学習者の動機づけは何によって高まるのか －自己決定理論による高校生英語学習者の動機づけの検討－ What Enhances Language Learner’s Motivation? - High school English learner’s motivation from the perspective of Self-Determination Theory

This study aims to validate the applicability of Self-Determination Theory (SDT, hereafter), one of the well-developed motivation theories in psychology, to the study of EFL learner’s motivation. In addition, with the examination of motivating factors, or psychological needs as precursors of motivation, implications for educational practice will be considered with reference to how to motivate learners. The application of SDT was motivated by the gap between what the motivation research has been studying and what EFL practitioners want to know. The focus of much language learning motivation research so far has been placed either on the motivational constructs themselves or on the relationships between language learning motivation and linguistic or non-linguistic outcomes, whereas language educators have been expecting the motivation research to provide strategies to motivate their students, i.e., "motivating factors" that they can foster to motivate language learners. Research needs to address this concern, and SDT has the potential to bridge the gap. SDT is a theory of human motivation concerned with the development and functioning of personality within social contexts. In this theory, what is called basic psychological needs is regarded as the motivating factors for human development and functioning. They are innate, universal, and essential for health and well-being, which means that basic psychological needs are a natural aspect of human beings that apply to all people, regardless of gender, group, or culture. Deci and Ryan (1985) postulate three psychological needs (the needs for autonomy, competence, and relatedness) as motivating factors which influence human motivation. It is hypothesized that if these psychological needs are met, intrinsic motivation will be enhanced, while, on the other hand, if they are not met, intrinsic motivation will be undermined. The study reported here consists of several parts. First, the validities of two scales developed in a pilot study were examined. A psychological needs scale was designed to assess the constructs of autonomy, competence, and relatedness, while a language learning motivation scale was designed to assess the constructs of five types of motivation (i.e., intrinsic motivation, identified regulation, introjected regulation, external regulation, and motivation). These two scales were administered to 275 first- year high school students. Using exploratory factor analysis, the construct structures were verified. Overall, results showed that the construct validities of these two scales were supported and good reliability coefficients were obtained. Based on the results of exploratory factor analysis, confirmatory tests of the factor structures were carried out, using confirmatory factor analysis. Results generally provided confirming evidence for the factorial structures of these two scales. Second, a covariance structure analysis, alternatively known as Structural Equation Modeling (SEM) was used to explain the degrees of causal effect from the three psychological needs to several types of motivation. The SEM solution showed the following results: (a) students’ perceptions of their own self-competence had a strong influence on their motivation, (b) in order to enhance intrinsic motivation, the need for relatedness should be fulfilled, and (c) a desire for an autonomous climate in the classroom might affect motivation indirectly through students’ perceptions of being "competent." Some educational implications were obtained. Among them, what seemed most important was that targeting learner’s perceptions of competence and the development of each type of motivation could be a good strategy for effectively enhancing his/her self-determined forms of motivation (i.e., intrinsic motivation) in school settings. Since the act or phenomenon of motivating language learners needs synthesis in cognition and affect, studies like this current study are informative. They clarify "what" enhances language learner’s motivation and "how" language learner’s motivation is enhanced. Such a study offers a useful viewpoint when considering the English educational activities in a classroom because, if motivating factors are made known, it will become a precious source of information for educators. As a result, practitioners are better able to make judgments about motivating strategies in everyday classroom activities. Furthermore, it will also be helpful in providing counseling-advice to various types of language learners. 本稿は、学習者の動機づけが「何によって高まるのか」を自己決定理論の枠組みから考察したものである。予備調査を通じて作成された2つの尺度を用い、英語学習における心理的欲求と動機づけの各タイプの関係が検討された。その結果、(1)学習者の有能性の認知は、動機づけに対して強い影響を与えていること、(2)内発的動機づけを高めるには、他者との関係性の欲求が満たされる必要があること、(3)教室での英語活動に対して、自律的な風土に対する欲求は、有能性の認知を介して間接的に動機づけに影響を与える可能性があることが示された。 学習者を動機づけるという行為、あるいは現象は、認知的・情意的な総合性を持つものである。動機づけのプロセス解明は、日常の教室活動において、教育者が学習過程のどの部分に働きかけたらよいかを教えてくれる貴重な情報源になるものと思われる。