The effect of learning motivation factors on the learning performance of Islamic Azad University students

Academic Thesis for Master's Degree Field: Executive Management Direction: Strategic

Abstract

The purpose of this research is to investigate the relationship between learning motivation factors and learning performance among master's students of the Islamic Azad University of Gilan Science and Research Unit. The statistical population of this research includes 422 students in 5 fields of study at Gilan University of Science and Research in 2013. A statistical sample of 243 people was selected as non-probability sampling. The research scales include the learning performance questionnaire of Yang, Clems and Murphy [1] (2003) including 5 questions and the questionnaire of learning motivation factors by Kashif, Ayaz, Raza and Hamid [2] (2013) including 5 dimensions of learning motivation and 26 questions and a questionnaire of demographic variables made by the researcher. The reliability of the mentioned questionnaires was 0.80 and 0.81 respectively. The results of step-by-step regression analysis showed that the dimensions of professors' performance, learning facilities and students' personality are positively able to predict students' learning performance, and the standard regression coefficients obtained are 0.36, 0.18 and 0.12, respectively. Also, there is a significant difference between students' learning performance by GPA, and students with higher GPA have shown higher learning performance (p<0.05). According to the results obtained regarding the significant role of professors' performance and learning facilities on students' learning performance, it is recommended that university administrators as well as higher education planners pay more attention to professors' performance and learning facilities. Keywords: learning motivation, students' personality, professors' performance, peer influence, family support and participation, learning facilities, learning performance [1]. Young, Klemz & Murphy

[2] . Kashif, Ayyaz, Raza, & Hamid

Introduction

In students' learning, motivation is one of the most important issues and topics; In fact, some experts consider motivation as one of the primary responsibilities of teachers and trainers. Motivation is often the most important condition for learning, and its importance is often greater than general intelligence. It has been seen many times that students who are very similar in terms of academic ability and talent, in other words, overall intelligence, have great differences in academic progress. In fact, motivated students are eager to learn. Even the best internship program and organized training will not work in the absence of "motivation" in students. There are still people who already have signs of motivation; These people have spontaneity with them from the beginning of their life to the end of their life. Motivation is one of the characteristics of every living being, but it is seen in cases where learners do not like what they do to be according to the wishes of teachers or trainers. Therefore, rather than playing the role of motivation, the coach and professor plays the role of controlling the motivation of the learners and driving the motivation to learn a task or a special task, that is, their attention is drawn somehow.  Motivation is an internal force that directs people's energy to perform a serious activity in a certain way. Sometimes the motivation is instinctive and sometimes it is derived from a logical decision. In fact, motivation is a combination of both, to some extent it is instinctive, unthoughtful and to some extent it is logical and thought out, often it is self-centered and in the service of a person. Motivation is goal-directed and selective, motivation guides learners to complete work and assess understanding of a desired objective. It also determines how to do the work or task and through that, the person is able to determine the priorities. Motivations are a powerful force in the learning process. People usually refer to it as learning when they achieve a certain ability, and generally when they are able to express an answer, they say that they have learned that subject. But the scientific definition of learning is not as easy as the above comments. From a behavioral point of view, learning is defined as an activity that affects the next and future activities of a person, and the condition of learning is to make changes in the future. Therefore, all that has been learned may not be revealed at the moment and may remain potentially in the learner to be used when necessary. Actual occurrence of learning is called performance.. Since our current behavior and reactions are the result of our past learning and experiences, learning is sometimes defined as a process that produces a relatively permanent change in our behavior, that is, our ability and efficiency are the result of our past interactions with the environment. During the last two decades, education experts have paid more attention to learning and the factors affecting it, because learning strategies are particularly important in preparing for a successful entry into school and university (Semroud and Klikman, 2006). In general, several factors can affect students' learning performance. The current research aims to determine the effect of learning motivation factors on the learning performance of students in the Islamic Azad University of Gilan Science and Research Unit in 2013 and has been described in five chapters. In the first chapter, while stating the research problem, an overview of the research including the importance and value of the research, objectives and hypotheses of the research and finally the definitions of key words are presented; In fact, the goal is to provide a summary of the entire research to be able to deal with the next chapters with a general view of the research. In the second chapter, the theoretical and research literature on the subject under review is discussed. The third chapter is dedicated to the research methodology and in that research method, population and statistical sample, used tools and information analysis methods are presented; In the fourth chapter, the results of research hypotheses are presented, and finally, in the fifth chapter, the findings obtained in this research are discussed and research limitations and research and practical suggestions are presented at the end of this chapter.                                                                                                                     

1-2- Description and expression of the research problem

Learning forms the basis of human behavior, so that human competencies are acquired through learning during life (Nabawi and Asgarian, 2013). Learning is a relatively stable process in a person's potential behavior, which is obtained through experience (Haqjoy and Mansoorian, 2009). It may be safe to say that the most important principle of human life is learning because from birth to the end, you are faced with various learning processes (Hosseini Shahidi et al., 2004). It can affect the learning performance. It examines the dimensions of learning results such as the evaluation of personal knowledge, skills and willingness to learn more (Martin, 2006) defined the evaluation of personal knowledge as follows: knowing what knowledge we have and how to use it to achieve goals (Martin, 2006). Desirable with others and interested in establishing friendly relations with others (Yang et al., 2003). Based on the studies conducted, there is a positive relationship between the learning performance used by students and their academic success (Gorden, 2009). In fact, the weakness in learning performance and the lack of skills and desire to learn in students will have a significant impact on their success, so that the weakness in the necessary skills in university graduates on the increasing rate of unemployment is a clear evidence of this claim (Ashtab, 2012). Therefore, the importance of the role of learning performance in universities and higher education institutions has doubled the need to identify the factors affecting it; One of the variables that is predicted to play a role in students' learning performance is the level of learning motivation, which itself is the result of various factors. Motivation shows the reasons for people's behavior and explains why they act in a certain way. Motivated behavior is a behavior with energy, directed and followed (Omidian, 2006). From an educational point of view, motivation is a multifaceted structure that is related to learning and academic progress (Mahmoudi, 2006). If we can correctly outline the conditions of students' preparation for learning, we have taken a big step towards providing suitable solutions in the matter of learning (Haqjoy and Mansourian, 2019).