Exploring Students' Motivation Regulation Strategies in Dutch Secondary Vocational Education (MBO)

Abstract

Students in Dutch secondary vocational education (MBO) often face motivational challenges, contributing to high dropout rates. By using motivation regulation strategies (MRSs), students can address these challenges, yet little is known about which strategies MBO-students use and why. This mixed-methods study, grounded in Self-Determination Theory and the metamotivational framework (Ryan & Deci, 2020; Miele & Scholer, 2024), explores students’ motivational problems, preferred MRSs, and how self-, task-, and strategy- knowledge inform their choices. Survey data (N = 9) showed that both intrinsic and extrinsic MRSs were favoured, with extrinsic strategies like ‘environmental control’ and ‘proximal goal setting’ most frequently selected. Interviews (N = 7) revealed that motivation regulation is highly context-dependent and often pragmatic, driven by emotional cues, task characteristics, or personal routines. Although students showed strong intrinsic motivation for their studies, especially when linked to their future careers, they often used extrinsic MRSs to complete less engaging tasks. Some students reported using procrastination strategically, highlighting the nuanced nature of their motivation regulation. Findings highlight the complexity of motivation regulation and suggest that increasing students’ metamotivational awareness may help them regulate motivation more effectively. Implications are offered for educational practice and policy to support student engagement and reduce dropout rates.