Undergraduates Who Can See the Future Study Harder: Academic Motivation, Mentorship, and Future Possible Selves

• In Event: 58.071 - Developing Successful Mentoring Programs for Academic Success

Abstract

This study explored the role of mentors associated with college students’ various academic motivations as described by Vallerand et al. (1992). We sought to connect the construct of mentoring to college students’ academic motivation using the construct of imagined future self. Data came from online responses of 498 undergraduates. Structural equation modeling was used to test a model of the relations between mentor and academic motivation variables. A measure of possible future self in disciplinary practice was a moderator between mentor and motivation variables. Result showed that when students perceive they have mentoring available and when they can envision a discipline-related possible future self, it contributed significantly to their academic motivations. Implications are drawn for designing opportunities for mentoring for undergraduates.

Authors

• Hyung-Sok (Nathan) Choe, The University of Texas - Austin

• John Park, The University of Michigan at Ann Arbor

• Diane L. Schallert, The University of Texas - Austin