Motivation and Self- Regulated Learning

Motivation plays a critical role in learning, as it drives individuals to act and achieve their objectives, yet many students fail to manage their own learning processes. Self-regulated learning (SRL) involves learners’ active control over their cognition, motivation, and behaviour but the influence of key motivational components on SRL remains underexplored, particularly among Malaysian higher education students. On that note, this study seeks to explore the relationship between motivational components and self-regulation focusing on self-efficacy, intrinsic value, and test anxiety. A survey questionnaire, consisting of three sections employing a 5-point Likert scale, is administered to 127 respondents who are diploma and degree students at Universiti Teknologi MARA (UiTM). The survey questionnaire employed a 5-point Likert scale and was influenced by the research of Pintrich and DeGroot (1990). Data were analysed using SPSS correlation analysis. The findings reveal that motivational factors significantly influence students’ ability to regulate their learning, with intrinsic value showing the strongest effect, followed by self-efficacy and test anxiety. These results highlight the importance of fostering intrinsic motivation and self-belief among learners to enhance their use of self-regulated learning strategies, while also recognizing the complex role of test anxiety. Future research could examine additional motivational constructs and investigate interventions to further support self-regulated learning among Malaysian students.