Academic Motivation And Engagement: An Examination Of Its Factor Structure In Senior School Years

Abstract

Student motivation and engagement are crucial in senior school years when students are required to make important decisions about their future pursuits of education and career choices. The purpose of this study was to comprehensively examine the factor structure of student motivation and the associations among the motivational constructs at three time points (Year 10 (N=537); Year 11 (N=383) and Year 12 (N=299). Students from four non-government senior high schools completed the Student Motivation and Engagement Scale (Martin, 2007) in the second semester of the school year for three years. The results showed that student motivation is complex and multifaceted. A range of core motivational theories was needed to explain the network of associations among the facets of motivation. The 11-factor structure of motivation and engagement was identified at all three time-points consistent with Martin’s findings (2007). Adaptive cognitions and behaviors showed positive correlations with each other and mostly negative associations with maladaptive cognitions and behaviors. The findings have valuable practical implications for those wanting to support learning experiences of students, especially in the final years of schooling.