Motivational factors of teacher education college students: Examining the relationships with academic, personal, and social variables

Abstract

This study investigates the dominant motivational factors influencing student learning and their associations with academic, personal, and social variables among teacher education students at Capiz State University Sigma Satellite College. Employing a convergent parallel mixed-methods design, the research concurrently utilized quantitative and qualitative approaches to capture both the breadth and depth of students’ motivational orientations. Specifically, the study aimed to determine the students’ socio-demographic profiles, assess the level and ranking of five core motivational constructs, relationships, effort, aspiration, cognition, and heart, and explore the significance of these factors in shaping student experiences. Quantitative data were gathered through a structured, validated questionnaire and analyzed using descriptive statistics and Spearman’s rank-order correlation to examine associations with selected demographic variables. Qualitative responses, collected via open-ended prompts, were subjected to Braun and Clarke’s six-phase thematic analysis. Results indicated that relational motivation anchored in goal-setting, emotional reinforcement, and self-directed progress emerged as a key driver of student engagement. While external motivators such as peer recognition had some impact, intrinsic motivational factors were more influential in sustaining academic involvement. Qualitative insights corroborated these findings, revealing themes related to emotional support, peer influence, time management, and goal clarity. The study adhered to ethical research protocols, ensuring informed consent, confidentiality, and voluntary participation. Findings underscore the need for higher education institutions to foster emotionally supportive and goal-oriented learning environments. Such settings not only enhance academic motivation but also contribute to holistic student development, supporting persistence and resilience in both academic and socio-personal contexts.