Learning Motivation, Learning Discipline, and Mathematics Achievement: Evidence from Grade 8 Students in Indonesia

Faija Musa'ad; Mahliana Rahman; Nur Amaliah Ibrahim; Sri Wahyuni

Authors

Faija Musa'ad Master of Mathematics Education, Graduate Program, Muhammadiyah University of Makassar, Makassar Author
Mahliana Rahman Master of Mathematics Education, Graduate Program, Muhammadiyah University of Makassar, Makassar Author
Nur Amaliah Ibrahim Master of Mathematics Education, Graduate Program, Muhammadiyah University of Makassar, Makassar Author
Sri Wahyuni Master of Mathematics Education, Graduate Program, Muhammadiyah University of Makassar, Makassar Author

Keywords:

Mathematics achievement, learning motivation, learning discipline, junior high school students, multiple linear regression

Abstract

Mathematics achievement is shaped not only by students’ cognitive development but also by affective and behavioral dimensions of learning. However, the relative roles of learning motivation and learning discipline in mathematics achievement remain insufficiently clear when examined simultaneously, particularly in Indonesian junior high school contexts. This study investigated the joint and individual associations of learning motivation and learning discipline with mathematics achievement among 87 Grade 8 students at a junior high school in Wajo, Indonesia. A quantitative ex post facto design was employed, with data collected through five-point Likert questionnaires measuring learning motivation and learning discipline and school documentation of mathematics achievement. Descriptive statistics, Pearson correlations, and multiple linear regression were conducted using JASP. The regression model was statistically significant, F(2, 84) = 8.152, p < .001, explaining 16.3% of the variance in mathematics achievement (R² = .163; adjusted R² = .143). Learning motivation was not significantly associated with achievement after controlling for learning discipline (B = .003, β = .0117, p = .911), whereas learning discipline showed a positive and significant association (B = .076, β = .3996, p < .001). Learning discipline also had the larger standardized coefficient. These findings contribute evidence that motivational orientation and behavioral regularity may play different roles in mathematics achievement. The study highlights the value of examining motivation and learning discipline simultaneously and suggests that mathematics education should connect students’ motivation with consistent and sustained learning behaviors.

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