A study of the on-line learning strategy predictors of motivation, as well as the difference between in-class and on-line learning strategy and motivation scores, among students enrolled in undergraduate courses at Dallas Baptist University (Texas).

摘要

Problem. The problem of this study was to determine the difference between in-class and on-line scores on six motivation and nine learning strategy components. It was further the problem of this study to identify the combination of on-line learning strategy components that most significantly predicted each of six motivation components.; Procedures. The population for this study consisted of all undergraduate students enrolled in at least one on-line or in-class course at Dallas Baptist University, Dallas, Texas, during the ten-week Summer 2003 semester. The Motivated Strategies for Learning Questionnaire (MSLQ), a self-report five-point Likert scale instrument, was administered to 463 in-class and 176 on-line students. The t-test for independent samples was used to calculate the differences between the two groups on six motivation and nine learning strategy components. Stepwise multiple regression analysis identified combinations of on-line learning strategy components that predicted each motivation component.; Findings and conclusions. A significant difference was found between the two groups on all six motivation components and all nine learning strategy components. These findings indicate that on-line students are more motivated to complete their coursework successfully, and that they utilize more highly developed learning strategies. Significant on-line learning strategy predictors were identified for each motivation component, indicating that the presence of certain combinations of learning strategies is predictive of motivation for on-line students.; The information from this study demonstrates the viability of on-line learning environments, and challenges both the church and institutes of higher education to reassess their educational paradigms. It suggests that the exploration of on-line learning could provide new, more effective ways of reaching people for Christ and teaching them in a Christ-centered academic environment.