Motivation Factors Attributed to Engaging

in Online Studies Amongst Public University

Students

Balan Rathakrishnan1(B) , Soon Singh Bikar Singh1 , Mohd Fahmi Ghazali2 ,

Azizi Yahaya1 , Noor Hassline Mohammed1 , and Mohammad Rahim Kamaluddin3
1 Faculty of Psychology and Education, Universiti Malaysia Sabah, 88400 Kota Kinabalu,
Sabah, Malaysia
{rbhalan,soonbs,azizi.yahaya,hassline}@ums.edu.my
2 Centre of Global Business and Digital Economy, Faculty of Economics and Management,
Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia, 43600 Bangi, Selangor, Malaysia
fahmi@ukm.edu.my
3 Centre for Research in Psychology and Human Well-Being, Faculty of Social Sciences and
Humanities, Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia, 43600 Bangi, Selangor, Malaysia
rahimk@ukm.edu.my

Abstract. This research study investigated the engagement and motivation levels
amongst young adults of different genders from a public university, with regards
to engaging in online studies. The data was obtained through the use of a ques-
tionnaire, where a total of 190 public university students in Sabah participated.
This study revealed three major outcomes attributed to the motivation levels to
engage in online studies. Firstly, there were no significant differences in online
learning factors between both male and female students. Secondly, there was a
significant relationship between the motivation and engagement factors attributed
to online learning amongst the young adults in the public university. Thirdly, it
was found that motivation helps predict the engagement outcomes in online learn-
ing amongst these young adults. This research contributed to the understanding of
online studies, and how it helps students be well prepared in future digital learning
environments.

Keywords: Engagement online study · Motivation · Adolescent

1 Introduction
Over the past decade, there have been many topics on the motivation and engagement
factors associated with online studies. The internet has been a powerful global tool, which
has become an essential aspect of life for many people. It is a mechanism that initiates,
directs, and preserves goal-oriented activities along with the principles of motivation.
If having a plate of food to alleviate hunger, or reading a book to acquire wisdom, it
essentially represents what prompts you to act in that particular situation. Motivation
involves biological, emotional, social, and cognitive forces, that activate a particular
behaviour.

© The Author(s), under exclusive license to Springer Nature Switzerland AG 2022

M. Al-Emran et al. (Eds.): ICETIS 2021, LNNS 299, pp. 217–226, 2022.
https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-82616-1_20
218 B. Rathakrishnan et al.

The internet has provided better access to learning, convenience, and flexibility, to
help support educational opportunities. Technology has enabled learning, which can
be done from any part of the world. Amidst the COVID-19 pandemic, Malaysians,
alongside the global community, also struggled in the fight against the deadly virus. The
pandemic has indeed highlighted the importance of online learning platform to provide
uninterrupted access to study materials.
However, online learning is challenging, as not everyone will agree on this option
over a long period. Recently, there was a case in Sabah which caught Malaysians by
surprise, when a young student had to climb trees to get online access for her e-learning
class. After a few days, the internet service provider arrived at the subject’s house to
connect the internet. As we can see, students’ motivation to gain access to knowledge is
high, and it can be correlated to online learning platforms.
Online learning has been introduced for some time now, and it is now being used
worldwide, especially in e-learning education platforms. The problem to highlight here
is the motivation and engagement relationship in the e-learning process. There is a high
correlation toward motivation, be it intrinsic or extrinsic, with regards to the student’s
engagement in online learning. Since the events that occurred during COVID-19, the
world has changed, including Malaysia’s learning system. When online learning is avail-
able to students at home, it is a challenge for them to gain access to the internet, as certain
students have limited access to it.
Online educators and teachers have been involved in the effort to promote the effi-
ciency of interactions and communications, in order to resolve the issue. However, it
can be challenging and stressful to keep students involved in interactions and commu-
nication, without motivating them, especially in learning environments where physical
contact and natural communication are missing [1]. Therefore, this is a very challenging
and demanding task for the student, as not everyone is born with a silver spoon. There-
fore, this study aims to determine the levels of motivation and engagement in online
learning amongst the students. Furthermore, it is also intended to determine if there
is a significant difference between genders with regards to online learning, as well as
motivation and engagement factors amongst them. Lastly, this study aims to determine
if the motivation factor can also predict public university students’ engagement in online
learning.

2 Literature Review
There have been various studies associated with gender differences with regards to tech-
nology use, which caters to the fact that men are more likely to use technology and new
media than women [2]. This shows that male students are more likely to engage in online
learning than face-to-face classes. So far, there is no empirical evidence for the presence
and impact of online learning, and the few available academic findings are often quite
contradictory. One position claimed that there were gender-specific patterns of actions,
which may contribute to sexism against women, for using e-learning platforms. Another
argued that e-learning especially benefits women through its versatile and immersive
learning approach. There is evidence that men and women show differing degrees of
anxiety, acceptance, and interest over time in emerging technologies [2]. Since online
 Motivation Factors Attributed to Engaging in Online Studies 219

learning is still relatively new to some students, both females and males are anxious
and worried about their progress and learning regarding the tasks and assignments. Men
tend to give longer and more frequent statements, while women show more openness
and willingness to cooperate in online learning. Even though it is not easy to adapt to
technology for some people, both genders are seen to be motivated to try new things,
especially for online learning.
The relationship between motivation and engagement is often reported, as this rela-
tionship significantly influences learning. Young people with adaptive motivational atti-
tudes towards education, are inspired to learn and master new content, have a strong
sense of interaction with their school or classroom, and seem to be much more aca-
demically capable [3]. This is supported by [4], who stated that both engagement and
motivational attitudes in schools are related to academic achievement, attendance, class-
room behaviour, and even graduation rates. Students’ motivation to learn, successfully
participate in learning activities, and persist in challenging circumstances when learning
independently and/or being in a class are subjects that have kept researchers in academia
and educators busy over the past decade [5]. There is evidence in terms of internal vari-
ables, which show a strong relationship between teachers’ learning dedication and their
associated motivational factors [6]. They also found that theories of motivation achieve-
ment have been commonly used to describe if learners participate in learning tasks, or
are disengaged from them. The most often used theory is the self-determination theory,
to help explain the learner’s motivational regulation. For the online learning approach,
[7] supported it by mentioning that individuals’ intrinsic motivation positively affects the
gamification of objects and their involvement. Hence, this increased the student gamer’s
motivation and helped engage them much more toward online learning courses. In the
research by [8], the research outcome affirmed the importance of motivational regulation
in the online learning environment. The findings of their study showed the correlation
between motivational factors, and online learning participation. Nevertheless, there is
still a lack of research and study on the content of online learning. Thus, much more
research is still needed on the motivation and engagement factors that affect students in
online learning environments.

3 Methodology

In this study, a quantitative method was used to obtain information on the topic, through
the use of an online survey questionnaire. The questionnaire was developed using Google
Forms. It is an easily accessible tool that comes with any Google account, which most stu-
dents have. Thus, it is convenient for students to access. The subject of this research was
focused on public university students in Sabah. A total of 190 respondents participated
in the research, and it was conducted via convenient sampling.
A sum of 51 items questionnaires was used for this research, which included three
sections. The first section addressed the respondent’s demographics, which consisted of
four questions pertaining to their name, age, gender, and educational level. The second
section was made up of a Revised Study Process Questionnaire Two-Factor (R-SPQ-2F)
developed by [5]. It had 20 questions in total, which addressed the motivation levels. The
R-SPQ-2F scale was developed to measure the process of learning and motivation, and
220 B. Rathakrishnan et al.

the ensuing approach towards learning. This initial evaluation of the R-SPQ-2F indicated
that the questionnaire had an acceptable internal consistency. It is a promising short
instrument for diagnosing student and teachers in-depth surface approach to learning [9].
The total number of questions were then computed and recorded into a new datasheet for
convenience. The third section consisted of the Engagement Scale (ES), developed by
[1], where only the engagement part of the questionnaire was used. This scale consisted
of three parts of engagement, i.e., behavioural, cognitive, and voice, of which there were
a total of 28 questions on online learning engagement.

4 Data Analysis
The descriptive data in Table 1 showed that out of 190 respondents, 67 (35.3%) identified
as male, while another 123 (64.7%) identified as female. 50 respondents were aged
below 20 years old (26.31%), 134 respondents were between 21–25 years old (70.53%),
5 respondents were between 26–30 years old (2.63%), and while 1 respondent was
above 36 years old (0.53%). As for the respondent’s education level, 60 respondents
were diploma students (31.6%), where the remaining 130 respondents were degree level
students (68.4%).

Table 1. Descriptive data by gender, age, and education level

Items Frequency (f ) Percentage (%)

Gender Male 67 35.3
Female 123 64.7
Age Below 20 50 26.31
21–25 134 70.53
26–30 5 2.63
Above 36 1 0.53
Education level Diploma 60 31.6
Degree 130 68.4

To evaluate the differences between males and females in online learning, the data
was tested using an independent t-test. The independent sample t-test was conducted to
compare the male and female level in motivation and engagement with regards to online
learning. The test results with conditions of t(188) = 1.03, α > .05, p = .30 revealed
that for gender and engagement, males had a value of M = 101.61, SD = 11.65, while
and females had a value of M = 99.54, SD = 14.06. Therefore, there was no significant
difference between genders and their engagement in online learning.
The evaluation of gender and motivation levels with conditions of t(188) = 1.09, α
> .05, p = .28, showed that males (M = 66.15, SD = 8.77) and females (M = 64.52,
SD = 10.30), had no significant difference between them, with regards to gender and
their motivation for online learning. Hence, the null hypothesis failed to be rejected, and
 Motivation Factors Attributed to Engaging in Online Studies 221

it was accepted that there was no significant difference between the genders and their
motivation and engagement for online learning (Table 2).

Table 2. Comparison of an independent t-test between gender engagement and motivation

Variable Engagement Mean SD t-value df p-value

Gender Male 101.61 11.65 1.03 188 0.30
Female 99.54 14.06 1.09 158.32 0.28
Variable Motivation Mean SD t-value df p-value
Gender Male 66.15 8.77 1.09 188 0.28
Female 64.52 10.30 1.15 155.07 0.25

Table 3 shows that r = .56, thus it is a positive and strong relationship. The α = 0.05,
p < .05, p = .00. Since p < 0.05, therefore, the null hypothesis was rejected. Hence,
there is a moderately significant relationship between the motivation and engagement
factors for online learning amongst public university students.

Table 3. Pearson’s correlation between motivation and engagement factors

Engagement Motivation
Engagement Pearson 1 .562**
Correlation
Sig. (2-tailed) .000
Motivation Pearson .562** 1
Correlation
Sig. (2-tailed) .000
** p < 0.05

To determine the prediction between motivation and engagement, a simple linear

regression was plotted on the collected data (Table 4). The prediction equation used was
Y = 50.75 + 0.76X. The significant value of α = 0.05, p = 0.00, deemed that the null
hypothesis was rejected. F = 86.71, and the R = 0.56, which indicated a good correlation.
The R2 = 0.32, which means that a 32% variance is fairly explainable with regards to the
engagement, which is predicted by motivation factors. Therefore, the regression model
fits with the data, and the null hypothesis is rejected. Hence, the motivation significantly
predicted the engagement in online learning amongst public university students.
222 B. Rathakrishnan et al.

Table 4. Simple linear regression for motivation and engagement

Model R R square Adjusted R square Std. error of the estimate

1 .562a .316 .312 11.00061
a. Predictors: (Constant), motivation
b. Dependent Variable: engagement

5 Discussion

5.1 Gender and Online Learning

The findings showed that male and female students who attend online lectures have
the same motivation and engagement levels. Since this research was done during the
Movement Control Order (MCO) in Malaysia, it can be seen that both males and females
were equally concerned with their learning progress. It is safe to say that both genders
were aware of the stay at home order and on the national news. Thus, gender did not affect
their urge to study online, even though classes were cancelled almost immediately. The
findings were aligned with the research, and showed no considerable evidence that there
is a difference between female and male students in terms of their quality of motivation
[10]. Also, since gender differences were not significant on this scale of results, the
present questionnaire might need to be considered in future works, if there is a need
to include and indicate the respondent’s gender in the future. [10] also mentioned that
the results revealed no main effects of the genders across the two cognitive variables, or
interactive effects amongst the motivational variables.
The discussion can be synced with literature reviews, as it supported the fact that there
is little evidence to support gender differences in online learning environments. This may
happen because there are still not many students exploring online learning to access their
subjects, which may have increased online learning’s daily use amongst students and
lecturers. The students in this research were motivated and engaged in online learning,
with the intent to increase their knowledge, as opposed to just wasting their time on the
internet. In this sense, regardless of the university’s origin, there is no significant effect
on the perceived effectiveness of this e-learning activity on the student’s social life. Both
genders perceived it as a source of motivation, to easily engage in online learning. If the
female or male participant was comfortable studying in isolation, then their engagement
and motivation tended to increase in online learning. However, in this case, there was
no significant difference to support previous research outcomes, as this study occurred
during a pandemic. Online learning is a platform for students to gain knowledge, and to
associate themselves with tasks. The biggest detractor of gender-separate education sees
separation as discrimination based on sex, thus setting up inequality between boys’ and
girls’ education [11]. This can be called discrimination towards genders, as the learning
only involves either females or males, and they are not treated equally. However, the
conclusions of the research on the subject have produced no definitive results.
The study provided evidence that female students demonstrated greater self-efficacy
for self-regulated learning, with regards to gender disparities [12]. Female students are
more confident in their learning, and perform tasks much more completely than male
 Motivation Factors Attributed to Engaging in Online Studies 223

students. Nevertheless, in this study, the result was inversed, where both females and
males were content and confident in their learning, and performed tasks well during the
online courses. This may also have occurred because, during the online classes, both the
male and female students were required to focus much more on the gadget used, as they
were worried they might lose their internet connection during the lecture. Therefore,
this applies only to online classes and works across both genders. Thus, there was no
significant difference between both male and female students in online learning.

5.2 Relationship Between Motivation and Engagement in Online Learning

A positive correlation was found from the data analysis, showing a positive relationship
between motivation and online learning engagement. Online learning is convenient and
easy to use, and is applicable despite hectic schedules, as it can be accessed conveniently
anywhere. Hence, this extrinsic and intrinsic motivational factor boosts the engagement
of students in online learning. Students themselves need to identify their self-motivation
drive, to engage in online lectures positively. Engagement and motivation have a high
correlation, as it helps students in their online learning environment. [13] found that if
students assumed that online learning activities were related to their learning practices
and career development, students were more likely to participate in them. The perceived
role was valued as a predictive variable of human learning participation and academic
success, which was consistent with the stipulation of the expectation of the value theory
[14].
Despite the fact that there was a high correlation between motivation and engage-
ment in online learning, there were also disadvantages. Online learning is complex, as
learners can get distracted, and fail to self-regulate themselves during classes. In this
research, many other factors could distract the public university student’s focus from
staying engaged in class. Staying at home during the MCO is hard for many, since some
students do not have stable Internet connections. Some may be working part-time, or
even helping their parents with house chores. With the intention to improve motivation
and engagement during classes, students need to take good care of their mental health
[15]. As for online discussions, teachers need to support them by offering critical guid-
ance, to improve the quality of the posted messages in the learning management systems
(LMS), the student’s interactions, and the student’s understanding of learning resources.
However, in this study, the online discussion environment is limited to the ability to pro-
vide for multiple learning activities and teaching strategies. The approach of traditional
face-to-face learning is entirely different from the online learning approach.
On the contrary, [1] mentioned that students are isolated from social interaction in
the online class environment, helping them concentrate on the course material. Students
must initiate such participation in online classes. The interaction is usually carried out
in written form, takes much more time, and is much more commitment than a verbal
conversation. The statements were found to be true. These were noted to be disadvan-
tages associated with engaging in online learning, especially during a pandemic, where
students cannot seek help from their teachers for knowledge. This research has signifi-
cant results for the relationship between motivation and engagement in online learning,
as both are highly correlated. The findings of this discussion are that the higher the
student’s motivation, the higher the engagement involved in their online learning. Thus,
224 B. Rathakrishnan et al.

motivation helps a lot in online learning engagement, besides other external factors. As
the saying goes, when there is a will, there will always be a way. Therefore, there is a
significant correlation between motivation and engagement in online learning amongst
public university students.

5.3 Prediction of Motivation in the Engagement in Online Learning

The results showed that motivation fits the prediction of engagement in learning. The
relationship can be seen as a means for driving the students’ motivation at home, or
when the students are stuck in their colleges, which can highly predict their engagement
for learning virtually in front of a computer, or mobile phone. In another research by
[16], it was stated that students’ autonomous self-regulation predicted their dedication,
academic success, and happiness, while controlled self-regulation did not demonstrate
any correlation with these effects. However, recent researchers have found that high
technical capabilities, or interactions in online learning environments, do not necessarily
predict the learners’ level of activity. Neither profound learning methods, nor anxiety,
forecasted the real level of success in the online learning environment. It can be justified
that research on the motivation in online learning could cause lower engagement, as
certain students do not have the ability to afford expensive and high technology personal
computers, or even consistently pay for their mobile data. This can be proven in work
by [1], who stated that motivation, or self-determination, also failed to measure learning
results, such as the study hours a week, number of hits, or even predicting the 128 grades
in the online courses. This means that some researchers do not find any correlation
in motivation on engagement, as the students might feel that other factors affect the
student’s engagement in online learning.
These findings support the literature review, where most of the students in this
research found that motivation does exist in the prediction of engagement in online
learning. A typical student tends to show a stronger preference for face-to-face learn-
ing, than for online learning. Students who preferred face-to-face learning struggled
with adapting to online learning [17]. Thus, the more motivated the students became,
the better their cognitive involvement was. Again, although this preference is similar to
findings in the previous literature works, the experience cannot be completely compared
due to the current pandemic circumstances. Students who have not had prior experience
with online learning may think that online learning is not suitable. Consistent with the
existing literature works [18], it was confirmed that when students are not motivated,
their level of cognitive engagement is lower, and vice versa [19]. [20] reported that intrin-
sic motivation helped predict engagement, while extrinsic motivation predicted online
learning usage. Importantly, engagement was predictive of grades, whereas the usage
of online learning was not. As for this statement, motivation does help predict students’
engagement in their learning, but not in the context of online learning. This was because
the respondents in work by [21] were not familiar with the use of the internet, especially
for online learning.
 Motivation Factors Attributed to Engaging in Online Studies 225

6 Conclusion
The results revealed three major outcomes; there is no significant difference in online
learning between both male and female students; there is a significant relationship
between motivation and engagement in online learning amongst public university stu-
dents; motivation does help predict online learning engagement amongst public uni-
versity students. This study proved that both genders helped in their online learning
development, but the implications cannot be identified clearly, as not every student
shared the same experience. This study’s findings are useful for understanding the con-
nection between the students’ motivational values, the management of motivation, and
their online learning involvement. Therefore, further studies on the correlation between
the students’ involvement in learning, and their motivational factors, are needed. Every
student needs to adapt to this new era, as online classes and assignments are available on
the internet. Teachers and students can easily interact with each other, even though they
are miles apart. However, the students’ motivation and engagement need to be impro-
vised and practised to be more comfortable and approachable in an online learning
environment.

Acknowledgement. This work is a part of a project submitted to Universiti Malaysia Sabah.

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