Student Motivation Part 1

Student Motivation in a Higher Education System
​Recently, there has been more research that looks at learning, performance, and motivation among students of all levels. Researchers have looked at three components that interact with student’s learning and motivation: self-regulation, perceived competence, and self-efficacy. According to Rimm-Kaufman et, al. (2009) self-regulation is the ability for students to manage their emotions, focus their attention, and inhibit some behaviors while activating others. A student who is able to self-regulate their behavior will have to focus their attention on school work, lessen the chance of becoming off task, and control their ability to learn on their own. Perceived competence refers to one’s ability to feel knowledgeable and proficient in areas that there are being asked to perform in (Garcia & Pintrich, 1995). For example, a student who has a test on a particular day needs to believe that they are able to perform well on this test. This belief (perception) is needed to make it possible for a student to perform without anxiety. In addition to a perceived competence in students, self-efficacy is also needed for students. Self-efficacy involves a student being able to effectively accomplish a task to their fullest potential (Bembenutty, 2007).
​The literature examines all three of these components in their relation to student’s self-regulation of learning and motivation. Strategies to obtain all components of self-regulation of learning are coordinated by motivational, behavioral, and cognitive regulations. These regulations examine specific characteristics of the student. Cognitive regulations ask how students voluntarily control their cognition in learning; behavioral regulations look at how one controls and regulates their learning tendencies; motivational regulations inquire about how a student regulate their own learning motivation (Yang, 2005). The literature of each regulation has several sub-topics. In motivational regulations topics are goal-orientation, achievement value, and self-efficacy. Behavioral topics consist of control of action, support and help from others (especially the teacher), and environmental enhancers for self-regulation. In addition, cognitive topics are cognitive strategies and academics skills.
​This literature review will examine the implications of motivational, cognitive, and behavioral regulations among students. This paper will look at the three factors that interact with student’s ability to learn and their subtopics. Learning and motivation is dependent on self-regulation, perceived competence, and self-efficacy. What are the implications of motivational, cognitive, and behavioral regulations on learning and motivation?