EXPLORING IMPACT OF STUDENTS' SATISFACTION WITH THEIR COLLEGE MAJOR ON MOTIVATION AND ACADEMIC OUTCOMES IN CHINA
Keywords:
Study satisfaction, Study motivation, Academic outcomesAbstract
The current study aims to explore how college students' satisfaction with their major field learning could positively influence their study motivation on courses related to their major, and also improve the students' academic outcome. Approximately 200 junior and senior Chinese college students participated in the survey for processing current study, and have voluntarily completed the questionnaires concerning study satisfaction and motivation. Although most of the previous researches indicated the correlation was positive between study satisfaction and study motivation, as well as between study satisfaction and academic outcome, the overall results of current study have only found the positive correlation not only between study satisfaction and study motivation, but also between study satisfaction and academic outcomes. However, the former one is stronger than the latter one. Specifically, the degree of junior students' satisfaction with their major field learning was higher than the senior students', but the academic outcomes were lower than the senior students. According to these results, it could be assumed that the students' satisfaction with their major field learning is highly useful to explain whether the educational quality provided by the major program guide the students’ future career planning and well-being.References
[1] Howard G S, Maxwell E. Correlation between student satisfaction and grades: A case of mistaken causation? Journal of Educational Psychology, 1980, 72(6): 810-820.
[2] Wiers-Jenssen J, Stensaker B, Grogaaard J B. Student satisfaction: towards an empirical deconstruction of the concept. Quality in Higher Education, 2002, 8(2): 183-195.
[3] Morstain B. An analysis of students' satisfaction with their academic program. The Journal of Higher Education, 1977, 48(1): 1-16.
[4] Suhre C J M, Jansen E P W A, Harskamp E G. Impact of degree program satisfaction on the persistence of college students. Higher Education, 2007, 54: 207-226.
[5] Elliott K M, Shin D. Student satisfaction: an alternative approach to assessing this important concept. Journal of Higher Education Policy and Management, 2002, 24(2): 197-209.
[6] Nafziger D H, Holland J L, Gottfredson G D. Student-college congruency as a predictor of satisfaction. Journal of Counseling Psychology, 1975, 22(2): 132-139.
[7] Guan G, Shiye M, Liu J, et al. Relationship between satisfaction with major, academic performance, and congruence. 2006.
[8] Churchill G A. An investigation into the determinants of customer satisfaction. Journal of Marketing Research, 1982, 19(4): 491-504.
[9] Aitken N. College student performance, satisfaction and retention: Specification and estimation of a structural model. The Journal of Higher Education, 1982, 53(1): 32-50.
[10] Sirgy M J, Grzeskowiak S, Rahtz D. Quality of College Life (QCL) of Students: Developing and Validating a Measure of Well-Being. Social Indicators Research, 2007, 80(2): 343-360.
[11] Yu G, Lee D G. A Model of Quality of College Life (QCL) of Students in Korea. Social Indicators Research, 2008, 87(2): 269-285.
[12] Albaili M. Differences among low-average and high-achieving college students on learning and study strategies. Educational Psychology, 1997, 17(1): 171-193.
[13] Logue T L, Lounsbury J W, Leong F T L. Vocational interest themes and personality traits in relation to college major satisfaction of business students. Journal of Career Development, 2007, 33(3): 269-295.
[14] Krapp A, Hidi S, Renninger K A. Interest, learning, and Development. In Renninger K A, Hidi S, Krapp A (Eds.), The Role of Interest in Learning and Development, Hillsdale, NJ: Erlbaum, 1992: 3-25.
[15] Schiefele U. Interest, learning, and motivation. Educational Psychologist, 1991, 26(3): 299-323.
[16] Deci E L. The relation of interest to the motivation of behavior: a self-determination theory perspective. In Renninger K A, Hidi S, Krapp A (Eds.), The Role of Interest in Learning and Development, Hillsdale, NJ: Erlbaum, 1992: 43-70.
[17] Schiefele U. Interest and learning from text. Scientific Studies of Reading, 1999, 3(3): 257-279.
[18] Ralston C A, Borgen F H, Rottinghaus P J, et al. Specificity in interest measurement: Basic Interest Scales and major field of study. Journal of Vocational Behavior, 2004, 65(2): 203-216.
[19] Schiefele U, Krapp A, Winteler A. Interest as a predictor of academic achievement: A meta-analysis of research. In Renninger K A, Hidi S, Krapp A (Eds.), The Role of Interest in Learning and Development, Hillsdale, NJ: Erlbaum, 1992: 183-211.
[20] Wigfield A, Cambria J. Students' achievement values, goal orientations, and interest: definitions, development, and relations to achievement outcomes. Developmental Review, 2010, 30(1): 1-35.
[21] Pintrich P R, Schunk D. Motivation in Education: Theory, Research, and Applications (2nd ed.). Upper Saddle River, NJ: Prentice-Hall, Inc., 2002.
[22] Bolles R C. Theory of Motivation. New York: Harper & Row, 1967.
[23] Pintrich P. A motivational science perspective on the role of student motivation in learning and teaching contexts. Journal of Educational Psychology, 2003, 95: 667-686.
[24] Csikszentmihalyi M, Nakamura J. The Dynamics of intrinsic motivation: a study of adolescents. In Ames C, Ames R (Eds.), Motivation in Education, Vol. 3, San Diego, CA: Academic Press, 1989: 45-71.
[25] Sansone C, Harackiewicz J M. Intrinsic and Extrinsic Motivations: The Research for Optimal Motivation and Performance. San Diego, CA: Academic Press, 2000.
[26] Eccles J S, Wigfield A. Motivational beliefs, values, and goals. Annual Review of Psychology, 2002, 53(1): 109-238.
[27] Baumeister R, Leary M. The need to belong: Desire for interpersonal attachments as a fundamental human motivation. Psychological Bulletin, 1995, 117(3): 497-529.
[28] Bandura A. Self-efficacy: The Exercise of Control. New York: Freeman, 1997.
[29] Ryan R M, Deci E L. Self-determination theory and facilitation of intrinsic motivation, social development, and well-being. American Psychologist, 2000, 55: 68-78.
[30] Austin J T, Vancouver B. Goal Constructs in Psychology. Psychological Bulletin, 1996, 120(3): 338-375.
[31] Blumenfeld P C. Classroom learning and motivation: Clarifying and expanding goal theory. Journal of Educational Psychology, 1992, 84: 272-281.
[32] Elliott E S, Dweck S. Goals. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 1988, 54(1): 5-12.
[33] Heyman G, Dweck S. Achievement goals and intrinsic motivation: Their relation and their role in adaptive motivation. Motivation and Emotion, 1992, 16: 231-247.
[34] Wentzel K R. What Is It That I'm Trying to Achieve? Classroom Goals from a Content Perspective. Contemporary Educational Psychology, 2000, 25(1): 105-115.
[35] Meece J L, Glienke B B, Burg S. Gender and motivation. Journal of School Psychology, 2006, 44(5): 351-373.
[36] Maehr M. Culture and achievement motivation. International Journal of Psychology, 2008, 43(5): 917-918.
[37] Salili F. A model of culture and achievement behavior. In Kaplan A, Karabenick S, De Groot E (Eds.), Culture, Self, and Motivation: Essays in Honor of Martin L. Maehr, Charlotte, NC: Information Age Publishing, 2009: 183-212.
[38] Donohue T, Wong E. Achievement motivation and college satisfaction in traditional and nontraditional students. Education, 1997, 118(2): 237-243.
[39] Borden V M H. Segmenting student markets with a student satisfaction and priorities survey. Research in Higher Education, 1995, 36(1): 73-88.
[40] Cha K. Subjective Well-Being Among College Students. Social Indicators Research, 2003, 62(1): 455-477.
[41] Vansteenkiste M, Zhou M, Lens W, et al. Experiences of Autonomy and Control Among Chinese Learners. Journal of Educational Psychology, 2005, 97(3): 468-483.
[42] Wu Y, Sun I, Cretacci M. A study of cadets' motivation to become police officers in China. International Journal of Police Science & Management, 2009, 11(3): 377-392.
[43] Martin A J. The relationship between teachers' perceptions of student motivation and engagement and teachers' enjoyment of and confidence in teaching. Asia-Pacific Journal of Teacher Education, 2006, 34(1): 73-93.
[44] Dewey J. Interest and Effort in Education. Boston: Houghton Mifflin, 1913.
[45] Hawkins J N. Issues of Motivation in Asian education. In O'Neil H F, Drillings M (Eds.), Motivation Theory and Research, Hillsdale, NJ: Erlbaum, 1994: 101-115.
[46] Linnenbrink E, Pintrich P. Motivation as an enabler for academic success. The School Psychology Review, 2002, 31: 313-327.
[47] Martin A J, Dowson M. Interpersonal Relationships, Motivation, Engagement, and Achievement: Yields for Theory, Current Issues, and Educational Practice. Review of Educational Research, 2009, 79(1): 327-365.
[48] Pintrich P R, Smith D A, Garcia T, et al. Reliability and predictive validity of the Motivated Strategies for Learning Questionnaire (MSLQ). Educational and Psychological Measurement, 1993, 53(3): 801-813.
[49] Schmidt S L, Debebec K, Comm C L. Marketing majors' satisfaction with their college experience: Implications for strategic planning in marketing departments. Journal of Management Education, 1984, 9(3): 58-63.
[50] Skinner E A. A guide to constructs of control. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 1996, 71: 549-570.
[51] Tranberg M, Slane S, Ekeberg S E. The Relation between Interest Congruence and Satisfaction: A Metaanalysis. Journal of Vocational Behavior, 1993, 42(3): 253-264.
[52] Wentzel K R, Wigfield A. Academic and Social Motivational Influences on Students' Academic Performance. Educational Psychology Review, 1998, 10(2): 155-175.