“I simply can’t wait to get started”

Student motivation and engagement in university studying

Abstract

This article presents a case study that explored the perceptions and experiences of students in three master’s-level courses offered by the University of Akureyri, within a study program focused on information technology in learning and teaching. The research aimed to shed light on how students perceived and engaged with courses where they were actively involved as co-creators of the curriculum. Furthermore, the study sought to investigate the impact of such participatory roles in curriculum decision-making on their motivation and level of engagement.

The authors had a significant role in designing the courses. They oversaw all three of them and prepared and organised them in collaboration. This preparation entailed gathering diverse resources through reading existing literature and utilising ideas and tools which they considered the most conducive to their goal of fostering student motivation and successful learning. This goal resulted in the authors’ decision to employ a student-centred approach, having the students work in collaboration with the teachers as co-creators of all curricular decision-making. As co-creators, the students made decisions regarding the content, structure, and organization of the courses, including student autonomy to decide what kind of assignments would be completed within the courses, given that these were guided by the learning outcomes underlying the courses.

Data on the student experiences in all three courses were collected for further examination, adopting what has been referred to as scholarly teaching (ST), which is an underlying pillar in the Scholarship of Teaching and Learning (SoTL) ideology. The data obtained from the first course raised the researchers’ interest in fully embracing the stages of SoTL by conducting research where the three courses would be investigated as a case and the results published in a scientific forum.

The case study involved collecting various data. In the first course, students responded to a survey with open questions. In the second course, focus group interviews were conducted, and in the third course, the data were collected through video recordings and reflective journals. All the data were transcribed, and the documents were imported to the NVivo software for coding. The MUSIC model of student motivation, a conceptual framework consisting of five key components known to enhance student motivation and engagement, was employed as analytical framework in coding the data. The key components of the MUSIC model served as the basis for thematic analysis, with coding focused on identifying these key factors.

The data revealed that all five key components in the MUSIC model were present in the courses. The students felt empowered by the sense of control and ownership that they perceived (eMpowerment). They found the courses highly useful, with the perceived freedom to shape assignments particularly valued (Usefulness). The students expressed confidence in their ability to succeed and referred to encouragement from the teachers as a significant factor (Success). The courses sparked considerable interest, with the results indicating that diverse group work and peer teaching played a significant role (Interest). Students perceived caring in interactions with both teachers and peers, which they expressed, for example, by describing how experienced students provided newcomers with significant support and teachers attending to their personal needs (Caring).

The findings also demonstrate explicit signs of these experiences resulting in enhanced engagement, strong motivation, and resilience when students were faced with challenges. Lastly, they provide indications that the students’ participation as curriculum co-creators played a role in their experiences.

The authors, being aware of potential limitations of the study, such as the small sample size, see the richness of data contributing to both the breadth and depth of the findings. Hence, the authors conclude that the study findings provide valuable insight into students’ experiences of being actively involved as co-creators of the curriculum and the positive impact of these on their motivation and engagement. As such, they contribute significantly to university teachers and those involved in higher education policy-making in local and international contexts.

The findings highlight the benefits of the music model in terms of student motivation for curriculum development. In this context, the authors would like to note that as an instrument, the MUSIC model of student motivation Inventory has been developed, translated into Icelandic, and has passed validity tests. Instead of collecting data as reported in the study, university teachers could use the Inventory to test their courses regarding these components. Finally, based on the process involved in the reported research, the authors suggest working in collaboration, adopting SoTL methodologies, and using the MUSIC model to guide curricular developments are effective ways to enhance university education and teaching.