Association Between Motivation and Self-Reported Use of Learning Strategies by Trainee Teachers

Association Between Motivation and Self-Reported Use of Learning Strategies by Trainee Teachers

Motivation is an internal force that energizes a person into action and gives it direction. Students in institutes of higher education have to self-regulate their learning behavior and so take responsibility for their own learning. They have to make decisions in ways which help them to accomplish their learning tasks. The level of academic motivation may play an important role in the way they attend to these learning tasks. This study examined whether there is any association between aspects of motivation and the self-reported use of learning strategies by student teachers in a teacher education course. Some positive relationship was found between the motivation variables and learning strategies. For example students who were learning goal oriented reported using more complex and deep level processing strategies like elaboration, organization, critical thinking and metacognitive self-regulation than students who are achievement goal oriented. Some suggestions for motivating students are proposed.