Abstract
Community colleges across the nation have the challenge to educate students who come to postsecondary education at varying levels of academic preparedness. Cross (2001) and others (Agbor-Baiyee, 1997; Dweck, 2000; Hamilton, 1996; Hynd, Holschuh, & Nist, 2000; Miller, DeBacker, & Green, 1999; Struthers & Menec, 1996; Tuckman, 1996; Yair, 2000) have reported on the importance of motivation and its relationship to student learning. Although the research has proven to be of great value, it often excludes a comparison of academic preparedness and the impact academic preparedness may have on motivation. This study compared academic motivation between academically prepared and academically unprepared community college students. In addition, the researcher collected data to determine whether a relationship exists between academic motivation level and academic achievement as defined by grade point average. Surveying students from a community college in northwest Florida, the Academic Motivation Scale (AMS-C) was used to assess motivation along a continuum as described by Deci and Ryan’s (1985) self-determination theory. Results from this study indicate that there are motivational similarities between academically prepared and academically unprepared students and that there is a relationship between motivational levels and academic success.
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