Instructors’ Perceptions of Student Motivation Through an Instructional Lens in an Undergraduate Online College Setting: A Qualitative Case Study
Date
2023-12-04
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Abstract
Adult students’ enrollment in college is increasing, yet research pertaining to student motivation in the context of instructional practices is limited. The problem was online college instructors’ recognition of the qualities of student motivation to inform instructional practices was limited. Such recognition advanced the status of student motivation in an instructional context. The purpose of this qualitative case study was to explore online instructor perceptions of student motivation and related effects on online instructional practices. A gap in the research was evident due to the lack of research relating to student motivation as an instructional component, rather than a peripheral element in education. This study was supported by a theoretical framework consisting of constructivism and expectancy-value theory. The research questions addressed undergraduate online college instructors’ perceptions of student motivation and the influence of those perceptions on instructional practices. A qualitative case study was employed, and the population was comprised of online college instructors, with a sample size of 20. Selection criteria were based on teaching status, and data instruments consisted of questionnaires and an interview protocol. Data were analyzed via coding and thematic analysis. Significant results indicated the vital relationship between student motivation and instructional practices, the need to create fun learning environments, and the role of student-instructor relationships. Conclusions situated student motivation as a critical component of instructional practices and the vital role instructors played in encouraging student motivation. Recommendations included curricular changes, increased professional development opportunities, and reconsideration of student motivation in course planning.
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