SPECIFIC ASPECTS OF MILITARY STUDENT MOTIVATION FOR THEIRPROFICIENT TRAINING

Abstract: Motivation, a concept with a wide resonance in the human development, receivesdistinct features in supporting the conduct of the military students in their training aspersonalities able to successfully meet the requirements of the performance standards ofacademic education. As a set of stimuli that condition from the inside how the individualstudent solves the learning tasks, motivation must be understood and connected to the real,concrete situation in which the student acts and understands the activities specific to theeducational process. In this respect, the maximum efficiency is conditioned by thesignificance the student attaches to his own training process, as a prerequisite and necessityof exploiting its stimulating resources. Thus, the effort the student makes in assimilatingknowledge, in forming principles and skills, as well as reference attitudes and values, specificto the future profession of officer, will take place within his/her capacity to determine thecontent, the intensity and the difficulty of the learning tasks with direct implications in hismotivation for a proficient academic training. Based on these considerations, the presentstudy aims at debating some relevant theoretical aspects of motivation for learning andpresenting some results and conclusions of the investigation in terms of determining themotivational factors which direct, organize and support the students along the learningprocess.

Keywords: motivation, military students, proficient training,military higher education

1. IntroductionA key issue that hasrepresented, and still raisesa special interest inmilitary higher education isto find objective andmeaningful answers to thequestions, “Why does themilitary student learn?”,“Why do some militarystudents learn more andbetter than other militarystudents, members of the sameacademic community (or

learning environment)?”, “Whydo some military studentsconstantly work to meet theperformance standards of theeducational objectives, whileothers are content withobtaining satisfactory gradesor even give up activitiesproposed by teachers andchoose others that they likebetter?”Of course, in the developmentof the educational processaimed at establishing bases

and training strategies forthe future officers we needto consider a number offactors, some related to theintrinsic side of thepersonality of each student,others external, sensitive tothe peculiarities andcharacteristics of theacademic education. From thisperspective new questionsarise, such as, “Why does astudent who has higher skillsand abilities than otherstudents have lower resultsthan them?”, “How can astudent be encouraged so asto obtain the learningperformance in accordancewith his/her potential?”Finding the answer to thesequestions is not an easytask, but considering thetheories which attempt toanalyze and interpret humanbehavior, we see that theyput motivation at the core ofthe given explanations. Thus,the link between themotivation theory and thebehavior of the militarystudents is absolutely vitalto the success of thelearning of each student.Identifying and presentingsome key aspectscharacteristic to themotivation of the military

students for their proficienttraining is a difficult task,which we want to solve basedon the concept of motivationand continuing withhighlighting data andconclusions drawn in thecourse of an investigationamong military students.

2. The academic motivation ofthe military students –conceptualizationEtymologically rooted in theLatin word “movere”, whichmeans movement or to inducethe movement of, motivationreceives over 140 definitionsin the literature, asconfirmed by Ambrose and Kulik[1]. Although there are avariety of definitions, mostof them share the accent puton the fact that motivation isa set of forces, internal andexternal energies whichinitiate and direct the humanbehavior towards a certaingoal [2].The approaches tounderstanding and explainingthe motivation are differentbecause many theorists havedeveloped their own views onmotivation, representing, infact, different scientificfields and different ownviews even within the same

science. They have addressedmotivation starting fromdifferent scientificconcepts, from ideasdetermined by the existinghuman and socio-politicalconditions and from thepeculiarities of the field inwhich it manifests,reinforced by the personalitytraits of each author. We mayconsider that none of theapproaches is comprehensiveand accurate [3], butcertainly, each contributesto the understanding of humanbehavior and thepossibilities to influenceits performance.With the specialization ofthe scientific approach,motivation is increasinglyprevalent and explained inthe field education, and inrecent years, specifically inthe first decades of the 21stcentury, identifying themotivational factors ofacademic performance instudents and the modalitiesto facilitate them haveexperienced a significantexpansion. Increasing theinterest for educationalmotivation, and especiallyfor the motivation necessaryto ensure performance inacademic training is

objectively determined byrethinking the educationalstrategies for traininghighly skilled professionals,able to respond successfullyto the new challenges of thepostmodern society.In this context, an issuethat must be well understoodand explained is that of thecontent of motivation in theeducational content. We argueand support the correlationof the motivation with theeducational environment, andnot with the schoolenvironment, as it can befound in almost all thescientific works of bothRomanian and foreign authors,as the training of thestudents as future highlyqualified professionalsconsiders not only thecognitive dimension, but theoverall of their personalityin relation to scientific,emotional, volitional andcharacter aspects. Anotherargument is constituted bythe fact that motivation,even if it can be analyzed onsegments, remains a unitaryprocess with multidirectionalinfluences on the humanpersonality in general, andof the student, inparticular.

The scientific research onthe topic of education showon the one hand theimportance of themotivational factors in theequation of the educationalperformance [4], and on theother hand, highlights theworrying trend of the declineof motivation throughout the“academic career”, especiallywhen crossing the thresholdbetween different levels [5].Given this need foreducational interventiondesigned to increasemotivation, some authorsrefer to some interventionprograms [6].Based on the common contentof the definition given tomotivation, specified in thissubchapter of our study andon its practicalimplementation in theacademic educational contextas the “inclination, need,desire and compulsion of astudent to participate andsucceed in the learningprocess”[7], we will alsosummarize the ideas presentedin several theoreticalapproaches of the past 10-15years [8], by listing the tencomponents of motivationrelevant in the educationalenvironment: goals,

intrinsic/extrinsicmotivation, interest, self-efficacy, control beliefs,attributions, perceptions ofcompetence, level ofvalues/assessment of studies,the need forachievement/self-esteem,self-regulation [9].Therefore, in the educationalacademic context motivationbecomes a general stateinherent to the personalityof each student, whichtriggers, directs andmaintains student to fulfillthe objectives and goalsspecific to academic trainingfrom a qualitative point ofview.Knowing the motivation of themilitary students andidentifying ways to intervenein order to increase itsplace and its role in theoverall context of factorsthat ensure educationalperformance are factors thatprovide a significantopportunity for providingtraining for future competentofficers, able to continue toraise the level ofprofessionalism of theRomanian Army. It is knownthat “essential to thesuccess of the educationaland instructional process in

the Land Forces Academy isthat the military studentsbecome aware of what theprofessional identity of theofficer is and, implicitly,of the unique characteristicsof the military profession.Starting from this, eachmilitary student will developa personal concept inrelation to the profession heor she wishes to devotehimself/herself to” [10].In order to identifysignificant issues specificto the motivation of themilitary student in order toincrease the performance oftheir training as futureprofessional officers, wehave conducted a study, ofwhich we will present somemethodological issues and theconclusions drawn.

3. Aspects specific to themotivation of militarystudents

3.1. Purpose and objectivesThe purpose of the study was toidentify the reasons thatdetermine the involvement ofthe military students inobtaining and enhancing theireducational performance. Theobjectives pursued were:identifying the factors that

determine the motivation ofthe military students;classifying the reasons thatdetermine obtaining theeducational performance;highlighting the commonaspects and the differencesof the educational motivationin different years of study.

3.2. MethodKnowing theoretically theexistence of severalbehavioral components ofmotivation, and of severalmethods of measuring theeducational motivation, wehave chosen to investigateusing a questionnaire, beingaware of the fact that theseinstruments have scored thebest results in the studiesundergone in this domain. When selecting therespondents and applying thequestionnaire, we haverespected the prerequisitesof the scientific researchmethodology and taken intoaccount the factor of thedeontology of the researcher.

3.3. ParticipantsThe study was conducted on arepresentative sample of 30%of the students in eachacademic year.

3.4. Results and discussionsAfter having applied thequestionnaire and analyzingthe collected data, we have

obtained multiple answers,some of which are presentedhenceforth.

Table no. 1 Variables of questionnaire item no. 2 Variable

a. the desire to be wellprepared as future officers

i. what I am learningcorresponds to my personaldesires and aspirations

b. the need to provecompetence in the futurejob

j. education/training is a dutyof the student

c. the interest of thestudied disciplines

k. winning prestige among peers

d. the curiosity toaccumulate new knowledge

l. the need to be appreciatedby the teachers/professors

e. the satisfaction given bythe studied material

m. the learning experience

f. the understanding oflearning as duty

Others. Which?n. ........................................

o. ..................................................................

p. ..................................................................

g. the desire to occupy, inthe future, an importantplace in the militaryhierarchy

h. the ability to learn

Questionnaire item no. 2,based on the variablespresented in Table no. 1,focused on knowing thefactors that influenceperformance in academic

training, with the followingcontent: Please appreciate, on ascale from 1 (very little) to 5 (very much),the extent to which you were motivatedby the factors mentioned in Table no. 1in terms of the effort you invested forobtaining and enhancing the

performance of the results in yourlearning process?Analyzing Table no. 1 andFigures 1, 2 and 3, weconclude that the highestoverall global score is 3.53for the 3rd year cadets, veryclose to the one obtained bythe 2nd year cadets, which is3.52, and much higher thatthe score of the 1st yearstudents, who obtained 2.90.The 3rd year cadets are moremotivated by “the need toprove competence in thefuture workplace”, while forthe 1st year students themost important motivationalfactor is represented by the“need to be well-prepared asfuture officers”. On the last places, asvariables that ensure themotivation of the militarystudents in obtaining andenhancing their academicperformance are “theunderstanding of learning asa duty” for the 3rd yearstudents, “winning prestigeamong peers”, for the 2ndyear cadets and the “learningexperience” for the studentsin the 1st year.

Figure 1: The interpretation of thescores

for item no. 2 – for the 1st yearstudents

Figure 2: The interpretation of thescores for item no. 2 – for the 2nd year

students

Figure 3: The interpretation of thescores for item no. 2 – for the 3rd year

students We may conclude that thefirst places for all theyears of study are occupiedby social values specific to

the competence andprofessionalism of the futurequality of officer, while thelast places are represented

by attitudes that focus onthe current training inherentto the status of militarystudent.

Table no. 2 Variables of questionnaire item no. 3Variable

a. the organization of the courses

g. solving problems during thetutorials

b. the organization of the seminars/ laboratories

h. using modern methods andtechniques during theteaching process

c. the participation intactical exercises andapplications

i. the way of awarding gradesand qualifications

d. the participation inscientific sessions

j. the participation in administrative activities

e. library preparation k. accommodation f. peer preparation l. food quality and quantity

Item no. 3 was formulated asfollows: Please appreciate, on ascale from 1 (not at all satisfied) to 5(greatly satisfied), the degree ofsatisfaction regarding the activitiesmentioned in Table no. 2. Analyzing Table no. 2, theoverall and the individualscores, presented in Figures4, 5 and 6, we conclude thatthe 3rd year cadets have thehighest degree ofsatisfaction regarding “theorganization of the seminarsand laboratories”, while 2ndand 1st year studentsappreciate the same activity,

i.e. “the usage of modernmethods and techniques in theteaching process”. On thenext positions, 3rd yearcadets place “librarypreparation”, 2nd yearstudents mention “peerpreparation” and “the way ofawarding grades andqualifications”, while 1styear students appreciate“the organization of theseminars and laboratories”and “peer preparation”. Onthe last place, all studentssituate “food quality andquantity”.

Hence, students mostlyappreciate the organizationof the teaching activities,the preparation together withtheir peers, librarypreparation, and finally, theway in which food isprovided, in terms of qualityand quantity. We may conclude that thestudents appreciate theirfundamental activity, whichensures their training andtheir proficiency, and areless satisfied with one ofthe basic needs, the one thatactually sustains theintellectual effort, i.e. therequirements of good feeding.

Figure 4: The interpretation of thescores for item no. 3 – for the 1st year

students

Figure 5: The interpretation of thescores for item no. 3 – for the 2nd year

students

Figure 6: The interpretation of thescores for item no. 3 – for the 3rd year

students

Table no. 3 Variables of questionnaire item no. 4Variable

a. intelligence h. physical resistance to effort

b. creativity i. mental resistance to effort

c. memory j. flexibility of thinking d. curiosity k. abilities for the military

domain e. the desire to learn newthings

l. easiness in communication

f. imagination Others. Which? m. ............................................................

n. .............................................................

g. observation spirit

Figure 7: The interpretation of thescores for item no. 4 – for the 1st year

students

Figure 8: The interpretation of thescores for item no.4 – for the 2nd year

students

Figure 9: The interpretation of thescores for item no.4 – for the 3rd year

students

A third item we will refer toin this study focuses oninvestigating the influenceof the abilities, in terms oftheir impact on themotivating the militarystudents to learn. Therefore,questionnaire item no. 4 hasthe following content: Pleaseappreciate, on a scale from 1 (very little)to 5 (very much), how much is influencedthe motivation of the student to learn bythe abilities mentioned in Table no. 3? Analyzing Table no. 3,Figures 7, 8 and 9, weconclude that the highestoverall score is 4.14, forthe 2nd year students,followed by 3.82 for the 3rdyear cadets and the lowestscore was obtained by the 1styear students, 3.19. We maynotice quite an accentuateddispersion of the level ofinfluence of the abilities

for all the students in thethree years of study.The 3rd year cadets place onthe first three positionscreativity, intelligence andmilitary capabilities, the2nd year students place firstthe desire to accumulate newknowledge, mental resistanceand the flexibility ofthinking, while 1st yearcadets focus more on memory,mental resistance and theflexibility of thinking whichthey place in this order onthe first three positions. Onthe last places, 3rd yearcadets appreciateimagination, physicalresistance and the ability tocommunicate easily, the 2ndyear students considercreativity, abilitiesspecific to the militaryfield and physical resistanceand 1st year studentsclassify on the last placefour abilities: creativity,curiosity, abilities for themilitary field and easinessin communication. While the first factors ofinfluencing motivation aregeneral and specificabilities for the developmentof the personality of thestudents, for the 2nd and the1st year cadets the last

positions are occupied byabilities related topromoting the new, such asimagination, creativity,curiosity and the possibilityto achieve militaryperformance by abilities thatare specific to the militarydomain. The 1st and 2nd yearcadets’ having placed on thelast positions abilitiesnecessary to the militarystudents to obtainperformance in thefundamental domain of theprofessional training may bedetermined either byinsufficient knowledge oftheir content and role, or bya less comprehensiveunderstanding of thecompetencies that go in themake up of the personality ofthe military student, and,finally, of the officer.

4. ConclusionsPresenting the results of theinvestigation conducted byanalyzing only three items ofthe questionnaire preparedvalidates one of the researchhypotheses, that there is adiverse range of motivatingfactors influencing theacquisition and theenhancement of the academicperformance by the students

in a military institution ofhigher education. The placegiven to the factors thatmotivate the academicperformance is clearlycorrelated with thesatisfaction experienced bystudents, regardless of theyear of study, in theeducation process andobviously by the skillsnecessary to the studentquality. Very importantremain the traits andcharacteristics of theacademic environment that define the personalityof the students, some withnoticeable differences fromone academic year to another.In this way we can highlightthe existence of a jointaction of the intrinsic andextrinsic motivation thatensures the existence ofinterrelations betweenmotivational constructs,between these and academicperformance.The presence of professional,social and authentic moralvalues in the configurationof the reasons for motivation

for performance is sometimesaccompanied by feedbackthrough which students place,as significant qualities,mental processes andphenomena which are normallyplaced at the basis of themotivational potential. Inthis sense, it is necessaryfor the teachers andcommanders to intervene,towards ensuring a betterunderstanding by the studentsof the cognitive,axiological, praxeological,volitional and motivationaldimensions that contribute toobtaining and enhancing theperformance of the militaryand academic training andproficiency.From the analyzedinformation, clearly,specifically and convincinglyresults the objective actionof motivation as an activefactor with varied differentdegrees of intensity for theproficient training specificto military students.

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