THE IMPACT OF MOTIVATION ON ACADEMIC SUCCESS OF PREDOMINANTLY BLACK COLLEGE STUDENTS IN NORTH CAROLINA PUBLIC UNIVERSITY SYSTEM

Abstract

Aim: This study examined the effect of various types of motivations on the academic success of predominantly black college students.  The goal of the study was to determine the types of motivation strategies that could be adopted to enhance retention and graduation rates at predominantly black colleges. The aim of this study was to begin a line of inquiry with the hope of generating empirical data that could be relied upon by university administrators and education policymakers to develop evidence-based interventions and academic motivational support programs to improve the retention and graduation rates at predominantly black colleges and universities.

Methods: Survey data on intrinsic motivation, extrinsic motivation, social motivation, personal motivation, and amotivation were collected from predominantly black students and subjected to structural equation modelling using exploratory factor analysis and confirmatory factor analysis.

Results and Conclusion: The study found that amotivation had a large significant negative effect on the academic success of the predominantly black college students. Intrinsic motivation had a moderate positive significant effect on academic success. Social motivation had a moderate positive, but insignificant effect on academic motivation. Extrinsic motivation and personal motivation had no meaningful effect on the academic success of the predominantly black college students. We conclude that to enhance retention and graduation rates in predominantly black colleges, more emphasis should be placed on developing and implementing evidence-based intrinsic motivation intervention strategies and strategies to reduce amotivation among this population such as autonomous supportive teaching strategies.