A Study of the Relationship between Learning Motivation and Academic Achievement of Higher Vocational Certificate Students in Industrial Programs under the Suphan Buri Vocational Education Office
Keywords:
Learning Motivation, Academic Achievement, Vocational Students, Higher Vocational Certificate, Industrial ProgramsAbstract
Background and Aims: Higher vocational education plays a crucial role in producing skilled workforce for Thailand’s industrial sector. However, recent self-assessment reports of vocational colleges in Suphan Buri Province reveal a performance paradox: students achieve high vocational standards but underperform on basic academic assessments. This independent study aimed to 1) examine the level of learning motivation of higher vocational certificate students in industrial programs under the Suphan Buri Vocational Education Office, 2) examine their academic achievement, and 3) study the relationship between learning motivation and academic achievement.
Methodology: This quantitative survey research drew its sample from 307 students in four public vocational colleges under the Suphan Buri Vocational Education Office in academic year 2025, determined by Taro Yamane’s formula at 95% confidence level and selected through proportional stratified random sampling. The instrument was a 5-point Likert-scale questionnaire covering nine motivation dimensions, with an Item-Objective Congruence (IOC) index of 0.60 - 1.00 and a reliability coefficient of 0.95. Data were analysed using frequency, percentage, mean, standard deviation, and Pearson’s product-moment correlation coefficient.
Results: The findings revealed that 1) overall learning motivation was at a high level
(x̅ = 4.32, S.D. = 0.94), with intrinsic motivation at 4.32 and extrinsic motivation at 4.31; the highest dimension of intrinsic motivation was responsibility and persistence (x̅ = 4.37) and the highest dimension of extrinsic motivation was affiliation and peer group needs (x̅ = 4.36); 2) most students attained a high level of academic achievement, with 44.63% holding a cumulative GPA above 3.50 and 29.97% between 3.00 and 3.50; and 3) overall learning motivation correlated positively with academic achievement at a high level with statistical significance (r = .657, p < .01).
Conclusion: Learning motivation, particularly intrinsic motivation, is a key psychological factor that significantly enhances academic achievement among industrial program students. Vocational institutions should therefore promote teaching strategies that foster intrinsic motivation, alongside maintaining supportive learning environments and quality instruction.
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