Post-Implementation Motivational Profiles in a Digital Badge–Based Learning Environment: An Exploratory Person-Centered Analysis Using the SIMS Scale

Abstract

This exploratory study examined post-implementation motivational profiles among first-year university students in a digital badge-based learning environment. Grounded in Self-Determination Theory, the study adopted a person-centered approach using the Situational Motivation Scale (SIMS). Data were collected from 90 students after participation in a badge-based university integration module. Descriptive statistics, reliability analysis, and k-means clustering were conducted. Reliability analysis supported the retention of intrinsic motivation, identified regulation, and amotivation, whereas external regulation was excluded because of inadequate internal consistency. A three-cluster solution identified three distinct motivational profiles: highly self-determined, demotivated, and ambivalent. These findings indicate that students did not experience the badge-based learning environment uniformly. While many reported strong autonomous motivational orientations, others displayed less favorable or mixed motivational configurations. The results highlight the value of a person-centered approach for capturing motivational heterogeneity that would not be apparent from average scores alone. Rather than demonstrating a uniform motivational effect of digital badges, this study provides exploratory evidence that students may experience the same badge-based learning environment in different ways, emphasizing the importance of pedagogical design when implementing digital badge systems in higher education.    Received: 09 May 2026 / Accepted: 11 August 2026 / Published: September  2026