A Novel Scale for Measuring Self-Determined Motivation in Online Learners

• In Event: Scale Development and Validation Across Diverse Educational Contexts

Abstract

Measuring online learner motivation is challenging without a scale developed specifically for that unique context. A novel motivation scale was created utilizing both qualitative scale development process and quantitative analysis. The scale examines the three factors of self-determination theory (autonomy, competence, and relatedness) measured through three online experiences that positively influence academic outcomes (faculty-student connections, sense of belonging, and clarity of structure). Expert reviewers and current undergraduates were recruited to revise items before field testing. 530 online college students completed the survey. Despite strong reliability estimates, the hypothesized three-factor model failed to offer acceptable correlations. A data-driven exploration approach proposed a two-factor model, relatedness and competence, that demonstrated strong model fit and satisfactory correlations. The final two-factor scale is shared.

Author

• Jerod Quinn, Stephens College