Abstract:

Introduction:
Positive correlation between digital learning and learning motivation among university students has been widely discovered yet there is a lack of literatures highlighting the effect of digital learning towards learning motivation in medical education. Hence, this study investigates the effect of digital learning on learning motivation among medical students in Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia (UKM).

Method:
A modified Students Motivation towards Science Learning (SMTSL) was used to assess the learning motivation of 150 UKM medical students throughout Year 1-5.

Results:
There was a positive correlation between digital learning usage and learning motivation score. Analysis also showed that the effect of digital learning usage on learning motivation scores was significant. Post hoc Bonferroni test indicated that the mean score for the students who use digital learning tools less than once a week was significantly different compared to the students who use digital learning tools more than 5 times per week.

Discussion:
This study suggests that high levels of digital learning usage does influence learning motivation, but if students do not rely on digital learning, it will have the same effect on learning motivation. However, it should be noted that the usage should be high in order to see an effect. Lower frequency of usage does not appear to significantly indicate higher learning motivation.

Conclusion:
Medical educators should develop suitable methods of digital education to maximise digital learning usage to enhance the learning motivation of medical students, which is in line with the 4th Industrial Revolution; to make higher education technologically sustainable.

Keywords:

Digital learning, learning motivation, medical students, medical education, 4th Industrial Revolution.