The Importance Of Self-Motivation In Education

Student self-motivation has been viewed as a crucial factor affecting learning in education field (Lim, 2004). Self-regulated learning requires changing roles of students from passive learners to active learners. Unlike traditional classroom instruction, online learning is student-centred and much self-directed effort is required for success (Artino, 2007). Self-motivation is defined as the self-generated energy that gives behaviour direction toward a particular goal (Zimmerman, 1985, 1994). Psychology defines motivation as “the process that initiates, guides and maintains goal-oriented behaviours. In other words, motivation is something causes us to act, whether it is eating a bowl of rice to reduce hunger or reading a book to obtain knowledge.”

However, the central idea underlying it is similar, which is about motivation and learning strategies that students utilize to achieve their 30 learning goals. Based on Chun Kuo (2010) as cited by Zimmerman (1989), self-regulated learning is defined as the degree to which students are metacognitively, motivationally, and behaviorally active participants in their own learning. A combination of cognitive, metacognitive, motivational and behavioral processes is needed in the pursuit of learning goals. Cognitive processes refer to the strategies that learners use to attain or comprehend knowledge or information. Metacognitive processes involve learners’ ability to set up plans, schedules, or goals to monitor or evaluate their learning progress. Motivational processes indicate that learners are self-motivated and willing to take responsibility for their successes or failures. Behavior consists of seeking help from others to optimize learning (Zimmerman & Martinez-Pons, 1986, 1988). Self-regulated learning assumes a reciprocal causation among personal, behavioral, and environmental influence processes (Zimmerman, 1989). Pintrich, a leading researcher in self-regulated learning, addresses self-regulation in terms of cognition, motivation, behavior, and context, in line with the definition of self-regulation from Zimmerman (1989). Pintrich and his colleagues have conducted

Similar to Schunk’s (2005) definitions of metacognitive and cognitive processes in self-directed learning, cognitive strategies focus on student use of strategies by which to process information or knowledge gained from lectures or textbooks. Metacognitive strategies involve the strategies that students use to monitor or control their own cognition, such as goal planning or the monitoring of one’s comprehension. They are measured by two subscales: planning and monitoring. Resource management refers to one’s ability to manage time, effort, or resources, and is measured by four subscales, which are time and study environment management, effort management, peer learning, and help-seeking (Pintrich et al., 1993). The learning strategies construct is aligned with performance or volitional control phase and self-reflection phase in a three-step self-regulation cycle proposed by Zimmerman