Given the paucity of research on factors associated with motivation in learning disabled college students, the present study investigated the motivation levels in college students with learning disabilities. The Academic Motivation Scale (AMS) has been validated cross-nationally and across all educational age groups of students having various academic majors; however, it has not been used with students who have a learning disability (LD). The purpose of this study, therefore, was to validate the AMS with students with LD and determine which of the 3-, 5-, or 7-factor model best fit the sample. In addition, this study sought to verify the predictors and related factors of motivation in these students. The variables that were examined were IQ, GPA, gender, type of disability, and academic skills as they relate to motivation. Lastly, the simplex structure, which endorsed motivation to be a continuum, was also statistically verified. Findings of this study concluded that the 7-factor model as proposed by Vallerand (i.e., Vallerand, Pelletier, Blais, Brière, Senécal, & Vallières, 1992) was best suited for this sample. IQ significantly negatively predicted and was significantly inversely related to extrinsic motivation (EM), especially perceptual reasoning skills. Basic academic skills were significantly inversely related to EM, as well as a significant positive predictor of amotivation. Math skills were inversely correlated with several EM factors. There was no significant effect for gender, but students with a disability in math were significantly higher on measures of intrinsic motivation than other disability types. Finally, the simplex structure was only partially supported, since the opposite ends of the motivation continuum did not display the highest negative correlation as expected (Vallerand et al., 1992). These findings were discussed in relation to the current literature on motivation in students followed by a discussion of the limitations of the study and future directions for research in this area.

This study explored the associations of students’ intrinsic and extrinsic motivation towards high-stake tests in Physical education. The study collected data with questionnaires from 81 Swedish compulsory school students. The questionnaires in this study were based on the Academic Motivation Scale. Furthermore, this study was based on Self-Determination Theory. In congruence with previous research, this study found that females received a significantly higher grade than male students. The results also suggest that there was no significant difference between the different test-groups actual performance. The results of the study concluded that there are no correlations between motivation [towards high-stake tests] and the actual performance of students. Moreover, students were more motivated by external regulation (receiving higher grades) than intrinsic motivation to know (to learn a skill for life). Students perceived higher test anxiety if they were to perform in front of their classmates. However, the test-groups did not perform statistically differently which then leads to the question on the necessities of using these forms of high-stake test since it does not increase performance but is perceived to be more stressful for students. Further research is necessary to draw any generalizable conclusions if there is any correlation between motivation, high-stake tests, and perceived test anxiety.

Det som ska undersökas i denna fallstudie är ifall visualisering av studerad tid kan öka motivationen hos en högskolestudent att studera på högskola. I denna uppsats definieras studietillfällen som schemalagda föreläsningar och övningar, eller självorganiserade studiepass. Kopplingen mellan motivation och visualisering av tid lagt på träning i gym har tidigare undersökts. Vi bygger vidare på det och undersöker ifall det finns ett liknande samband med mängden tid nedlagd på studier och motivationen att studera vid högre utbildning. Frågan är av intresse för främst utvecklare av lärplattformar, då ifall att fallstudiens resultat skulle tyda på att visualisering av tid nedlagt på studier orsakar en ökad motivation skulle det vara värdefullt att implementera i lärplattformar. Vidare, är frågan av intresse för studenter eftersom det skulle kunna öka deras studiemotivation. Fallstudien inleddes med att 28 studenters motivation mättes, för att få fram ett referensvärde. Därefter fick studenterna under en tvåveckorsperiod dagligen logga den tid de lagt på studier. Utöver det fick studenterna dagliga uppdateringar med stapeldiagram som visuellt representerade den loggade tid de dagligen lade ner på sina studier. Därefter mättes deras motivation återigen, som sedan jämfördes med den inledande mätningen. Resultatet visade att det fanns en signifikant skillnad i två av de sju motivationsskalorna i “Academic Motivational Scale”, den inre motivationen att prestera och den yttre introjicerade motivationen. Detta styrker tidigare studier som visat en koppling mellan visualisering av en elevs nedlagda tid på avklarade moment och elevens prestation i skolan. / This case study aims to examine if a visualization of undergraduate students’ learning sessions can increase their motivation to study. Previous studies have shown that there is a correlation between motivation and visualization of time spent on, for example, training in gyms. Consequently, this case study aims to expand on this subject and examine if there is a similar correlation in time spent on studying and the motivation to study in higher educational settings. This question is mainly of interest for developers of learning management systems, such as online course platforms, since if the case study results show that there is an increase in motivation caused by a visualization of time spent studying it would be of value to implement in their learning management systems. Furthermore, this question is of interest for students since it could increase their motivation to study. The case study was initialised by measuring and evaluating 28 undergraduate students’ motivation, to calculate a reference value. The students were then asked to log their study sessions each day and they were given daily updates based on their loggings of their time spent studying during two weeks, with visual bar charts. The case study finished by re-evaluating the motivation of the students and comparing it to the initial measurement. The results showed that there was a significant difference in 2 of the 7 motivational categories of the employed “Academic Motivational Scale”, namely the intrinsic motivation towards accomplishment, and the extrinsic introjected motivation. This further validates previous studies which shows a connection between visualising a students total time spent on accomplished course modules.