Understanding Student Motivation in Learning Biology Among Undergraduate Students

Abstract

Motivation is a key driver of students’ engagement and success in learning biology. This study investigated the level of motivation of undergraduate students in learning biology and examined whether significant differences exist when grouped according to sex and course. It also sought to identify the relationship between students’ age and their level of motivation, as well as to determine which profile variable significantly predicts motivation. Quantitative research approach was employed, using descriptive-comparative, correlational, and predictive research designs. Data were collected from 112 voluntary undergraduate students through a validated biology motivation questionnaire. Descriptive statistics were used to analyze students’ level of motivation. Differences by sex and course were examined using an independent samples t-test and one-way ANOVA, respectively. Pearson’s r was utilized to assess the relationship between motivation and age, whereas multiple linear regression was used to identify significant predictors of students’ motivation in learning biology. Results revealed that the undergraduate students were highly motivated to learn biology, regardless of sex and course, as there were no significant differences in motivation levels when grouped by these variables. However, age was found to significantly influence students' motivation, with a direct but weak correlation observed between age and motivation levels. Among the profile variables, age emerged as the most significant predictor of motivation in learning biology. These findings suggest that educators and academic institutions may consider age-related differences when designing instructional strategies and support systems to sustain and improve student motivation in biology learning contexts.