Student motivation in learning and perceptions of online teachers

Abstract

The goal of this study was to examine the relationship between students’ motivation for learning in an online course and their perceptions regarding the teacher’s role. 520 undergraduate students at a college participated in asynchronous online courses and responded to a closed-ended questionnaire about their motivation for learning and their expectations regarding the teacher’s role in online courses. The study’s findings indicate significant relationships between the students' different types of motivation for learning in the online course and their perception of the teacher's role in these courses. For example, students with high levels of self-efficacy and control over their learning beliefs expect the teacher to meet their pedagogical and differentiating roles. However, students with high levels of test anxiety expect the teacher to meet affective and technological needs. Therefore, when preparing online courses, these differences must be taken into account and teachers must carefully consider how they fulfill their role. For example, if teachers focus solely on the pedagogical role, it is likely to negatively affect the success of students facing high levels of anxiety. However, teachers who primarily promote affective social interactions will disappoint another group of students.  Enhancing teachers’ awareness of the association between students’ motivation and their expectations of their teachers could help teachers plan their courses to best meet their students’ needs and perhaps reduce dropping out.