Abstract:

The goal of this study was to examine the relationship between students’ motivation for learning in an online course and their perceptions regarding the teacher’s role. Participants were 520 undergraduate students in a teacher education college who took asynchronous online courses and responded to a closed-ended questionnaire about motivation for learning (Duncan & McKeachie ,2005) and perceptions of the teacher’s role (Lee, 2011).

The findings reveal significant correlations between types of students' motivation and their perceptions of the teacher. Correlation analysis indicated a relationship between students’ type of motivation and their perceptions of the teacher’s role.

For students with high levels of Task value, Extrinsic goal orientation and Intrinsic goal orientation, perception of the teacher include filling pedagogical, technical, affective, and differentiating roles.

Students with high levels of self-efficacy and control of learning beliefs expect the teacher meet pedagogical and differentiating roles, and those with test anxiety – only affective and technological roles.

To further focus the results, regression analysis was performed for each type of motivation. This analysis yielded additional differences regarding the perceptions that students had of their teachers according to the different types of motivation.

The findings indicate that students’ perceptions of efficient and precise teaching differ in accordance with the type of motivation for pursuing an online course. In preparing courses, attention should be paid to these differences.

Reports of high dropout rates from these courses are proof of the importance of this study, especially in the time of this writing, with the Covid-19 pandemic.

References:
[1] Duncan, T. G., & McKeachie, W. J. (2005). The making of the motivated strategies for learning questionnaire. Educational Psychologist, 40, 117-128.‏
[2] Lee, D. Y. (2011). Korean and foreign students’ perceptions of the teacher’s role in a multicultural online learning environment in Korea. Education Technology Research and Development, 59, 913-935.

Keywords:

Online Learning, Motivation for learning, Teacher's role.