online course

Non-formal learning is becoming increasingly important in everyday life. Both the availability of open online learning opportunities and the number of participants in online courses continue to grow. Initially learners report high levels of motivation, but completion rates tend to be low. In the present study, we examined motivational trajectories of learners completing a non-formal online course. To this end, 450 learners of 49 open online courses offered by Bavarian universities completed up to three online questionnaires throughout the course. First, we used latent profile analysis to explore motivational trajectories within five subtypes of situational motivation, which resulted in four different motivational profiles. However, all profiles were characterized by remarkable stability over time, and differences only in the actual levels of the five motivational subtypes. Second, we used bivariate latent change score models to focus on differences of change in intrinsic motivation when analyzing simultaneously with situational interest. In addition, we considered self-regulation and mastery goal orientation as predictors of change in motivation. For intrinsic motivation there was only a small mean change and compensating effect from T1 to T2. We discuss the findings in the light of the fact that there are high dropout rates in non-formal online courses and offer practical advice on how to better address non-completers in future research.

Development in context: Comparing short-term trajectories of expectancy, task values, and costs in four university STEM courses

University students studying science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) tend to lose motivation, on average, over time. However, detailed understanding of when and how students are most likely to lose motivation, as well as whether motivational trajectories differ across contexts, is lacking. Accordingly, we investigated trajectories of expectancy, task values, and perceived costs in four introductory STEM courses (N = 2,104). Latent change score models revealed nuanced patterns of change, indicating average motivational declines in expectancy and task values and average increases in cost perceptions observed in prior research tend to occur primarily at the beginning of the semester. Motivational trajectories also differed in the shape and timing of mean changes across the four STEM courses, suggesting motivational loss trends may not be universal. Variation in trajectories also related to course performance and major persistence, with different motivational beliefs playing different roles at various times in the semester. Findings highlighted the importance of early course performance in predicting motivational change, as well as the importance of motivational changes for short- and long-term outcomes. Findings underscore the contextualized nature of motivational constructs, as both change patterns and relations to correlates differed across settings, indicating a need for researchers to carefully consider how samples are aggregated and further uncover contextual features that shape motivation. Overall, our study findings add essential understanding of motivational strengths and needs in real-world classroom contexts, with implications for the design and timing of intervention for instructors by examining what developmental patterns are common across settings and which are more particular to specific settings.

Does the Jigsaw method improve motivation and self-regulation in vocational high schools?

Although much has been written about the beneficial effects of the Jigsaw method, little is known about how it affects students' motivation and self-regulation processes. In this study, we tested its effects on students' trajectories of autonomous mathematics motivation and academic self-regulation. We also examined whether these effects could be moderated by the students’ cooperative attitudes and initial mathematics achievement level. 4,698 students from French vocational high schools participated in the study over two years. They were divided into three groups: 1,641 were assigned to a cooperative learning condition with the Jigsaw method, 1,602 to a weakly structured cooperative learning condition, and 1,455 to a business-as-usual learning condition. Self-reported mathematics motivation, academic self-regulation, and cooperative attitudes were collected three times during the study. Overall, the multilevel growth model results indicate a general decline in students’ motivation and self-regulation, and student-reported cooperative attitudes did not moderate these effects. However, the trajectories of motivation and self-regulation differed by condition for low-achieving students. While these trajectories decreased over time amongst low-achieving students in the Jigsaw method condition and in the weakly structured cooperation condition, they were stable in the business-as-usual learning condition. These results provide a new perspective since they seem to question the implementation conditions of the Jigsaw method for low-achieving students.

Students’ motivational trajectories in vocational education: Effects of a self-regulated learning environment

Motivation is central for successful learning processes and lifelong learning. In the present study, the motivational development of vocational students in a learning environment promoting self-regulated learning (SRL) was examined in comparison to a control group with regular, teacher-centered instruction. The first aim was to examine the development of the dispositional and situational motivation of vocational students. The second aim was to gain a deeper understanding of the students' motivational experiences and the factors of the learning environment that promote and impede motivation. For this purpose, a mixed-methods design was applied. Through multilevel analysis, we investigated the development of dispositional motivation between the beginning and the end of the first year of vocational education (N = 159), as well as the development of situational motivation over the first 14 weeks using weekly motivation measures (N = 119). In addition, we interviewed 19 students from the SRL-promoting and regular school settings. The quantitative results revealed significant changes in dispositional and situational motivation over time. The qualitative results showed that the three basic psychological needs (relatedness, competence, and autonomy) were central determinants of the students’ motivation in both learning environments—albeit to varying extents. Overall, the SRL-promoting learning environment has positive effects on student motivation, but interindividual differences must be considered. Moreover, the results shed light on the coexistence of different motivation regulations within students and interindividual differences in the interpretation of the satisfaction of the three basic psychological needs.

Developmental Trajectories of Adolescents' Math Motivation: The Role of Mindset and Perceptions of Informal STEM Learning Site Inclusivity.

Motivation is a key factor in engagement, achievement, and career choices in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM). While existing research has focused on student motivation toward math in formal school programs, new work is needed that focuses on motivation for those involved in informal STEM programs. Specifically, the role of math mindset and perceived inclusivity of informal STEM sites (to those of varying gender and ethnic backgrounds) on longitudinal trajectories of adolescents' math motivation has not been explored. This study investigates longitudinal changes in math expectancy, interest, and utility values and the effects of math fixed mindset, math growth mindset, and perceptions of the inclusivity of informal STEM learning sites on these changes for adolescents participating in STEM programs at these informal sites in the United Kingdom and the United States (n = 249, MT1age = 15.2, SD = 1.59). Three latent growth curve models were tested. The data suggest that math expectancy, interest, and utility values declined over three years. Growth mindset positively predicted changes in utility, while fixed mindset negatively predicted changes in utility. Inclusivity positively influenced the initial levels of utility. Girls reported lower initial expectancy than boys. Age influenced both the initial levels and rate of change for expectancy. Older adolescents had lower levels of expectancy compared to their younger counterparts; however, they had a less steep decline in expectancy over three years. These findings suggest that designing inclusive learning environments and promoting growth mindset may encourage math motivation.

EFL students’ motivational currents during Extensive Reading Programs: A retrodictive qualitative modelling

Motivation to read, the driving force to achieve one’s reading goals, plays a significant role in language learning as it relates to reading engagement and achievement. Its presence is prominently necessary for a longer learning period. This article explores the features of nine pre-service students’ motivational currents and how their motivation changes throughout the task performance in Extensive Reading Programs (henceforth ERPs). Data were collected from diaries, and a retrodictive qualitative model was applied to recount the experiences of the student participants’ motivational currents following Dörnyei’s Directed Motivational Currents (DMC). Themes of diaries and interviews were generated following the Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis. The findings show that the features of DMC are salient and functioning throughout the student’s learning experiences and facilitate the construction of their future identity as readers. Four patterns of motivational currents during the students’ learning were a steady wave, slight wave, moderate wave, and great wave patterns. The variability and stability of task performance motivation indicate that students’ motivational trajectories are unique, conditional, and context-bound. Identifications of the sources of motivators and demotivators provide hints for designing more engaging classroom activities, enriching the task features, and sustaining students’ motivation. This study concludes with possible directions for future motivation research.

Motivational Dynamics of Intermediate Chinese Learners in a COVID-Induced Remote IPA-Informed CSL Curriculum: A Case Study From a CDST Lens

Abstract Grounded in a complex and dynamic systems theory (CDST) perspective of L2 learning motivation, this year-long longitudinal study examines evolving motivational dynamics of two intermediate Chinese as a Second Language (CSL) learners at a Sino-US joint-venture university in China during the COVID-19 pandemic. Adopting Higgins’ framework of motivation, this case study focuses on the interplay of learner motivation for value, control, and truth effectiveness and contextual factors in shaping the contrastive motivational trajectories of two CSL learners who displayed discrepancy in the improvement of Mandarin oral proficiency. In particular, the two contextual factors of interest are an Integrated Performance Assessment (IPA) -informed CSL curriculum and COVID-induced remote online learning. We focus on how learners co-adapted with the “here-and-now” manifestations of these contextual factors and how their motivational dynamics and learning behaviors evolved based on multiple interrelated layers of the temporal-spatial context. The findings show that CSL learners’ motivational dynamics were shaped by multiple overlapping and interrelated motivations related to value, control, and truth effectiveness, which emerged out of the contingencies and affordances in the learning context. The learner-context co-adaptations play a significant role in directing relevant motivational dimensions and thereby shaping the overall identity of the whole system. This empirical study contributes to CSL and L2 motivational studies by exploring the applicability of a CDST approach and a global motivational framework to study intermediate CSL learners’ motivational dynamics and how they individually co-adapted with an innovative curricular design and the perturbance during the COVID-19 online teaching and learning process. The paper reflects on the effectiveness and applicability of IPA in an intermediate-level CSL curriculum from a motivational perspective and offers insights into understanding and promoting the complex learner motivation during COVID-19 for language educators.

Türkiye’de İngilizceyi Yabancı Dil Olarak Öğrenenlerin Yabancı Dil Benlik Sistemlerinin Kesitsel Desenle İncelenmesi

This paper reports the findings of a research, with a twofold aim of investigating L2 motivational self system of Turkish EFL learners and exploring how the constructs of this model interact with each other. To this end, we conducted a mixed methods research with 1168 participants from three populations of Turkish EFL learners, secondary school, high school and university students. The findings show that the tripartite mode of L2 motivational self system explains the Turkish EFL learners’ language learning motivation and that the constructs of this model contribute towards the language learning motivation following different paths for the three groups of learners from secondary school, high school and university. To investigate the possible changes these constructs undergo over time, language learning motivation trajectories of individual learners were also explored. The findings show that there is a dynamic interplay among these constructs. The findings also indicate patterns and emergence of attractor states in these interactions. Finally, it is found that the attractor states themselves also undergo changes over the learners’ trajectories, shaping whilst being shaped by the components of L2 motivational self system.

Successful ageing at work: The role of job characteristics in growth trajectories of work ability and motivation to work amongst older workers

In order to age successfully at work, people need to maintain or improve their work ability and motivation to work. This implies a process that develops over time and can differ substantially between individuals. This study investigated whether different trajectories of perceived work ability and motivation to work can be distinguished between older employees over time and to what extent job demands and job resources are predictive of these different trajectories. We applied growth mixture modelling amongst 5799 employees of 45 years and older at four time points. We found five distinct groups of older workers that differed in their trajectories of perceived work ability and four types of groups of older workers that differed in their trajectories of their motivation to work. Higher levels of physical demands, mental demands, autonomy, supervisor support, and colleague support were less common in unfavourable trajectories. This study gives Human Resource Management practitioners insight into how jobs should be designed to stimulate successful ageing at work.

Academic motivation decreases across adolescence for youth with and without attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder: Effects of motivation on academic success.

This longitudinal study examined growth trajectories of academic motivation in youth with and without attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) across the important developmental transition from middle school to high school, and associations with academic success. Consistent with self-determination theory (SDT) of motivation, trajectories of amotivation, extrinsic motivation, and intrinsic motivation were modeled. The study included a robust multi-method, multi-source assessment of academic outcomes, including homework performance ratings; reading and mathematics standardized test scores; and grade point average (GPA) obtained from school records. Participants included 302 adolescents (ages 12-14; Mage = 13.20) in eighth grade who were specifically recruited so that approximately half (n = 162) were diagnosed with ADHD and 140 adolescents comprising a comparison sample without ADHD. The sample was predominantly White (81.80%), with 7.90% identifying as bi/multiracial, 5.30% identifying as Black/African American, 4.60% identifying as Asian, and 0.30% identifying as Indigenous/Alaskan. Adolescents with ADHD had worse academic motivation at all timepoints. Growth curve analyses indicated the academic motivation of adolescents without ADHD decreased at faster rates across the transition to high school compared to adolescents with ADHD. However, for adolescents with ADHD, amotivation, extrinsic motivation, and intrinsic motivation each predicted GPA, with higher extrinsic and intrinsic motivation also predicting better homework performance and different aspects of math performance, whereas for youth without ADHD, only amotivation and extrinsic motivation predicted GPA. Intervention and school policy implications are discussed, including the importance of fostering autonomy and internal motivation, and consideration of whether current ADHD interventions primarily foster extrinsic motivation.

Exploring the motivational profiles of Macao Portuguese LOTE learners: a tale of eight local adult learners

ABSTRACT While the chronological dimension of L2 motivation has been widely emphasised, there is little empirical research examining the context-based and dynamic languages other than English (LOTEs) motivational profiles. To fill this lacuna, the current study investigated the motivational trajectories of eight local adult learners of Portuguese in Macao with reference to the L2 Motivational Self System (L2MSS). Data were collected through semi-structured interviews, informal interviews and written journals. The findings indicate that Portuguese learning experience is of great importance in LOTE motivation. The convergence of the instrumentality of Portuguese for future career and the interest in Portuguese culture played a significant role in sustaining LOTE motivation. The findings further reveal that active personal engagement and metacognitive strategies use are two main motivating components in LOTE learning experience. The study sheds new light on the complexity of LOTE motivation.

Examining Trajectories of Teacher Motivation in Correlation with Students’ Perceptions in Computer Science: Toward Sustainable Motivation to Teach

Teacher motivation in higher education (HE) has proved to be susceptible to several external factors that are capable of consequently influencing the teaching and learning process. This study aims to examine the external factors impacting the trajectories of teacher motivation during their profession in computer science. In addition, the work investigates a new paradigm that depicts teacher motivation from both teachers’ and students’ perspectives. Surveys and interviews with students and teachers were used to collect qualitative and quantitative data. A Likert scale survey is used to identify students’ perceptions towards teacher motivation. The number of randomly selected survey respondents is approximately 100 undergraduates in computer science. Next, semi-structured interviews were conducted among twelve teachers from different laboratories in computer science. The interview questions are tailored based on the answers of the students’ survey. The findings are projected to provide suggestions that contribute to sustainable teacher motivation.

Motivation and growth in kanji proficiency: a longitudinal study using latent growth curve modeling

Abstract Despite the well acknowledged importance of motivation in second language (L2) learning, longitudinal research regarding the effects of motivation on growth in L2 proficiency remains limited. Furthermore, limited investigation has been done on how motivation and L2 proficiency interactively develop and affect each other. Thus, this study examined the impact of motivation on growth in kanji proficiency and the dual developmental trajectories of motivation and kanji proficiency using the self-determination theory. Learners of Japanese with Chinese as their First language (L1) responded to a questionnaire and took kanji tests three times in one academic semester (n = 192). The results of the univariate latent growth curve (LGC) modeling identified intrinsic motivation and introjected regulation as positive and negative predictors, respectively, of kanji proficiency growth, suggesting the importance of enjoyment and the detrimental nature of introjected regulation in kanji learning by L1 Chinese learners. The results of multivariate LGC modeling demonstrated a lack of reciprocal developmental association between kanji proficiency and intrinsic motivation. Moreover, perceived competence rather than actual growth in kanji proficiency influenced the enhancement of intrinsic motivation, indicating the importance of subjective interpretations of L2 development in promoting motivation.

Dynamicity of language teacher motivation in online EFL classes

Despite the growing focus on the dynamic nature of second/foreign language (L2) teacher motivation in recent years, the existing work has primarily explored fluctuations in motivational trajectories over macro timescales covering months and years. Micro-scale changes of motivation at the lesson level and the factors underlying such changes have received little attention, particularly in the context of online instruction. The present study aims to close this gap by investigating dynamic changes in teacher motivation in the course of regularly-scheduled online English-as-a-foreign-language (EFL) classes in Turkey, as experienced by two EFL teachers at the tertiary level. Changes in motivation levels and the reasons for these changes were tracked in eight 45-min. classes over two weeks. Data were collected via self-ratings of motivational intensity at 5-min. intervals, journal entries, interviews, and lesson plans. The analysis showed considerable variation in the motivation levels within the participating teachers, with the fluctuations resulting from a complex array of learner-related, course-related, and individual factors. Overall, the findings provide further insights into the situated complexity of L2 teacher motivation and suggest that L2 teacher motivation to teach online is characterized by temporal, individual, and contextual variation, being open to influences and displaying nonlinear development over timescales.

차세대영재기업인의 창업동기 변화양상과 기업가 핵심역량의 변화추이 - 혼합성장모형과 다집단 성장혼합모형을 이용한 종단연구

이 연구는 차세대영재기업인의 고유특성 중 하나인 창업동기의 발달적 변화에 따른 집단유형을 도출하고, 그에 대한 기업가 역량의 변화를 종단적으로 살펴보는 것이 목적이다. 이를 위해 차세대영재기업인 종단연구의 중학교 패널자료(2015년~2020년)를 활용하였다. 혼합성장모형 분석결과, 창업동기 변화양상에 따른 유형은 3개 유형(창업동기 증가형, 창업동기 고수준 유지형, 창업동기 감소형)을 확인하였다. 3개 창업동기 유형을 구분하는 개인특성, 환경특성, 창업관련특성의 예측변인을 살펴보기 위해 다항로지스틱 분석을 실시하였다. 그 결과, 컴퓨터 전공 희망이 ‘창업동기 증가형’과 ‘창업동기 고수준 유형’을 예측하였고, 특허출원경험이 많을수록 ‘창업동기 증가형’에 속할 가능성이 높았다. 희망전공계열이 의·약학과 기계일수록 ‘창업동기 감소형’에 속할 가능성이 높고, 교육원 참가이유가 창업지식습득을 위한 것일수록, 선택한 진로에 대한 부모와 교사의 지지가 높을수록, 창업에 대한 관심이 있을수록 ‘창업동기 고수준 유지형’에 속할 가능성이 높은 것으로 나타났다. 마지막으로 3개 창업동기 유형에 따른 기업가 핵심역량의 변화를 살펴보기 위하여 다집단 성장혼합모형을 실시하였다. 그 결과, ‘창업동기 증가형’ 의 변화추이가 기업가 핵심역량의 변화추이를 가장 긍정적으로 예측하여, 영재를 대상으로 한 창업교육에서 창업동기 증진 교육프로그램 개발의 필요성 및 중요성을 확인하였다.

Students’ motivational trajectories and academic success in math-intensive study programs: Why short-term motivational assessments matter.

Students’ motivational trajectories and academic success in math-intensive study programs: Why short-term motivational assessments matter.

Understanding salient trajectories and emerging profiles in the development of Chinese learners’ motivation: a growth mixture modeling approach

Abstract Based on the theoretical framework of the L2 Motivational Self System (L2MSS), the present study aims to make a methodological contribution to L2 motivation research. With the application of a novel growth mixture modeling (GMM) technique, the study depicted developmental trajectories of three motivational variables (ideal L2 self, ought-to L2 self, and L2 learning experience) of 176 Chinese tertiary-level students over a period of two semesters. Results showed two to three salient classes with typical developmental patterns for the three motivational variables respectively, with which the study gained fresh insights into the developmental processes of motivation beyond the individual level. Our study further established three main multivariate profiles of motivation characterized by a distinct combination of different motivational variables. The findings extend our understanding of motivational dynamics, providing a nuanced picture of emergent motivational trajectories systemically. Additionally, GMM has shown to be an effective and applicable method for the identification of salient patterns in motivation development, which leads to practical implications.

Social Integration in Higher Education and Development of Intrinsic Motivation: A Latent Transition Analysis.

This study, based on the self-determination theory, investigates the link between university students' social peer and teacher integration and intrinsic motivation development. Both integration contexts are expected to contribute to the student's development, either additive or compensatory. The analyses rely on a nationally representative sample of 7,619 German university students (NEPS data set) and cover the time between the 3rd and 5th semesters in a longitudinal design. Person-centered analytical tools were applied to tap interindividual differences in the motivational trajectories as well as in integration profiles. Latent transition analyses revealed distinct links between the motivational trajectories (Increase [n = 532], Moderate Decrease [n = 2580], Decrease [n = 4,507]) and the integration profiles (Highly Integrated [n = 2,492], Moderately Integrated [n = 3832], Isolated [n = 1,144], Peer Deprivated [n = 151]), pointing to additive effects of teacher and peer integration. Positive trajectories were more likely in the Highly than in Moderately Integrated profiles. The two profiles pointing to below-average integration levels (Isolated and Peer Deprivated) showed the same probabilities for rather negative trajectories. The results are discussed against the backdrop of self-determination theory and additive vs. compensatory effects of teacher and peer integration, proposing a threshold model.