Academic Motivation, Self-Regulated Learning, and Academic Engagement of Students in Colleges of Education in the Upper West Region

Abstract

Being academically motivated is crucial for students in any academic field. It enables them to use self-regulated learning methods and actively participate in their studies, thus increasing their chances of academic success. The research thus explored the academic motivation, self-regulated learning, and academic engagement among students attending Colleges of Education in the Upper West Region. Employing the positivist paradigm and the quantitative approach, the study utilised a correlational research design. The multi-stage sampling method was adopted to sample 274 students from 951 in their second year in Colleges of Education. Data was collected using the adapted version of established scales: the College Edition of the Academic Motivation Scale (AMS) developed by Vallerand (1992), the Taiwanese Short Self-Regulation Questionnaire (TSSRQ) validated by Chen and Len (2018), and the University Student Engagement Inventory (USEI) validated by Assuncao et al. (2020). The data was analysed using Pearson r, multiple linear regression and independent sample t-test. The study's findings indicated that academic motivation and academic engagement were significantly related. However, there was no significant relationship found between self-regulated learning and academic motivation or academic engagement. It was also revealed that programme of study did not significantly predict academic motivation, self-regulated learning, and academic engagement. The study recommended that Principals and tutors within Colleges of Education in the Upper West Region should aim at creating a conducive learning environment and employ effective instructional approaches that enhance the cultivation of academic motivation, self-regulated learning, and academic engagement for students.