Motivation to learn and its relationship to academic achievement among students of basic Arabic schools in china

Published Online April 2019 in MECS DOI: 10.5815/ijmecs.2019.04.01

Many educators suffer from non- willingness of students to learn [1].This in turn worries educators because it eventually leads to low academic achievement, as it is our main concern to shed light on some aspects through which we can identify the level of students’ academic achievement [2, 3]

Motivation to learn is considered to be greatly important, as it is a prerequisite for the success of the educational process [4, 5]. It helps and moves students to achieve and accomplish, contributes in increasing efforts, energy, initiative, and perseverance of students, and it increases their ability to process information, which is reflected on their performance in the classroom, and this in turn leads to raising students interaction in the classroom and their academic achievement [6].

Clement, Dornyei and Noels [7] added that motivation is considered to be an effective learning factor that encourages students in their educational activities and leads to enabling them to choose the activity model that they desire to perform. Thus, it is a must to assist students in creating their motivation for learning what should be learnt [8]. Students should be also guided to realize the significance of their educational activities in order to be successful in their academic achievement [9,10].

• A.    Definition of Motive

Motive can be defined as a group of internal conditions that move individuals to fill a certain deficiency or need, whether biological, psychological or social [11]. Thus, the concept of motive is related to the concept of need, as need indicates change, decrease, or increase in the individuals’ situation, which causes tension and anxiety that motive seeks to eliminate and restores individuals to a state of balance and adaptation [12]. That is to say, the function of motive is to meet the needs of individuals and maintain their balance and compatibility in the external and internal environment [5].

Ryan and Deci [5] illustrated that motive has three main functions in terms of behavior, namely: moving, activating, and directing behavior, as well as maintaining its sustainability until the need is met and the balance is restored. The term motivation also refers to an internal psychological state that moves individuals to conduct a particular behavior in a specific direction to achieve a certain goal. In case individuals could not achieve such a goal, they feel distressed and tensioned until achieving it [13, 14].

Some researchers pointed out that motivation is not an abstract that can be directly observed, but it is a condition in the human being whose existence is shown in the behavior patterns observed. Thus, several behavior patterns may be constituted of a single motive. Moreover, dividing motivation into different motives does not imply that such motives are different from each other, as it is a state of tension that makes human being active [15].

• B.    Motivation to Learn

Psychological studies are concerned with motivation and the factors and circumstances that keep students motivated. The topic of motivation is considered complicated in terms of diverse parties concerned, either in terms of their requirements in the classroom and the appropriate educational methods that include educational learning experiences which stimulate students to get involved in the educational learning attitude on one hand, and the different psychological trends that are dealt with in the light of the intellectual vision of motivation on the other hand, whether through behavioral, cognitive, or human trends, or through analytical school of psychology. Therefore, motivation to learn can be defined in the light of its general concept as follows:

Biehler and Snowman [16] defined learning motivation as:" The internal or external state of learners that moves their behavior and claims and which makes them continue, and keep them going towards a specific goal or purpose."

• C.    The Relationship between Motivation and Academic Achievement

Most studies point out that motivation and encouragement stimulate students to achieve. It was also pointed out that children who are raised under high parental protection, have a higher learning motivation. In addition, challenges increase their ambition, stimulate their imagination and production, and increase their academic achievement [17,18,19].

On the other hand, learning motivation plays an important and influential role in raising the level of individuals performance and productivity in the various fields and activities that they experience, especially in the field of academic achievement. Moreover, differences in the academic achievement of students can be demonstrated by means of motivation level of students as most studies confirmed that the higher the level of learning motivation, the higher the academic achievement of students [20].

Academic achievement depends mainly on learning, education, orientation, and motivation. Murray [21] stated: "Motivation of learning is the constant desire to strive for success, to accomplish difficult tasks, to efficiently overcome obstacles, with the least amount of effort and time, and with the best level of learning." [22].

Furthermore, there are studies stressed the importance of motivation to learn in increasing academic achievement and success and found a fundamental relationship between motivation for learning and learning achievement [6] as motivation to learn is an internal situation of learners which moves their behavior and performance and directs them to achieve a specific goal, such as achieving the highest results that lead to success, so that success of the educational process depends on the effectiveness of the students and their motivation to learn [23]. Also, many studies claimed that student's academic achievement is important in order to enhance teaching and learning method, student needs assessment and students learning behavior [24,25].

As mentioned above, motivation is one of the most significant ways to achieve educational objectives because it is considered one of the key factors that help in gaining knowledge and understanding. It can be said that perhaps the most important principle in learning is the existence of motivation [26, 27].

• D.    The Relationship between Motivation and Learning

Motivation has a direct relationship with students behavior and their learning, as several useful impacts of motivation can be observed in students learning and behavior. Ames; Dev; Bester & Brand;

• -    Motivation moves behavior of students towards certain goals, hence motivation affects the choices of students.

• -    Motivation increases initiating and persisting on activities, so it creates in them the desire to continue and to persist in the performance of tasks, when obstacles takes place or when they become frustrated while they are performing such tasks.

• -    Motivation assists student to process information and affects the manner and quantity of processing information. Highly motivated Students are more attentive to the teacher, and thus acquires more information in short-term memory and long-term memory. Moreover, such highly motivated students seek help from the teacher or from other sources when they are in need as they attempt to acquire more knowledge, to be more focused on meaningful learning, and not to care about simply keeping information at the deaf level.

The academic achievement of students is not recognized without understanding their motivation to learn through a framework that asserts the goals of learners. In other words, it can be said that the academic achievement of students in the classroom is an indication of many factors, some of which are related to motivation and the other factors are related to the environmental conditions. This study intends to discover the relationship between motivation to learn and academic achievement of Arabic school students in china because of the scarcity of such studies in this respect. It specifically recognizes the characteristics affecting academic achievement of these students by their motivation of learning and not to forget to mention the cultural differences of these students in comparison to the Chinese culture. That is why this study is considered to be as one of the most important studies.

• E.    Aims of the Study

• •    The main aim of this study is to find the relationship between motivation to learn of students of basic Arabic schools and their academic achievement.

• •    Find the values of (R- square, β, T- value and F-value) by using regression analysis to predict the academic achievement through the motivation to learn.

• •    Identify whether there are any statistical significant differences between the research variables (Gender and Grade).

• II.    Methodology

• A.    Study Group

This correlational study covered all 242 students in the basic Arabic schools (106 males (44%) and 136 females (56%) for the 7th, 8th and 9th Grades in China. The age of the sample ranged from 13 to 16 years old. The random sampling technique was adopted to select the sample study.

• B.    Tool of the Research

The tool, which used in this study, based on many educational literatures and previous studies on the subject such as the study of Broussard and Ghenghesh [33, 34]. The exploratory study of the questionnaire has been done to verify its psychometric properties (validity and reliability) for 30 students. In order to validate the tool, it was presented to specialists and experts in the field.

Table 1. Validity of Questionnaire Items

Criterion validity was also studied to find out the correlation between the student's motivation to learn and their academic achievement. The correlation value is (0.613) which indicates that the increasing in student’s motivation to learn leads to the highest academic achievement of students.

Table 2. Criterion Validity of the Questionnaire

Pearson Correlation	Motivation score	Academic Achievement Score
Motivation score	1	0.613**
Academic Achievement Score	0.613**	1
Number of Students	30	30
** (ρ<0.01)

Cronbach’s alpha was calculated based on the four was (0.850) which is suitable and acceptable ratios for dimensions of the tool. The Cronbach’s alpha for whole the test.

dimensions was (α =0.846) and the Guttman Split-Half

Table 3. Reliability of the Questionnaire
Dimensions	No. of Items	Cronbach's Alpha(α)	Guttman Split-Half
1st dimension	10	0.743**	0.771**
2ed dimension	10	0.677**	0.723**
3rd dimension	10	0.600**	0.645**
4th dimension	10	0.707**	0.731**
Whole dimensions	40	0.846**	0.850**
** ( ρ<0.01)

• III.    Results and Discussion

Sekyere [35] who found that there is a significant correlation between achievement and motivation scores of the students. A study by Goldberg and Cornell [36] revealed statistically significant correlation between motivation and academic achievement. Mnyandu [37] found a significant positive correlation between motivation and learners’ achievement.

Table 4. Correlation among Dimensions of Motivation to learn and the Academic Achievement

Variables	Sharing with others	Effectiveness	Interest in school activity	Take responsibility	Academic Achievement	Whole Dimensions
Sharing with others	-
Effectiveness	.472**	-
Interest in school activity	.401**	.391**	-
Taking responsibility	.420**	.483**	.451**	-
Academic Achievement	.682**	.507**	.591**	.542**	-
Whole Dimensions	.743**	.806**	.720**	.766**	.755**	-
** (ρ<0.01)

Table 5 shows the mean score of academic achievement (M=79.314, SD= 9.091) and the mean scores for each of the four dimensions of motivation to learn which ranged from (36.099 to 39.645). The mean of the whole motivation dimensions was (M= 151.124, SD = 21.129), which indicates that students were motivated to learn and they displayed a high level of interest in school activity (M= 39.645, SD= 6.400).

Table 5. Mean and Standard Deviation of Motivation to learn and the Academic Achievement

Variables	Number of Participants= 242
	Mean	SD
Academic Achievement	79.314	9.091
Sharing with others	38.207	6.461
Effectiveness	37.174	8.295
Interest in school activity	39.645	6.400
Taking responsibility	36.099	6.577
Motivation to learn (whole dimensions)	151.124	21.129

In order to predict the academic achievement by motivation to learn, the regression analysis was used. The four dimensions of motivation to learn are tested as shown in (Table 6) and Fig 1,2,3,4,5. The results revealed that there is a positive relation between motivation to learn with academic achievement and the relationship is statistically significant. The F value clarifies the significance between the whole dimensions of motivation to learn and academic achievement (R Square = 0.570), (β = 0.755) and (F value = 318.349). So, it is possible to predict the academic achievement scores through the student’s motivation to learn. The values of the first dimension “sharing with others” is (R Square = 0.465), (β =0.682) and (T value =14.449). The second dimension “effectiveness” (R Square = 0.257), (β = 0.507) and (T value =9.108). The third dimension “interest in school activity” (R Square = 0.349), (β = 0.591) and (T value = 11.338). The fourth dimension “taking responsibility” (R Square = 0.294), (β = 0.542) and (T value = 9.989). From (Table 6) below T value clarifies the significance between each dimension of motivation to learn and academic achievement. So, there is a noticeable effect of motivation with all its dimensions on the academic achievement.

Fig.1. Prediction of the Academic Achievement through the Sharing with others

Y-axis (Achievement

Fig.2. Prediction of the Academic achievement through effectiveness

Fig. 3. Prediction of the Academic Achievement through the Interest in School Activity

Fig.4. Prediction of the Academic Achievement through Taking Responsibility

Fig.5. Prediction of the Academic Achievement through motivation to learn (whole dimensions)

Table 6. Regression Analysis for Prediction the Academic Achievement on the basis of Motivation to learn

Variables	R Square	β	T value	F value	ρ
Sharing with others	0.465	0.682	14.449***	ــــ	.000
Effectiveness	0.257	0.507	9.108***	ــــ	.000
Interest in school activity	0.349	0.591	11.338***	ــــ	.000
Taking responsibility	0.294	0.542	9.989***	ــــ	.000
Motivation to learn (whole dimensions)	0.570	0.755	ـــــ	318.349***	.000
*** (ρ<0.001)

Gender differences in motivation to learn were analyzed by using independent t- test and the results are presented in (Table 7 and Fig 6). As the means indicate, both males and females have scored high level in third dimension ‘Interest in school activity’ but the highest level was in favor of female students. There were statistically significant gender differences among the four dimensions. This finding concurred with studies of Ergene; Jegede; Jen & Yong; McCarthy & Widanski;

Table 7. The Difference between the Mean Scores of Academic Achievement and Motivation to learn of Male and Female Students

Dimensions	Gender      N         Mean          SD             T          DF        ρ
Sharing with others	Male        106            33.302           11.168        3.927 ***           240        .000 Female      136           37.889            6.894
Effectiveness	Male        106            32.802           14.871         2.686 **           240        .008 Female      136           36.588            6.199
Interest in school activity	Male        106            34.528            10.335        4.852 ***           240        .000 Female      136           40.015            7.235
Taking responsibility	Male       106           33.038           10.176        2.469 **          240        .010 Female      136           35.787            7.126
Overall	Male       106          129.189          43.457 4.443***          240        .000 Female      136          148.721           24.046
Achievement	Male       106           75.972           11.199 2.626**          240        .009 Female      136           79.257            8.257

(ρ<0.001) , ** (ρ≤0.01)

— ♦ — Male

— ■ — Female

Sharing with Effectiveness Interest in      Taking others                   school activity responsibility

• Fig.6.    Means of the Four Dimensions for Gender Variable

Table 8. The Difference between the Mean Scores of Motivation to learn and Academic Achievement according to the Grade Variable

Dimensions	Grade	N	Mean	SD		Sum of Squares	Mean Square	DF	F	ρ
Sharing with others	Seventh	96	37.312	5.643	Between Groups	213.616	106.808	2
	Eighth	78	39.512	7.977	Within Groups	9846.053	41.197	239	2.593	.077
	Ninth	68	37.971	5.356	Total	10059.669		241
Total		242	38.207	6.461
	Seventh	96	36.417	6.964	Between Groups	398.369	199.185	2
Effectiveness	Eighth	78	39.026	10.456	Within Groups	16184.341	67.717	239	2.931	.057
	Ninth	68	36.118	6.867	Total	16582.711		241
Total		242	37.174	8.295
Interest in school activity	Seventh	96	38.792	5.479	Between Groups	228.421	114.210	2
	Eighth	78	41.026	8.279	Within Groups	9643.017	40.347	239	2.831	.061
	Ninth	68	39.2647	4.752	Total	9871.438		241
Total		242	39.645	6.400
Taking responsibility	Seventh	96	35.438	6.138	Between Groups	108.729	54.365	2
	Eighth	78	36.051	7.178	Within Groups	10316.890	43.167	239	1.259	.286
	Ninth	68	37.088	6.429	Total	10425.620		241
Total		242	36.099	6.577
	Seventh	96	147.958	18.381	Between Groups	2567.221	1283.611	2
Overall	Eighth	78	155.615	25.368	Within Groups	105031.060	439.461	239	2.921	.056
	Ninth	68	150.441	18.682	Total	107598.281		241
Total		242	151.124	21.130
	Seventh	96	78.291	8.657	Between Groups	227.309	113.655	2
achievement	Eighth	78	80.590	9.741	Within Groups	19688.827	82.380	239	1.380	.254
	Ninth	68	79.294	8.862	Total	19916.132		241
Total		242	79.314	9.091

— ♦ —Seventh

— ■ — Eighth

—*— Ninth

others                     school responsibility activity

• Fig.7.    Means of the Four Dimensions for Grade Variable

• IV.    Conclusion

  In the current study, it has been found that there is a significant correlation between motivation to learn and academic achievement of the students’ scores for the last academic year (2017-2018). The study defined the predictive value of academic achievement through motivation to learn and through each dimension of motivation specifically “sharing with others”, “Effectiveness”, “Interest in school activity” and “Taking responsibility”.     Also, it has been recognized the

characteristics affecting academic achievement of these students by their motivation of learning. The study emphasizes that there are motives, which provide students with the needed strength to use the best methods to achieve the maximum potential to improve their scientific performance. The results revealed that the third dimension "Interest in school activity" was the most motivated for students (grade eighth).