A Comparison of Student Academic Motivations across Three Course Disciplines.

Intrinsic and extrinsic motivations of undergraduate students enrolled in human anatomy and physiology, physics, and nutrition courses were explored with course discipline-specific adapted versions of the Academic Motivation Scale. Information on students' study habits and efforts, and final course grades were also collected. Results revealed the adapted versions of the Academic Motivation Scale had comparable reliabilities to previous investigations, significant differences in motivations across the students enrolled in the three courses and significant influences of motivation on academic behaviors and course performance. In an attempt to understand what factors are related to the motivation of undergraduate students, how students' motivation may contribute to their success or failure in individual courses, as well as what can be done to increase their motivation, we undertook the current study. This project investigated students' intrinsic and extrinsic motivations, as well as amotivation, while enrolled in human anatomy and physiology (HAP), physics, and nutrition courses. These three classes enroll students across many different majors, which require these courses be taken as part of the curriculum. This provides an excellent opportunity to study differential student motivation and the impact of those differences on student academic behaviors and performance. Student motivation is a vital determinant of academic performance and achievement. It has been extensively studied in the context of global higher education. Deci and Ryan's (1985) self-determination theory (SDT) provides a theoretical framework for explaining student behavior through the understanding of student motivation. According to SDT, motivation should not be viewed as a unitary concept. Instead, SDT proposes a continuum composed of three types of motivation: intrinsic motivation (IM), extrinsic motivation (EM), and amotivation. Motivations along the continuum differ in the extent in which they are self-determined. Intrinsic motivation represents the most self-determined type of motivation, in which activities are accomplished for the sake of enjoyment. There are three subfactors within intrinsic motivation: intrinsic motivation to know (IM-To Know), intrinsic motivation toward accomplishments (IM-To Accomplish), and intrinsic motivation to experience stimulation (IM- Stimulation). IM-To Know arises when an individual engages in a behavior for the satisfaction