The influence of teaching motivations on student engagement in an online learning environment in China

Authors

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.14742/ajet.7280

Keywords:

teaching motivations, student intrinsic motivation, student extrinsic motivation, student engagement, online learning environment

Abstract

Given the importance of student engagement for educational success, it is essential to explore how teachers can stimulate student engagement in online learning environment. However, relatively little research drawing from self-determination theory has examined the links between teaching motivations and student engagement. To this end, this study was conducted to survey 414 Chinese college students’ perceptions of teaching motivations, their own intrinsic and extrinsic motivations during the learning process, as well as their engagement with online learning. The findings indicated that the survey had satisfactory validity and internal consistency. Structural equation model revealed the interrelationships between autonomy-supportive teaching motivations, controlling teaching motivations, student intrinsic and extrinsic motivations, and student engagement. The results showed that in online learning environments, autonomy-supportive teaching motivations and student intrinsic motivation were positively related to student engagement. Unexpectedly, controlling teaching motivations and student extrinsic motivation had no significant effect on student engagement. Moreover, the mediating effects of student intrinsic motivation including perceived autonomy, competence, and relatedness offered a deeper understanding of the association between autonomy-supportive teaching motivations and student engagement. The main findings and practical implications together are discussed in depth.

Implications for practice or policy:

  • Teachers could adopt autonomy-supportive teaching strategies and stimulate students’ intrinsic motivation as they have shown to be positive factors for student engagement.
  • Developers and educators could enhance student engagement through nurturing inner motivational resources in online learning environment.
  • Researchers could verify more factors that influence student engagement and clarify how they could be manipulated in future studies.

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Author Biographies

Qi Li, Northeast Normal University

Name: Qi Li
ORCID: 0000-0002-0045-8092
Job title: postgraduate student
Organization: Northeast Normal University, Changchun Jilin, China
Email address: liq410@nenu.edu.cn
Postal address: School of Information Science and Technology, Northeast Normal University, No. 2555, Jingyue Street, Changchun, Jilin, 130117, People’s Republic of China.

Qi Li is a postgraduate student from the School of Information Science and Technology, Northeast Normal University. Her research interests include student engagement and the educational measurement.

Jyh-Chong Liang, National Taiwan Normal University

Name: Jyh-Chong Liang
ORCID: 0000-0002-2423-5950
Title of the author: professor
Job title: PhD supervisor
Organization: National Taiwan Normal University, Taipei, Taiwan
Email address: aljc@ntnu.edu.tw
Postal address: Program of Learning Sciences, National Taiwan Normal University, #162, Section 1, Heping East Road, Taipei 10610, Taiwan

Jyh-Chong Liang is a professor from the Program of Learning Sciences at National Taiwan Normal University, Taiwan. His research interests deal with scientific epistemological beliefs, conceptions of and approaches to learning science, Web information assessment and online peer assessment.

Xingzhu Pan, Northeast Normal University

Name: Xingzhu Pan
Job title: postgraduate student
Organization: Northeast Normal University, Changchun Jilin, China
Email address: panxz537@nenu.edu.cn
Postal address: School of Information Science and Technology, Northeast Normal University, No. 2555, Jingyue Street, Changchun, Jilin, 130117, People’s Republic of China

Xingzhu Pan is a postgraduate student from the School of Information Science and Technology, Northeast Normal University. Her research interest is teacher education.

Wei Zhao, Northeast Normal University

Name: Wei Zhao
Title of the author: professor
Job title: PhD supervisor
Organization: Northeast Normal University, Changchun Jilin, China
Email address: zhaow577@nenu.edu.cn
Postal address: School of Information Science and Technology, Northeast Normal University, No. 2555, Jingyue Street, Changchun, Jilin, 130117, People’s Republic of China.

Wei Zhao is a professor and postgraduate tutor from the School of Information Science and Technology, Northeast Normal University. Her research direction is virtual learning environment.

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Published

2022-10-02

How to Cite

Li, Q., Jiang, Q., Liang, J.-C., Pan, X., & Zhao, W. (2022). The influence of teaching motivations on student engagement in an online learning environment in China. Australasian Journal of Educational Technology, 38(6), 1–20. https://doi.org/10.14742/ajet.7280

Issue

Vol. 38 No. 6 (2022): AJET

Section

Articles

License

Copyright (c) 2022 Qi Li, Qiang Jiang, Jyh-Chong Liang, Xingzhu Pan, Wei Zhao

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This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International License.

Articles published in the Australasian Journal of Educational Technology (AJET) are available under Creative Commons Attribution Non-Commercial No Derivatives Licence (CC BY-NC-ND 4.0). Authors retain copyright in their work and grant AJET right of first publication under CC BY-NC-ND 4.0.

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