The Relationship Between Lecturer–Student Interaction and Students’ Learning Motivation in Malaysia

This study aims to examine the relationship between lecturer–student interaction and learning motivation among Diploma in Early Childhood Education students at a Malaysian college. This quantitative research employed a survey design and involved 103 students selected through stratified random sampling. Data were collected using the student–Instructor Relationship Scale (SIRS) and the Academic Motivation Scale (AMS-C 28). Data analysis was conducted using the Statistical Package for the Social Sciences (SPSS) version 23.0, employing Pearson correlation and independent t-tests. The findings revealed a significant positive relationship between lecturer–student interaction and learning motivation (r = .495, p < .05). However, no significant differences in learning motivation were found based on gender (t (101) = .876, p > .05) or age (t (101) = –.604, p > .05). This study contributes meaningfully to the higher education landscape in Malaysia and Asia by underscoring that high-quality lecturer–student relationships serve as a crucial foundation for fostering student learning motivation. The study also contributes to the limited body of literature concerning lecturer–student interaction and learning motivation among diploma-level students in Malaysia, thereby providing contextual insight into the importance of relational teaching practices within Southeast Asian higher education environments. The findings also highlight the need to strengthen teaching practices that prioritise empathy, openness, and continuous support to enhance students’ holistic learning experiences. The implications of this study may assist policymakers and institutional leaders in designing academic development programmes that emphasise lecturers’ interpersonal competencies. Overall, the study reinforces those positive relational dynamics not only influence students’ motivation but also their emotional well-being and meaningful engagement in learning.

Lecturer–Student Interaction, Motivation

1. Adi Badiozaman, I.F., Leong, H. and Jikus, O. (2019). Investigating student engagement in Malaysian higher education: A self-determination theory approach, Journal of Further and Higher Education, 43(10), pp. 1404-1419. [Google Scholar] [Crossref]

2. Adibah Binti Abdul Latif and Fatimah Harlina Mohd Taib (2010). Hubungan tingkah laku kesediaan pensyarah dengan tahap motivasi pelajar. Fakulti Pendidikan, Universiti Teknologi Malaysia. [Google Scholar] [Crossref]

3. Cabras, C., Konyukhova, T., Lukianova, N., Mondo, M. and Sechi, C. (2023). Gender and country differences in academic motivation, coping strategies, and academic burnout in Italian and Russian first-year university students, Heliyon, 9(6), e16617. [Google Scholar] [Crossref]

4. Creasey, G., Jarvis, P. and Knapcik, E. (2009). A measure to assess student-instructor relationships (Student-Instructor Relationship Scale), International Journal for the Scholarship of Teaching and Learning, 3(2), Article 14. [Google Scholar] [Crossref]

5. Creswell, J.W. (2014). Research design: Qualitative, quantitative, and mixed methods approaches. 4th edn. Sage Publications. [Google Scholar] [Crossref]

6. Di Lisio, G., Halty, A., Berástegui, A., Milá Roa, A., & Couso Losada, A. (2025). The longitudinal associations between teacher-student relationships and school outcomes in typical and vulnerable student populations: A systematic review. Social Psychology of Education, 28(1), 144–165. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11218-025-10107-8 [Google Scholar] [Crossref]

7. Etikan, I., Musa, S.A. and Alkassim, R.S. (2016). Comparison of convenience sampling and purposive sampling, American Journal of Theoretical and Applied Statistics, 5(1), pp. 1–4. [Google Scholar] [Crossref]

8. Farah Waheeda, M.R. and Mujaheed, M.H. (2021). Intrinsic motivation among first-year and senior students in higher education: A comparative study, Journal of Educational Psychology and Counseling, 14(2), pp. 45–57. [Google Scholar] [Crossref]

9. Hettinger, K., Lazarides, R. and Schiefele, U. (2024). Longitudinal relations between teacher self-efficacy and student motivation through matching characteristics of perceived teaching practice, European Journal of Psychology of Education, 39, pp. 1299–1325. [Google Scholar] [Crossref]

10. Jamil, M.S. (2019). Students’ motivation in learning foreign languages: A study at Universiti Malaysia Sarawak (UNIMAS). Master’s thesis. Universiti Malaysia Sarawak. [Google Scholar] [Crossref]

11. Khairulzaim, N.A.M. and Tan, K.W. (2023). The relationship between motivation and academic achievement during the COVID-19 pandemic, Teaching & Learning Journal (TUR), 3(1), pp. 45–55. [Google Scholar] [Crossref]

12. Krejcie, R.V. and Morgan, D.W. (1970). Determining sample size for research activities, Educational and Psychological Measurement, 30(3), pp. 607–610. [Google Scholar] [Crossref]

13. Ministry of Higher Education Malaysia Ministry of Higher Education Malaysia. (2015). Malaysia Education Blueprint 2015–2025 (Higher Education). Putrajaya, Malaysia: Ministry of Higher Education Malaysia. [Google Scholar] [Crossref]

14. Norazlina Mohd Nasir and Azlina Mohd Kosnin (2020). Peranan sokongan pensyarah dalam motivasi akademik pelajar, Jurnal Psikologi Malaysia, 34(1), pp. 12–25. [Google Scholar] [Crossref]

15. Prananto, K., Cahyadi, S., Lubis, F. Y., & Hinduan, Z. R. (2025). Perceived teacher support and student engagement among higher education students: A systematic literature review. BMC Psychology, 13(1), 112. https://doi.org/10.1186/s40359-025-02412-w [Google Scholar] [Crossref]

16. Permana, B., Widyastuti, E., & Rahman, F. (2023). Lecturer personality, classroom environment, and student motivation in higher education. Journal of Educational Psychology Studies, 18(2), 77–89. [Google Scholar] [Crossref]

17. Permana, B., Kartini, S., & Widodo, A. (2023). Age-related differences in learning motivation among nursing students: An empirical study. Nurse Education Today, 124, 105676. [Google Scholar] [Crossref]

18. Ros Aiza Mohd Mokhtar, Latifah Abdul Latiff and Abd Hakim Mohad (2020). Hubungan motivasi belajar kursus Penghayatan Etika dan Peradaban dalam kalangan pelajar USIM dengan tanggapan mereka terhadap pensyarah kursus, Journal of Islamic and Social Studies, 5(1), pp. 55–68. [Google Scholar] [Crossref]

19. Ryan, R.M. and Deci, E.L. (2020). Intrinsic and extrinsic motivation from a self-determination theory perspective: Definitions, theory, practices, and future directions, Contemporary Educational Psychology, 61, 101860. [Google Scholar] [Crossref]

20. Vallerand, R.J., Pelletier, L.G., Blais, M.R., Brière, N.M., Senécal, C. and Vallières, E.F. (1992). The academic motivation scale: A measure of intrinsic, extrinsic, and amotivation in education, Educational and Psychological Measurement, 52(4), pp. 1003–1017. [Google Scholar] [Crossref]

21. Xiaohui Pan, & Ying Yao (2023). Enhancing Chinese students’ academic engagement: The effect of teacher support and teacher–student rapport. Frontiers in Psychology, 14, 1188507. [Google Scholar] [Crossref]

22. Xiangliang Liu (2024). Effect of teacher–student relationship on academic engagement: The mediating roles of perceived social support and academic pressure. Frontiers in Psychology, 15, 1331667. [Google Scholar] [Crossref]

• A Comparative Study of Adjustment Level, Parental Income and Academic Achievement of Adolescent Girls
• Increase in STIs among Adolescents in Masvingo District
• A Correlation between SDG 4 (Quality Education) and Emotional Disposition of Teacher Educators in Hyderabad District
• Ear Piercing Behaviour and Self-Esteem among Male University Students in Nigeria
• A Study of Religiosity and Psychological Well-Being