INTRINSIC MOTIVATION AND ONLINE LEARNING IN ELEMENTARY EDUCATION: A PHENOMENOLOGICAL MIXED METHODS APPROACH EXPLORING CHILDREN’S EXPERIENCES LEARNING ONLINE
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2023-05
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Abstract
Intrinsic motivation is a crucial factor for students’ learning and academic achievement and the initial drive for capturing students’ interest in learning and engagement in a particular subject. There is a relationship between motivation and learning in traditional schools (Brophy, 2010; Schunk et al., 2014); however, despite the fact that motivation serves as a critical determinant for academic learning, there is a lack of research about how intrinsic motivation affects elementary students’ online learning. Most of the research on traditional and online learning is based on self-determination theory, a theory of motivation. Studies of elementary students who are learning online are minimal and lack concrete examples of how students experience intrinsic motivation in distance learning.
This study aimed to investigate how elementary students experience intrinsic motivation while learning online. A mixed methods phenomenological approach was used, incorporating survey questionnaires and interviews with an art task for students to explore how they experience intrinsic motivation while learning online. The study involved 25 students in first grade through sixth grade in multiple subject classrooms attending a full-time online school in a single suburban school district. Students participated in a survey questionnaire and semi-structured interview, measuring the experience of intrinsic motivation according to questions. These questions were based on self-determination theory factors for motivation: autonomy, competency, and relatedness factors. The results from the study have the potential to provide valuable insights for educators teaching online with practical strategies to enhance motivation and academic achievement among elementary students in online learning environments.
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