Date of Graduation
2003
Document Type
Dissertation/Thesis
Abstract
The stated research problem of this study was to examine the relationship between motivational factors and the degree to which the higher education faculty integrate CMC tools into their courses. The study population and sample involved higher education faculty teaching in science departments at one public university and three public colleges in the state of West Virginia (N = 153). A Likert-type rating scale survey was used to collect data based on the research questions. Two parts of the survey were adopted from previous studies while the other two were self-constructed. Research questions and hypothesis were analyzed using both descriptive and inferential analyses. The study results established a positive relationship between motivational factors and the degree the higher education faculty integrate CMC tools in their courses. The results in addition established that faculty are highly motivated to integrate CMC tools by intrinsic factors, moderately motivated by environmental factors and least motivated by extrinsic factors. The results also established that the most integrated CMC tools were those that support asynchronous methods of communication while the least integrated were those that support synchronous methods of communication. A major conclusion made was that members of higher education faculty are more likely to be motivated to integrate CMC tools into their courses by intrinsic factors rather than extrinsic or environmental factors. It was further concluded that intrinsic factors that supported and enhanced student learning as well as those that were altruistic in nature significantly influenced the degree of CMC integration. The study finally concluded that to larger extent, there is a relationship between motivational factors and the degree to which the higher education faculty integrate CMC tools in their courses. A major implication of this study was that institutions that wish to promote integration of CMC technologies should provide as much evidence as possible that the new mode of teaching will improve learning and meet the teaching needs of individual faculty. Further, institutional leadership should recognize and consider individual differences among faculty, especially acknowledging that locus of motivation is not the same for everyone and that it changes overtime depending on internal and external factors.
Recommended Citation
Murage, Francis Ndwiga, "An exploratory examination of the relationship between motivational factors and the degree to which the higher education faculty integrate computer -mediated communication (CMC) tools into their courses." (2003). Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports. 9472.
https://researchrepository.wvu.edu/etd/9472