AbstractStudent motivation holds a key in educational reforms in.docx

Abstract
Student motivation holds a key in educational reforms in South
Korea and Saudi Arabia. Motivating students to perform well in
school requires knowledge of internal and external factors
within the educational system. This research used a review of
literature and explored both intrinsic and extrinsic factors in
students, in teachers, and in the school systems, comparing
student motivation in South Korea and Saudi Arabian schools.
The analysis indicated that South Korean schools performed
better than Saudi Arabian schools in academics. Both nations
maintain advanced school facilities with similar systems, yet in
the research one major discrepancy in academic performance
emerged and showed differences in student motivation. For
Saudi Arabian schools to improve student motivation,
recommendations include observing motivating factors used in
South Korea where emphasis is placed on the student’s learning
and student involvement.
Keyword: student’s motivation, classrooms, schools, internal
factors, external factors, teachers.
Comparing Internal and External Factors of Student Motivation
in Saudi Arabian and South Korean Schools
Motivation is a unique phenomenon. Merriam Webster online
dictionary defines motivation as an influence that causes
someone to do something. This definition does not deviate from
how psychological scholars define motivation. In the wider field
of psychology, studies indicate that there must be a force that

drives somebody to behave in a particular way, especially when
it comes to fulfilling personal goals (Oniyama & Oniyama,
2005). Student motivation is described as the ability to
stimulate young academic learners to behave in a desirable way
that favors quality outcomes. Student motivation enhances the
productivity of students in academics and also in sports among
other extracurricular activities (Christiana, 2009).
Without motivational factors within a school environment or
any other organizational environment in general, productivity
goes down. There are two types of motivation; extrinsic
(external) motivation and intrinsic (internal) motivation
(Christiana, 2009). Analysts sometimes refer to intrinsic
motivation as self-motivation, propelled by the need to fulfill
personal desires. These aspects are relevant in promoting
student motivation. Internal and external factors have to be put
into perspective to achieve the full package of the intended
results.
This study expounded on student motivation, an aspect that is
not limited by geographical boundaries but rather it affects
students worldwide. Regardless of racial, social,or economic
reasons people are different; motivational force is what
determines how students tend to perform in school (Tiwari,
Tiwari,& Sharma, 2014). What stimulates students to perform in
a particular way is a set of standards. The include simple
aspects such as effectiveness of the classroom environment.
Education requires enough resources for the students and
teachers included to carry out their tasks. Student’s
motivational levels tend to differ with various factors, which
explains why students perform differently despite the fact that
they all share the same academic environment. To minimize the
discrepancy of academic performance between students, the
issue of student motivation has to be considered (Kusurkar, Ten
Cate, Vos, Westers, & Croiset, 2013).
Motivating student’s internal and external factors that define
the learning environment relevant stakeholders need not to
struggle with finding loopholes for establishing motivation

while internal and external aspects are both available as viable
options. From an intrinsic perspective, students need to be
encouraged how performing well in a particular discipline such
as mathematics would make them feel (Delong & Winter, 2002).
Student motivators need to rely on aspects such as personal
fulfillment to make students appreciate a particular subject on a
more personal level (Tiwari, Tiwari ,& Sharma, 2014). Among
the two types of motivation, this one is the hardest one. Despite
it being the difficult one to achieve, the benefits of internal
motivation are long lasting and very effective. There is also
external motivation, which highly depends on the use of
assorted rewards. Extrinsic motivation is appropriate, but
psychologists recommend rewards for short-term goals (Delong
& Winter, 2002). Regardless of its duration of effectiveness,
these variables can be used to motivate students towards a
desired performance.
The effects of motivation are mainly positive especially when
dealing with students. When students in schools are motivated,
the results are good performance in any subject they are involve
in to . The quest to become prominent personalities in society is
one relevant aspect that internally pushes many students to
perform well academically. For those not good in academics but
able to perform well in extra-curricular activities, their main
motivation usually takes a different conformation but still
enables them to become successful. While this may be the case,
it is important to acknowledge the fact that the type of
motivation approach used matters in the viability of the final
outcomes (Christiana, 2009).
For longer-term effects, internal motivation is best since it
forms within students. Reward based approach is only effective
for a shorter term and once the headlined objectives are
attained, it is easy for an individual to lose a sense of
motivation. In terms of its significance, this introductory
segment has already pointed out that motivation helps students
to stay focused on attaining the set goals. Good academic
performance in schools, therefore, depends on how well the

students and the entire school is actually stimulated
intellectually (Delong & Winter, 2002).
Student motivation is one of the important topics that has been
researched and is still being explored further in the docket of
education. It is important to point out factors that do motivate
students in different regions and assess whether those factors, if
effective, are applicable anywhere else. In the current
technologically competitive world, it is upon the sharpness of
its current education system that a country can significantly
appear on the global map as a powerhouse. To make sure that
sure that education is effective, student motivation is one area
that needs to be constantly explored for performance
enhancement (Gilakjani, Lai-Mei & Sabouri, 2012).
Regardless of different school curricula, students in Saudi
Arabia and South Korea have several aspects that act as
extrinsic and intrinsic motivators. Despite the presence of
motivators, student performance in the two countries is very
different. This particular research intended to dwell on student
motivation as the phenomenon that accounts for the difference
in academic performance for students in Saudi Arabia and those
in South Korea explaining why the latter has more intellectual
capability than the former. This will be accomplished by
providing an overview of the difference between classroom
environments in the two countries ,as well as, sources, reasons,
and effects of student motivation. Motivating students in the
classroom is a challenge for many teachers. Student motivation
requires an understanding of internal and external factors. This
thesis paper reports on these factors that strongly influence
students in South Korean and Saudi Arabian schools.
Internal Factors
Student motivation refers to the force or stimulus to drive
students needs or desires that cause them to act and learn.
Student motivation is an important and necessary part of the
quality education. Students should have many sources that
induce interest and give value in education and motivate them.

Some factors such as family support, teacher’s role, and even
classmate behavior affect students’ participation and attitude
towards education and motivational level. When students’
motivation in South Korea and Saudi Arabia were compared,
similar and different factors were found. The intrinsic factors
cover students’ involvement, curiosity, challenges, and social
interaction (Faulkner, 2009).
Student Participation, Low Motivation
In South Korea, students do not feel difficulty for grading
because it is not related to academic achievements. Moreover,
they are not free to choose the subjects of personal interest
regardless of examination scores. Students’ prior learning
experience is another factor that demotivates them
(Niederhauser, 2012).
In Saudi Arabia, the factors are different and involve a lack of
confidence, laziness, poor planning, and negligence. The family
environment and cultural issues also affect the students’
motivation, because family support is a must to keep students
involved. Students do not possess work out side of the class.
Therefore, Saudi students have poor attitude towards education
and less motivation for success. Common factors that cause
demotivation in both countries are no chances of extra-
curricular activities, lack of English classes, and rude
classmates (Springsteen, 2014).
Student Participation, High Motivation
In South Korea, teachers play a vital role in students’
motivation. Teachers use various strategies to develop self-
confidence in learners. For example, conveying positive
messages about learning and creating activities for real
communication are among frequently used techniques.
In Saudi Arabia, it is considered that the teachers who teach in
English support Christianity and secularism. Saudi students
possess Arabic while having faith in God. Teachers can increase
the motivation level of the students by connecting their personal
goals with learning. Male students are supposed to have goals of
doing work, while female students do not possess such goals or

achievements. Therefore, lack of motivation is found in female
students in Saudi Arabia (Aslam, 2014). However, the factors
that positively affect students are supportive family, likeable
teachers, and a safe school atmosphere.
Student Attitude
When compared to the other countries, South Korean parents
spend more per children education. For example, they often pay
for extra tutorial classes. The students are highly motivated
towards colleges because of their association with social status
and good jobs. Moreover, South Korean teachers teach with
dedication, receive a good salary and have a high social status.
In Saudi Arabia, the factors that motivate students are
interactive activities, attitude change, and paying attention in
class. Pedagogical input is another factor that promotes
students’ learning. It must be noted that the Saudi students are
less intended for self-motivation than South Korean students.
The content shared in the classroom, the method or process used
for teaching, and the school environment are the clustered
factors that influence the motivational level of the students in
both countries. The content should connect students and be
relevant to real life. It should involve critical thinking and
creativity. Furthermore, technology such as streaming video can
be used to keep the students up-to-date and motivated (Khan,
2011). Several teaching methods for student motivation are
encouragement and praise, storytelling, and quizzes. The
environment in which students learn is also a key factor in
motivation. The students acquire motivation while learning in a
surrounding of teamwork (Williams & Williams, 2011).Thus,
intrinsic motivation is tough and gives positive results to the
students (Jenkins, 2008).
Reasons affecting student motivation
The teachers play a significant role in students’ motivation in
South Korea, while family support has the same role in Saudi
Arabia. Students’ self-motivation drives participation and
attitude towards education in both countries. The internal

factors in Saudi Arabia are confidence, laziness, and school
environment, while social status and method of learning are the
internal factors in South Korea.
The classroom plays a greater role in shaping the academic
performance of any student. It is within these four walls that
students tend to spend most of the time trying to work towards
academic excellence. For most school leaders, classrooms do
present intellectual spaces, but from an analytical point of view,
classrooms are more than that. Given the fact that students
spend more than seven hours, five days a week, in classrooms,
the environment needs to be very captivating for academic
excellence to be attained. Creating motivational classroom
environment means having a conducive organization in place,
that is, the physical climate needs to be comfortable
(Rangachari, 2007; Dörnyei, 2007).
External Factors
Physical environment
In comprehensive studies been carried out in numerous
American schools, physical environment is one aspect that
accounts for the difference in performance of the students in
private institutions and government entities. Private school
students tend to perform well because they have access to better
facilities, and public school students are deemed to perform
poorly due to poor maintenance and lack of adequate
government initiatives. Such discrepancy is accounted for by
the lack of motivation in public schools. Lack of proper
classroom environments such as poor lighting and ventilation,
external noise, and cracked walls, as well as other issues act as
a motivation killer. It is a natural occurrence that students in
such academically hazardous environments will have less zeal
to focus on studies. The other aspect of the physical climate is
that students should be able to interact peacefully and share
resources equally. Where resources are inadequate, students
tend to spend much time fighting over them instead of using the

little resources available. Therefore, to create motivation, the
classroom environment has to be put into a state where students
are thrilled to exist in and not the other way round where
instead of concentrating on their studies, they struggle to fit in
such learning conditions (Rangachari, 2007; Dörnyei, 2007).
Intellectual, social, and emotional aspects contribute a great
deal to creating an acceptable classroom environment that aids
in student motivation. The better the classroom environment,
the more focused on academics students tend to be. From an
intellectual point of view, students have to survive in an
authentic environment that confers on them important and
challenging tasks. To create an intellectually productive
environment, teachers are the most important asset . The more
organized and consistent teachers tend to be, the more
streamlined and motivated students will be In an intellectually
disoriented school where, for instance, the math teacher is an
alcohol addict, students will develop less or no interest at all in
the discipline at hand. Consistent feedback is important when
establishing a viable learning environment. When a student gets
constant positive or encouraging feedback from the instructor,
the student tends to get serious with his or her studies (Williams
& Williams, (2011).
From a social point of view, creating a motivating environment
means enhancing the relationship between students to a point
where they can work together peacefully. Schools fail
academically and students become unmotivated due to
segregation. To motivate the intellectually poor individuals,
students, as peers, need to work together as a unit. In addition
to the students, instructors also need to be approachable by
students. Feared instructors usually do not guide students well
towards academic excellence (Sarwar, Razzaq, & Saeed, 2014).
In general, the behavioral expectation of each student and
teacher needs to be high in order to uphold a socially habitable
classroom environment.
The emotional aspect is very important for student success.
From an emotional point of view, the learning environment does

not need to be too competitive. Competition is healthy for
promoting a good academic environment, but too much of it can
cause students and instructors to deviate from the main
objective. Some schools tend to be too strict on the rules, an
aspect which de-motivates students and scares them off. A
balanced school should have in place a situation where minor
mistakes are allowed. Positive emotions tend to play a huge part
in enhancing student motivation. (Cifu, 2012) When all these
aspects are put into play in creating a habitable classroom
environment, students will be motivated.
Student Number in Classrooms
One common condition that defines an effective classroom
environment is the number of students available in each
classroom. It is based on the effective number in classrooms
will be able to be achieved in a harmonious way. The high
number or less than normal number of students in classroom
tends to spell doom for the entire system. In both Saudi Arabia
and Korea, neither is the situation but this does not mean that
they have similar classroom number characteristics. The
population density in the two countries is one factor that
accounts for the difference in how many students a classroom
can hold. Statistics indicate that most OECD countries have an
average of 21 students per classroom. This directly implicates
the ratio between the teacher and the students is very
manageable, an aspect that increases the precision and quality
of education outcome while from a general perspective
increases the chances for student motivation.
Saudi Arabia falls in the lower level of OECD countries, which
means that it has an average of 21 students per classroom both
in primary and secondary schools. As a well-developed country,
there are adequate facilities and with the rate of students per
classroom, a conducive classroom environment is likely to be
created. On the contrary, things are a little bit different in
Korea. Korea is more densely populated than Saudi Arabia
therefore the number of students in each classroom is expected
to be very different and the statistics prove the Point pointed.

Korea exhibits an average of 35 students in every classroom.
This is high than that of Saudi Arabia with an average of 21 it is
behind of China that registers an average of 50 students per
classroom among the OECD countries (OECD, 2011).
The significance of establishing a classroom environment is to
determines the level of student teacher ratio as already indicated
above. A less ratio number implicates direct contact between
students and instructors, a very important factor in upholding
student motivation. This is based on the grounds that an
instructor gets the humble time have get in contact with every
student at ease and deal with problems. The introductory part of
this segment indicated that the closer students and teachers are,
the more likely are the chances of student motivation occurring.
In an environment where a teacher gets overwhelmed by the
number of students, teachers tend to saltire with the students
then deal with. Potentially for other students less, an aspect
that de-motivates learning (Tomlinson et al., 2003).
Efficiency of Learning Facilities
The physical classroom environment in both of the countries is
high compared to other countries in the region. In the current
technologically advanced world, most aspects of life including
education are conducted differently. The two countries have
some of the most established IT facilities that promote a
productive environment. Aside from the aspect of information
technology, facilities are well developed and analytical studies
do indicate that it is one of the root causes for student
motivation. When students step in high tech laboratories with
enough equipment at their disposal, they are naturally
compelled to work hard and this is an as works well for Korea
and Saudi Arabia in terms of student motivation. Early student
exposure technologyelevates the motivational level (OECD,
2011). The fact that many innovations in the science department
originate in the Asian countries with Korea among the top ones,
shows that students have access to efficient learning facilities
that increase motivation. Technology also enables institutions
of higher learning in the region to offer online/distance

education. Online learning propels more people despite of
geographical location to access education. In a country such as
Korea where there is a high number of students, the available
institutions of higher learning have the capability to promote
online learning (Jenkins, 2011).
Resources
Teachers and curriculum
Learning resources also do define the learning environment in a
classroom. There are numerous learning resources and teaching
aids that teachers can adapt to enhance the effectiveness of
academic performance by students. In Saudi Arabia and Korea,
different learning resources are put into use but they do not
deviate from the universal ones. It is inevitable for any learning
institution to perpetuate its objective while not using textbooks
as teaching resources. For a long time since the advent of
education in the modern age, textbooks and other literal
materials have been part and parcel of the learning process.
However, analysts indicate that in the advent of the digital
world uprising, the use of textbooks is somehow declining in
favor of digital resources. As indicated above, technology
defines education in the modern era and it is one of the aspects
that motivate students to behave in particular manner that favors
their intellectual progression (Horsley & Sikorová, 2014).
In Korea and Saudi Arabia, textbooks and digital aids are used
as learning resources in most educational complexes; the only
difference is the ratio of their usage (Saqlain, Al-Qarni &
Ghadi, 2013). The emphasis of textbook usage in most countries
usually vary with the subject in question, for instance, in some
developed countries, textbook as a learning resource is used in
teaching mathematics and sciences. In the scenario of Saudi
Arabia and Korea, statics show that textbooks are used
regardless of the subject in question. From a more general
perspective, both Korea and Saudi Arabia favored the usage of
both textbooks and software. In Korea, textbook usage accounts
for 98.6 % of learning resources while software application is
25.1%. In Saudi Arabia, textbook usage accounts for 93.4 %

while software use accounts for 29.7 % (Horsley & Sikorová,
2014). Despite the closeness of these figures, student
performance in Korea is better than that of Saudi Arabia.
Statistics rank South Korea as position Two, a spot behind
Singapore in terms of Grade Four mathematics performance
while Saudi Arabia assumes position 45 in the same discipline.
The figures given indicate a minimal gap between textbook and
online resources usage in the two countries (Choudaha, 2015).
Chart 1 International Students in the US (Choudaha, 2015)
Table 1 variables affecting motivational level of reading
students in King Faisal University. (Gifted Phoenix, 2014)
Table 2 the performance of less privileged students from South
Korea and other selected OECD countries (Gifted Phoenix,
2014)
Chart 1 above shows the number of international students in US.
Among the many students that are admitted in American
universities, there are a substantial number of them from Saudi
Arabia and South Korea. In the chart, the number of students
from Korea is slightly above that of Saudi Arabia. This shows
that more Koreans are interested and motivated to gain
knowledge even if it means studying abroad. On the contrary,
the low number of Saudi students indicate their unwillingness to
adapt to the western culture, an aspect that affects their low

motivation back at home in learning English from foreign
teachers (Moores-Abdool, Yahya & Unzueta, 2009).
However, research results do indicate that despite the
Koreans overtaking students from Saudi Arabian, the number of
them willing to study in the US is decreasing. As research
studies covering the OECD countries reveal, South Koreans are
able to perform well while at their home tuft. The level of
motivation there is high compared to the international level.
Table 2 has been able to show that aspect with the number of
less privileged students averaging a figure of above 50. Table 1
is derived from a study carried on medical students in King
Faisal University in Saudi Arabia. The graded aspects show how
student who score high grades in high school end loosing
motivation in collage by skipping classes and deferring courses.
Numerous studies have been carried out trying to establish why
clinical students lose their motivation and one factor pointed
out is the complexity of the curriculum (Moores-Abdool, Yahya
& Unzueta, 2009).
Similarities and differences in Students Motivation in South
Korea and Saudi Arabia
After comparing classroom environments in the two countries,
only a minimal gap was registered. However, despite the
closeness in classroom environment in the two countries, Korea
still confers high intellectual student motivation compared to
that of Saudi Arabia. tends to provide an analysis of aspects that
motivate students in Korea to perform better that their counter
parts in Saudi Arabia after having been exposed to almost the
same classroom conditions. (Moores-Abdool, Yahya & Unzueta,
2009).
The difference between the two countries in terms of student’s
motivation capability is because Korea has made it appear as a
way of life. There is nothing more important for Korean
students than appearing more intelligent which explains their
hard desire to make huge leaps of academic access. In South
Korea, sources of motivation are different compared to those in
Saudi Arabia. Korea depends more on extrinsic aspects to

motivate students. The main form of extrinsic motivation in
Korea emanates from a parent level and not the personal level
of the students (Faulkner, 2009). It is the parents who determine
what is good academically for their students who have no
alternative but to obey the rules at hand. It is more of a
dictatorial relationship of parents and children where the later is
given less opportunity to make their own decision. Once the
parents have set the target, students have no alternative but to
see that they have accomplished their already set goals. In other
countries, especially in the western world, parents tend to be
more lenient with the children giving them freedom to choose
academically. This is not the same for the young Korean
students who spend time wondering how they will fulfill the
desires of their parents.
Aside from the parents, institutions of high learning also
practice the same principle where fewer choices are given to the
students (Faulkner, 2009). The courses that students are able to
indulge in depend on the scores of the previous grades. A lot of
institutions in the region end up having the last say on what
course a student will indulge in. As analysts pointed out,
students have no alternative but to cram their way to high scores
and good graduation grades in the end (Trivedi, Diwan, Shah,
Jani, & Anand, 2014).
English language learning is a major issue in Korea and this is
one of the areas analysts used to determine the level of student
motivation. In Saudi Arabia, English is the second language in
South Korea. Despite that particular fact, students in South
Korea are forced to learn English by parents after t normal
school lessons. This is usually in the evening where as indicated
by an English teacher in Korea, most students are not willing to
attend such lessons. This is an aspect that is missing in the
context of Saudi Arabia hence their low motivation in learning
English (Maherzi, 2011). Once the students are forced to learn
English , students usually start developing a sense of personal
interest where they want to learn English for its benefits.
Faulkner, 2009 indicates that since most Korean students are

attracted to intellectual success, they usually brush aside the
fact that they were forced into learning English and make it a
personal affair. By analyzing this scenario, the dynamics of
motivational force have shifted from an extrinsic level to an
internal one. The cause of such shifts highly depends on the
viability of the external source, in comparing the two countries,
is an aspect that is missing in Saudi Arabia. To be more
efficient incorporate English, Saudi Arabia could also consider
changing the curriculum (Maherzi, 2011).
In current global activities, South Korea is one of the emerging
economic powerhouses grad rising from the middle level status
to becoming a major danger to the developed nations. One
aspect that puts a country on the global map in terms of
economic activity is the ability to be innovative and creative
yielding ideas that can revolutionize the way the entire world
operates. It is because of this factor that most countries turn to
the education system. Superb educations systems where students
are motivated well enough will produce results that are
desirable. From a more general perspective, the difference
between developed nations and third world countries is the level
of ideology innovations. Countries with advanced and efficient
education systems such as the US sponsor innovations that
revolutionize the world. One good example is Steve Jobs who
Steered Apple Company to bask in its current glory. It is hard to
find such people in countries with poor education systems that
do not motivate students. (Maherzi, 2011).
For South Korea, the reason for the invasive technique of
student motivation is to be at the top of the world both
economically and intellectually. Students from South Korea
have been reared in an environment that highly values
intellectual capabilities. It is through such advantages that a
country comes up with solutions that are viable worldwide. The
rate of innovations from South Korea is far ahead of Saudi
Arabia given the fact that the country prioritizes science and
math, disciplines that are not performed well in Saudi Arabia. A
lesson that can be adopted from South Korea is that student

motivation is an aspect that can occur naturally but when need
arises; it needs to be forced in place (Faulkner, 2009).
Student motivation in South Korea explains the intellectual gap
between Saudi Arabia and the country. Motivation pushes
students to perform well academically. Saudi Arabia and South
Korea are both very resourceful countries but the approach
taken by South Korea makes the difference. There are numerous
motivators that are used in Korea that automatically push
students to crave for success. Numerous research studies carried
out by established scholars indicated that there is a positive
correlation between student motivation and good academic
performance. South Korea fit well in the description but student
motivation creates the positive environment and gives both
students and teachers the internal energy to stay focused.
Regardless of the form of motivation used to stimulate students,
the results expected are still the same. South Korea uses a rather
unorthodox means for student motivation on a large scale, but
this does not mean that there are no alternative channels for
stimulating students to learn. Western instructors who teach
English in Korea usually use a more personalized approach to
make students appreciate English as a second language.
Whether a more invasive or a more lenient approach is used to
entice students into liking the subject in question, the outcome
is enhanced academic performance (Faulkner , 2009).

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