Academic research and student motivation

This article reports an investigation into the relationship between student perceptions of lecturer research and motivation to study at university. A 71-item, Likert-type questionnaire was completed by 100 Oxford Brookes Univ ersity final year undergraduates. The pattern of correlation between variab les together with the results of a factor analysis, suggests that a relatio nship exists between type of student motivation and attitude to faculty res earch. It is proposed that Intrinsic Motivation, and a specific form of Cou rse Competence are associated with positive attitudes to departmental resea rch activity while Extrinsic-, Social- and Achievement-oriented students ap pear to be indifferent, or to have negative attitudes towards research. In the light of the present findings, it is suggested that previously reported negative evaluations of research-active teachers may come from a subpopula tion of students who are extrinsically motivated and uninterested in commun ication with lecturers. Students in this group may avoid interaction with l ecturers, while such interaction is sought by intrinsically-motivated, cour se-competent students. In these circumstances, lecturer views on the value of research for teaching might well be biased by feedback from those studen ts who perceive it positively. It is noted that the present findings may ex plain how positive forms of student motivation can be enhanced.