Investigating the Relationship between Subconstructs of School Belonging and Students’ Motivation to Learn at Universities in Vietnam
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Abstract
School attributes noticeably influence students’ learning abilities and academic motivation. This study focuses on three elements of belonging: pride in membership, teacher and student relationships, and peer interactions. It aims to explore how aspects of the university environment relate to students’ motivation to learn. Motivation was measured using the MSLQ (Garcia & Pintrich, 1996), while an adapted version of the PSSM (Goodenow, 1993) was used, including key dimensions of belongingness. The data were collected from 337 students across various programs in northern Vietnamese provinces, using quantitative methods in SPSS 26. The findings showed that all three aspects are linked to higher learning motivation, with peer interactions, pride in membership, and teacher support emerging as particularly influential. When combined, these trends support theories of students' psychological needs and underscore the importance of interpersonal connections in maintaining motivation.
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