A study of the on-line learning strategy predictors of motivation, as well as the difference between in-class and on-line learning strategy and motivation scores, among students enrolled in undergraduate courses at Dallas Baptist University (Texas)

Problem. The problem of this study was to determine the difference between in-class and on-line scores on six motivation and nine learning strategy components. It was further the problem of this study to identify the combination of on-line learning strategy components that most significantly predicted each of six motivation components.; Procedures. The population for this study consisted of all undergraduate students enrolled in at least one on-line or in-class course at Dallas Baptist University, Dallas, Texas, during the ten-week Summer 2003 semester. The Motivated Strategies for Learning Questionnaire (MSLQ), a self-report five-point Likert scale instrument, was administered to 463 in-class and 176 on-line students. The t-test for independent samples was used to calculate the differences between the two groups on six motivation and nine learning strategy components. Stepwise multiple regression analysis identified combinations of on-line learning strategy components that predicted each motivation component.; Findings and conclusions. A significant difference was found between the two groups on all six motivation components and all nine learning strategy components. These findings indicate that on-line students are more motivated to complete their coursework successfully, and that they utilize more highly developed learning strategies. Significant on-line learning strategy predictors were identified for each motivation component, indicating that the presence of certain combinations of learning strategies is predictive of motivation for on-line students.; The information from this study demonstrates the viability of on-line learning environments, and challenges both the church and institutes of higher education to reassess their educational paradigms. It suggests that the exploration of on-line learning could provide new, more effective ways of reaching people for Christ and teaching them in a Christ-centered academic environment.