Motivation regulation and study well-being during nurse education studies

The purpose of this dissertation study is to gain an understanding of nursing students’ motivation regulation as a part of self-regulated learning during their study path. A further aim is to investigate how motivation regulation is related to students’ study well-being and their performance and to examine how it manifests in different learning environments in nurse education.

The study consists of three empirical sub-studies, which are reported in three articles. Substudy I and II longitudinally surveyed nursing students’ study-related motivation regulation and its association with study well-being (study engagement, study burnout) and academic performance in traditional on-campus and blended learning environments. Substudy III examined students’ experiences of different motivation regulation strategies and factors enhancing the use of motivation regulation strategies during studies in a blended learning program. The dissertation used a mixed-method approach. The data were collected through surveys, register data, and interviews. Analysis combined quantitative and qualitative methods.

The results indicate that nursing students’ motivation regulation is versatile and adaptable. Students’ ability to regulate motivation varies individually, situationally and during different study phases. High-level motivation regulation is associated with higher levels of study well-being and performance than moderate, less-developed motivation regulation. Crucial motivation regulation strategies, particularly in a blended learning environment, are environmental structuring, self-consequating, goal oriented self-talk, efficacy management, emotion regulation, regulation of value, and interest enhancement. Several individual and situational factors enhance the use of these strategies.

This dissertation study provides a fine-grained understanding of the variability and personal aspects of motivation regulation and its tendency to change due to situational and individual factors. The outcomes shed light on the important role of a learning environment’s pedagogical policy on reinforcing students’ motivation regulation and study well-being. The findings would be useful to healthcare teachers and mentors and higher-education practitioners who are interested in enhancing students’ motivated learning and study well-being.