Strategies to improve academic motivation in undergraduate nursing students in Iran: a qualitative content analysis

Abstract

Background

Academic motivation of nursing students is a broad and multidimensional concept that is a factor in achieving academic success, better quality of learning, creativity, academic satisfaction, reducing anxiety, continuing education and training competent nurses. The most important barrier to learning in nursing education environments is the lack of interest and motivation among students. This study aimed to explore ways to improve academic motivation in nursing students.

Methods

This qualitative study was conducted in Ramsar City in 2023. A conventional qualitative content analysis was followed to collect data using 14 in-depth individual interviews over a period of 12 months with participants selected through purposive sampling. For data analysis, Lundman and Granheim’s method was adopted.

Results

Data analysis led to the extraction of 143 codes, 14 subcategories, 3 categories, and one theme. Strategies to improve academic motivation in nursing students were found to be a subjective, dynamic and multi-dimensional concept divided into two categories: “Improving educational conditions and performance” and “Improving students’ welfare and recreational conditions”.

Conclusion

Academic motivation is considered one of the essentials of learning and a tool to achieve educational and training goals. By using the strategies to increase academic motivation resulting from this study, an effective step can be taken in this field. Also Understanding these influential strategies can play a significant role in educational and career planning and decision-making, selecting appropriate educational and clinical measures and facilities in the university and students’ future work environment, developing educational and career regulations, effective interaction with learners, ultimately increasing the effectiveness of professors’ teaching and better teaching and learning activities.

Introduction

Academic motivation, first defined by Gottfried in 1990, encompasses the enjoyment of learning, driven by mastery, and the challenge of tackling new and difficult tasks. It answers the question, “Why do you go to university/school?” and reflects the drive to pursue and persist in academic studies. This motivation is shaped by four factors: situation, temperament, tools, and goals. Human acquires motivation to achieve goals and move towards achieving one’s goals [1]. In education, motivation is a multidimensional phenomenon to includes one’s perceived ability to perform the desired activity, one’s reasons for or goals for performing that activity, and the emotional response associated with performing that activity [2, 3].

Behaviors such as insisting on doing homework, preferring homework that requires effort, and trying to learn at the level of mastery are among behaviors that indicate academic motivation [1, 4]. Motivation promotes deep learning and, as a result, critical thinking to improve student academic performance [5]. Learners should be motivated and interested in the topic to engage in the learning process [6–8]. If so, students can enjoy effective learning. Academic motivation guides and enriches behaviour and helps the longer maintenance of correct behaviour. It energizes learners and directs their activities [3, 9]. Higher academic motivation can encourage students to make better use of the educational environment and, as a result, improve academic performance. All students need to establish a good relationship with their educational environment and gain benefit from education. This need seems to be stronger for medical students, who have more contact with the educational environment due to the nature of their studies also Academic motivation of nursing students is a broad and multidimensional concept that is influenced by various personal, family, social, educational and occupational factors. It is also a factor in achieving academic success, academic self-efficacy and perceived social support, better quality of learning, creativity, academic satisfaction, reducing anxiety, risk of academic burnout and depression, continuing education and training competent nurses [10, 11].

Despite the importance of positive motivational effects in education, a common problem of the educational system is the low level of academic motivation among students. It can cause many scientific, cultural and economic losses to governments and families every year. Consequently, the education system can face low educational efficiency, which further points to the importance of attention to factors related to educational motivation [11]. Also, academic self-efficacy, academic motivation and academic self-concept significantly predicted students’ academic performance [12]. Positive academic motivation is important for college students to obtain higher academic engagement and achievement, which has significant implications for college students [ 14]. If we know what factors can increase or decrease motivation, we can predict human behaviour to a large extent [7].

The literature has shown that nursing students and recent graduates often suffer from demotivation and high levels of stress during their studies. Suffering is, therefore, recognized as a critical challenge in meeting global healthcare needs [7, 12–15]. Some research showed students mentioned different factors as the causes of academic demotivation, such as the teacher’s teaching style and skill, lack of job security and vacancy and less participation and activity in teaching and learning [16]– [17]. The most important barrier to learning in nursing education environments is the lack of interest and motivation among students [18, 19]. Nursing students’ academic motivation has been an opportunity to help others selflessly [20] reduce anxiety and improve time management. However, factors such as academic interest and motivation have not been sufficiently considered in nursing education. Strategies to increase motivation are necessary to address these challenges, professional development and completion of higher education programs [16].

Motivation is an internal and behavioral concept, the knowledge of which is best obtained from students who have experienced it. One of the best ways to understand behavioral and human phenomena is to trace them in individuals who have directly and indirectly experienced them. The knowledge obtained this way is based on reality and can, therefore, help better predict and control the underlying factors. This approach is known as the qualitative approach to human studies [21]. In the research, the qualitative method of content analysis was used. Similar qualitative studies have been conducted in 2014–2017 [22–24]. Yet, no similar research was found with the same purpose in the present year. Student motivation, as a driving force and guiding factor in educational activities, affects their learning, performance, and active participation. The study of student motivation is of great importance due to its key role in academic success and performance. By understanding and recognizing the strategies to improve academic motivation, we can provide appropriate solutions to strengthen it in students and, as a result, improve the quality of education. Considering what was mentioned above, the academic motivation of nursing students plays a significant role in selflessly helping others, reducing anxiety, and improving time management. In particular, nursing students have faced the challenge of low academic motivation for various reasons. This challenge has been raised as a life issue to meet global health-related needs and It can cause many scientific, cultural and economic losses to governments and families every year. With the lack of studies aimed at examining academic interest and motivation in nursing education, it is essential to find ways to increase student motivation to face these challenges and develop professionally, to complement higher education programs. Qualitative research plays a major role in knowing human behavioral phenomena. Therefore, the research aimed to explore strategies to improve academic motivation in Undergraduate Nursing Students in Iran using qualitative content analysis.

Methods

Design of study and sampling

This qualitative study was conducted in Ramsar City in 2023. In this qualitative study used conventional content analysis and was guided by the constructivist philosophy paradigm. Content analysis is more than a mere extraction of objective content from textual data. Rather, codes and themes are extracted through a systematic classification process. Latent themes and patterns can be revealed from within the content of data obtained from the participants [25, 26].

The sample was selected among individuals who were able to explain and interpret strategies to improve academic motivation and were willing to participate and share their views for the research purpose. The participants were nursing students affiliated with Ramsar College of Nursing, Iran.

A purposive sampling was used to select the participants with maximum variety (sex, academic level, academic semester). The research population comprised all nursing students. Since the setting of qualitative research is the actual world, the interviews in this study were also conducted with real nursing students who met the inclusion conditions for an in-depth interview. The Inclusion criteria [express one’s own opinions and desire to participate in the study] and exclusion criteria [unwillingness to participate in the study] were performed for participants. Since the present research is qualitative, the philosophy (paradigm) guiding the research is constructivism and constructivism [27].

A semi-structured interview was used for data collection. To conduct the semi-structured interviews, a general checklist was developed beforehand to include: 1-How do you rate your motivation and interest in studying? 2- What makes you more motivated and interested in studying? 3- Can you relate academic motivation to university programs? These questions helped determine the general themes of the interview in advance, and during the interview, if necessary, other questions were added. In each interview, if needed, the research questions were revised for the next interview. The researcher reached data saturation after 10 interviews, with no new insights emerging. To confirm this, she conducted an additional four interviews. Thus, data collection concluded after 14 interviews, having achieved full saturation. Interview durations ranged from 20 to 80 min, averaging 45 min each. Sessions were held with participants in the university’s rest area and recorded using a Samsung mobile device. Participants were informed that their responses were entirely voluntary, with the option to skip questions or discontinue the interview at any time. Data analysis was done by coding and a simultaneous comparison and note-taking. If new findings emerged, new participants were selected and these steps continued until data saturation. The sample in this qualitative study was selected from nursing students who were able to explain and interpret the concept of academic motivation among their population. They were willing to participate and share their views for research purposes. The interview was held in a quiet and convenient place where the interviewees felt secure. Before the interview began, the purpose of the study was explained orally to all participants.

The time and place of the interview was agreed upon in advance. The participants were assured they were free to answer the questions they wanted and not answer those they did not want. They could withdraw from the study whenever they wished to. The place of interviews was set at Fatima Zahra Ramsar Midwifery Nursing School as preferred by 10 participants and the Ramsar student dormitory preferred by 4 others. As all participants agreed, all interviews were audio-recorded. The participants were kindly and cooperatively introduced to the topic of research. Follow-up questions were asked for any further enquiry (e.g., Can you provide an example? Can you explain more?). The participants’ answers to each question were explored further. Also, by restating and emphasizing the salient points or summaries of the participants’ answers, efforts were made to verify the correctness and validity of the data and help increase the validity of the findings. At the end of each interview, whenever possible, the interviews were reviewed several times and transcribed verbatim. The participants’ behavioral features were also jotted down during the interviews.

Trustworthiness of data

DeVon (2007) used Lincoln’s parallel criteria to assess trustworthiness in qualitative research. These criteria include credibility, transferability, dependability, and confirmability [28]. In this research, to increase the credibility of data, different strategies were used such as external reviewers and debriefing. For the internal review (by the participants), during the interview, any content that was not clear to the researcher was consulted with the interviewee to double-check and confirm. The participants were asked to clarify ambiguities and verify the coding of the interview content. Also, the full text of the interviews along with coding and initial categorizations were sent to the members of the research team and their affirmative and complementary comments were used to guide implementation, coding and initial categorization.

The researcher used debriefing, member checks, and consultation with two external reviewers experienced in qualitative research to increase the dependability of data. In this research, to make sure of the confirmability of data, a panel of experts was consulted. To this aim, the interviews, codes and categories were reviewed by a panel of experts in qualitative research. To increase the transferability of findings, the researcher investigated the experiences of the main participants. In this study, attempts were made to include participants from all age groups, educational levels, both sexes and different academic semesters. This variety of resources increases the transferability of findings to other conditions. Also, to increase the transferability of findings, the researcher compared the findings with those of similar studies in other conditions and populations. The precise description of the research, participants, methodology and findings also help increase the transferability of findings. Double-checking the reported findings by colleagues and confirming the procedure of the study can increase the transferability of findings too [29].

Data analysis

The data were analyzed using the qualitative content analysis suggested by Granheim and Lundman (2004). It involved a systematic and clearcut 8-step procedure for data processing and analysis [30]. Preparing the data, deciding on the unit of analysis, categorization, testing and confirming the coding in a sample transcript, coding the entire transcript, checking the dependability of coding, drawing conclusions from the coded data, and reporting the analysis method were all reports of the source of data, data analysis and findings (Fig. 1).

Fig. 1.

Steps of Data Analysis

Ethical considerations

The paper extract was extracted from one research project entitled “Investigating ways to improve academic motivation in nursing students: A qualitative content analysis”, reviewed and approved by the ethics committee of the Health Research School - Babol University of Medical Sciences (#IR.MUBABOL.REC.1402.007). Before the interview, the participants received an oral explanation of the purpose of the study, participant rights, freedom to participate in the study, and the possibility of not answering questions from the researcher or withdrawing from the interview. We don’t publish the names and information of participants and also give a special number to each participant. They were asked to sign a written consent form.

Results

Participants’ demographic information

A total number of 14 students participated in the study. Table 1 shows the demographic features of the participants (Table 1).

Table 1.

Participants’ demographic information (n = 14)

Number	Age	Sex	Total Average Of Specialized Class Tests	Academic Semester	Grade	Father’s Occupation	Mother’s Occupation	Income Status
1.	24	F	18.13	2	Master’s degree	Deceased	Housewife	Medium
2.	21	F	16.50	6	Bachelor’s degree	Retired	Student	Medium
3.	30	F	17.54	2	Bachelor’s degree	Freelancer	Freelancer	Medium
4.	22	F	17	2	Bachelor’s degree	Employee	Housewife	Medium
5.	21	F	17	4	Bachelor’s degree	Carpenter	Housewife	Good
6.	23	F	16.50	6	Bachelor’s degree	Freelancer	Housewife	Excellent
7.	20	F	17.99	2	Bachelor’s degree	Retired	Retired	Medium
8.	20	F	17	2	Bachelor’s degree	Employee	Employee	Medium
9.	23	F	17	6	Bachelor’s degree	Freelancer	Freelancer	Medium
10.	22	F	17	6	Bachelor’s degree	Freelancer	Freelancer	Medium
11.	21	F	16	4	Bachelor’s degree	Retired	Retired	Good
12.	23	M	17.50	8	Bachelor’s degree	Employee	Employee	Medium
13.	27	M	16.50	2	Master’s degree	Freelancer	Freelancer	Medium
14.	23	M	16	8	Bachelor’s degree	Freelancer	Freelancer	Medium

The data analysis was a conventional qualitative analysis leading to the extraction of 143 codes, 14 subcategories, 3 categories and one theme. Due to the large number of codes extracted from the study, some sample items are provided in Table 2.

Table 2.

Abstracted codes, categories and subcategories of strategies to improve students’ academic motivation

Theme	Category	Sub-Category	Sample Coding
Effective strategies to increase student academic motivation effective	Improving educational performance as a way to increase student academic motivation	Appropriate curriculum planning as a strategy to increase student academic motivation	The effect of attractive university programs on increasing academic motivation
			The effect of appropriate arrangement of internship programs on increasing academic motivation
		More cooperation with working students as a strategy to increase academic motivation	The effect of excused absences due to student job on increasing academic motivation
		Giving students freedom of criticism as a strategy to increase academic motivation	The effect of useful suggestions by students on increasing academic motivation
		Improving internship conditions as a strategy to increase student academic motivation	The effect of internship with experienced professors on increasing academic motivation
		Improving the methods of teaching and teacher’s behavior in class as a strategy to improve student academic motivation	The effect of increasing Q&As in the classroom on increasing student academic motivation
			The effect of the teacher’s favorable behavior on increasing academic motivation
		Improving student preparation for learning as a strategy to increase student academic motivation	The effect of student preparation for learning on academic motivation
			The effect of the vital role of nurses during the COVID-19 pandemic on increasing student academic motivation
		Holding workshops needed by students as a strategy to increase academic motivation	The effect of holding practical nursing professional workshops on increasing their academic motivation
			The better effect of face-to-face workshops than online on student academic motivation
			Helping enrich student resumes for higher degrees on the higher student academic motivation
		Decreasing the number of students in class as a strategy to increase academic motivation	The effect of fewer students in the classroom on increasing academic motivation
	Improving educational conditions and environment as a way to increase student academic motivation	Improving communications in the classroom as a strategy to increase student academic motivation	The effect of the comfortable and friendly class atmosphere on increasing student academic motivation
		Attention to aesthetic aspects of the educational environment as a strategy to increase student academic motivation	The effect of university green space on increasing student academic motivation
			The importance of appropriate lighting in the classroom on increasing student academic motivation
		Providing educational facilities for students as a strategy to increase academic motivation	The effect of providing more books in the library on increasing student academic motivation
			The availability of more medical devices in internship environment and increasing academic motivation
	Improving the welfare and recreational conditions of students as a strategy to increase academic motivation	Improving welfare, cultural and interpersonal relations in dormitory as a strategy to increase academic motivation	The effect of celebrations in a dormitory on increasing academic motivation
		Financial support for students as a strategy to increase academic motivation	The effect of grants for research on increasing student academic motivation
		Providing good food for students as a strategy to increase academic motivation	The effect of high-quality food on increasing student academic motivation

In this section, the categories and sub-categories are investigated as research findings and are supported by the participants’ accounts.

The first category: improving educational performance as a strategy to increase student academic motivation

This category has 8 sub-categories, as listed below:

The first sub-category: appropriate curriculum planning is a strategy to increase student academic motivation

Concerning the effect of attractive university programs on student academic motivation, Participant #9, in response to the question “Could your academic motivation be related to university programs?” said: “Well, if they have an attractive routine, it will increase for 100%.” (23-year-old female student of the 6th semester of Bachelor’s degree of Nursing).

Participant 2 discussed how the opportunity to work with critically ill patients during the internship can boost students’ academic motivation: “They learn how to communicate with patients and empathize with them. Communication is very important in our field because we interact with many patients. They also learn how to communicate with colleagues—something that isn’t taught directly in the workplace” (27-year-old female, 2nd-semester nursing student).

The second sub-category: more Cooperation with working students is a strategy to increase their academic motivation

For example, as for the effect of working outside college on increasing student academic motivation, participant #3 answered the question “Do you think working outside college will increase your motivation?” as “Yes, I am also looking forward to working in this clinic.” (30-year-old female student of the 2nd semester of Bachelor’s degree of Nursing).

Also, participant No. 1 said about the effect of virtual holding of some training sessions for working students on students’ academic motivation: “The fact that classes are held virtually for working students increases student motivation.” (female student, 24 years old, semester 2 nursing).

The third sub-category is giving students freedom of criticism as a strategy to increase academic motivation

For example, concerning the effect of constructive suggestions on increasing student academic motivation, participant #6, in response to the question, “If the faculty gives you the freedom to criticize, can it increase your academic motivation?” said: “If the criticisms or suggestions we make are effective, and do not fall on deaf ears, yes.” (23-year-old female student, 6th semester of Bachelor of Nursing).

Also, Participant Number 1 about the effect of providing a space for criticism and suggestions for the student on increasing the student’s academic motivation He said: “Providing a space for students to express their criticisms and suggestions will increase student motivation.”

The fourth sub-category: improving internship conditions as a strategy to increase student academic motivation

For example, concerning The effect of internship with experienced professors on increasing academic motivation, participant # 4, in response to the question, “What changes should be made in the internship conditions?“, said: “Internship with experienced professors on increasing academic motivation “.

Participant 4 expressed that the availability of additional medical devices in the internship environment could enhance students’ academic motivation, stating, “There should be more equipment because there was a medical unit in the hospital with only 10 interns” (22-year-old female, 2nd-semester nursing student).

The fifth sub-category: improving the methods of teaching and teacher’s behavior in class as a strategy to improve student academic motivation

For example, participant #2 answered the question, “What do you think about the effect of the electronic system professors use in teaching on student academic motivation? Does it have any significant effect?” “Of course, it is better to use more videos and photos, more than what they currently have in their educational program. If they use them, they can convey the educational concepts better than teaching only traditionally.” (21-year-old female student, 6th semester of Bachelor of Nursing).

Also, Participant Number 6 about the effect of presenting new and interesting materials in the class on increasing the student’s academic motivation He said, “What changes need to be made in the classroom itself… the same way the teachers teach, the materials they use, bring interesting topics, not routine things, now routine things are also very important, for example, bring something from this side, one likes it.” 23-year-old female student, 6th semester of nursing)

The six sub-category: improving student Preparation for learning as a strategy to increase student academic motivation

For example, concerning the effect of student preparation for learning on academic motivation, participant #4 said: “When the course is at one o’clock, for example, the hours after lunch, we have no motivation to listen at all, which means all the children are completely unconscious, especially on the days when they serve yoghurt drink.” (22-year-old female student, 2nd semester of Bachelor of Nursing).

Also, Participant Number 4 said about the impact of the student’s motivation on his academic motivation: “My academic motivation is more about myself, the things I like” (22-year-old female student, 6th semester of nursing).

The seventh sub-category is holding workshops needed by students as a strategy to increase academic motivation

For example, participant #8 talked about the effect of practical and clinical workshops on increasing student academic motivation: “If, for example, the workshops that they hold are practical, such as workshops on anger management, it will help. What is mostly expected from us is done at the bedside; thus, it doesn’t matter if we want to control our anger. It is better to practice more on clinical issues.” (20-year-old female student, second semester of nursing).

Regarding the greater effect of practical training than theoretical training on increasing student academic motivation, participant #4 said: “Most of the training is done at the bedside because when I am trained clinically, I learn better than if I just listen to something.” (female, 22 years old, 2nd semester, Bachelor’s degree of Nursing).

The eighth subcategory: decreasing the number of students in class as a strategy to increase academic motivation

For example, concerning the effect of fewer students in class on increasing student academic motivation, participant #10 answered the question “If the number of students in class is fewer, can it affect academic motivation?” as “Yes, it can be effective, because then you will receive more attention. I mean the professor will pay more attention to you and what you know. Then you will have to study more.” (22-year-old female student of the 6th semester of Bachelor of Nursing).

Participant 2 discussed the impact of an appropriate professor-to-student ratio on academic motivation, stating, “To enhance academic motivation during hospital internships, we need better facilities. In my opinion, a more favourable professor-to-student ratio is crucial—fewer students mean more individual attention” (21-year-old female, 6th-semester nursing student).

The second category: improving educational conditions and environment as a way to increase student academic motivation

The first sub-category: providing educational facilities for students as a strategy to increase academic motivation

For example, concerning the availability of more medical devices in the internship environment and increasing student academic motivation, participant #9, in response to the question, “What facilities are needed in hospital internships to increase your academic motivation?” answered: “Professors should respect students in the first place So far, it has not been so in this university, and especially in Tenkaban hospital, there is no place for students to sit. When it rains, you have to sit in the mud”. (23-year-old female student, 6th semester of Bachelor’s degree in nursing)

The second sub-category is attention to aesthetic aspects of the educational environment as a strategy to increase student academic motivation

For example, participant #2 talked about the energizing effect of the use of special colours in college on increasing student academic motivation: “We need colours that give us a special energy.” (21-year-old female student in the 6th semester of Bachelor of Nursing).

Also, participant number 2 said about the effect of beautifying the atmosphere of the college on increasing the student’s academic motivation, “The more open a person’s spirit is, the more beautiful things he sees, the higher his academic motivation” (30-year-old female student, 2nd semester of nursing).

The third sub-category: improving communications in the classroom as a strategy to increase student academic motivation

For example, participant #8 talked about the effect of a comfortable and friendly class atmosphere on increasing student academic motivation:” How much can classroom atmosphere affect academic motivation? The power he gets from that class is very effective. We wanted to give a conference in the first semester We were under a lot of stress, but now that our relationship has become more intimate, we go and present without stress”.

Also, Participant Number 11 said about the effect of the class atmosphere on student’s academic motivation: “Yes, the atmosphere of the class can be if everyone is busy, you have to study, but if everyone is carefree, you will also be influenced by them.” 21-year-old female student and 4th semester of nursing)

The third category: improving the welfare and recreational conditions of students as a strategy to increase academic motivation

The first sub-category: improving welfare, cultural and interpersonal relations in dormitory as a strategy to increase academic motivation

For example, concerning the effect of providing more facilities for students on increasing their academic motivation, participant #13 said: “The college climate is good, but it could be better if they provide more facilities for us, especially for male students, such as a dormitory. There is no dormitory available now for boys and this can have a great adverse effect. If we were provided with a dormitory, we could be less financially dependent. A dorm life is easier, less stressful, and the dormitory environment can be a safer place for students than the society to study.” (27-year-old male student, 2nd semester of Development nursing).

Also, participant number 6 said about the effect of providing all kinds of facilities for students and increasing their academic motivation: “Generally, I would say that whatever facilities are provided, the children will be happier, they will be more motivated because they are studying in a good school, it gives them the same good feeling. It motivates them” (23-year-old female student, 6th semester of nursing).

The second sub-category: financial support for students as a strategy to increase academic motivation

For example, concerning the effect of financial support for students in increasing academic motivation, participant #13 commented: “Basically, university faculties should support students. The most important factor in generating motivation can be for instance giving a grant. This financial backup can truly be motivating. When this financial support is available, students can study better. Thus, the outcome of these endeavours will be much better.” (27-year-old male student, 2nd semester of Bachelor of Nursing Development).

Also, participant No. 1 said about the effect of student internship salary on increasing student academic motivation, “The fact that student salary for internship semesters affects increasing his academic motivation” (24-year-old female student and 2nd semester of nursing).

The third sub-category is providing good food for students as a strategy to increase academic motivation

For example, regarding the effect of providing students’ favourite foods and increasing their academic motivation, participant #3 commented: “For one, now they only provide us with oranges. Most mates do not like oranges. Yet, the only available options are apples and oranges. We prefer they spend less money and instead serve our favourite fruits, for example, bananas or the like. This is better because there will be no waste.” (30-year-old female student, 2nd semester of Bachelor of Nursing).

Also, Participant Number 3 said about the effect of providing food during holidays on increasing student’s academic motivation: “If food is provided on holidays, how much can it affect academic motivation? It has an effect because children like to go out on holidays.” They are not looking for a time to prepare food, or you can see that they are trying to be involved in a certain time, and then they want to rest on that day off. Occasions come one after the other, the days off are increasing, there are three or four days off in a row, and we have to provide dinner and lunch for three or four days somehow” (30-year-old female student and 2nd-semester nursing student).

Discussion

We explained 3 categories and related sub-categories below:

The first category: improving educational performance as a strategy to increase student academic motivation

The first sub-category: appropriate curriculum planning is a strategy to increase student academic motivation

1. Improving educational conditions and performance.

extracted from the findings was Improving educational conditions and performance as a way to increase student academic motivation. In the results of a review by Rigi Kooteh et al. (2022), intervention efforts based on psycho-educational programs to improve motivation were extracted from databases and analyzed. The data analysis proved 58% success of psychological-educational interventions to promote motivation, which is consistent with the findings [27]. Therefore, it seems that by improving educational conditions and performance, a useful step can be taken to improve students’ academic motivation.

2. Appropriate curriculum planning:

In the study, appropriate curriculum planning was recognized as a way to increase student academic motivation. This is consistent with the findings reported by Daif-Allah et al. (2020) and Aikina et al. (2020) [31, 32]. In response to the challenges of higher education to improve the quality of learning opportunities, a new shift should be made to the curricula [33]. Therefore, it seems that by improving academic curriculum planning, a useful step can be taken to improve students’ academic motivation.

3. Helping working students:

According to the findings, helping working students is a solution to increasing their academic motivation. Tran et al. (2019), Hortigüela Alcalá et al. (2019) and Silalahio et al. (2020) have also pointed out the relationship between educational cooperation and the academic motivation of students in their studies, which is consistent with the study [34–36]. Student life is among the most expensive types of life [37]. A student needs food, clothing, housing and transportation costs in the city of residence. The family may not be able to afford the student’s expenses. The student needs to work, so the act of supporting working students can increase their academic motivation.

4. Giving students the freedom to criticize and make constructive suggestions:

In the study, giving students the freedom to criticize and make constructive suggestions is a useful way to increase academic motivation. The process of seeking and acting on students’ suggestions strengthens students’ sense of participation and empowerment. The effective participation of all students is followed by their better mental health [38]. Therefore, it seems that by giving students the freedom to criticize and make constructive suggestions, it is possible to improve academic motivation, mental health and educational participation of students.

5. Improving internship conditions:

As the findings showed, improving internship conditions was found as a strategy to increase student academic motivation, which is consistent with the results of another study by Koehorst et al. (2016), Norouzinia et al. (2019), Seyitoğlu et al. (2019) and Knouse et al. (1999) also recommended improving internship conditions [39–41]. In a study by Norouzinia et al. (2019), students of fundamental sciences, internship and bachelor’s degree, were dissatisfied with the current state of the university. They found it farfetched to achieve the desired state and satisfaction as the main customers of the educational services of the university. In many cases, there was a need to review and improve conditions [39]. Completing the internship is often an effective way to find a career path, so by improving internship conditions and student motivation, an effective step can be taken toward this aim.

6. Improving the methods of teaching and teacher’s behavior in class:

As the study showed, improving teachers’ teaching style and behavior in class was a strategy to improve student academic motivation. Many similar studies highlighted the interrelationship of student participation in content selection, personality traits, academic and literacy characteristics, skills in human relations and the ability to communicate, teaching and classroom management skills and teacher evaluation skills, and the benefits of highly capable professors. Improving the educational environment, appropriate teacher-learner interactions, and teachers’ attitudes towards the use of educational technologies in the teaching process have been also positively associated with academic motivation and academic progress. Teacher-student interaction, as well as teaching style, mutual education, technology-enhanced learning (TEL), the positive relationship between teacher’s verbal and non-verbal communication, teacher’s motivation, and student active learning, have all been also correlated with student academic motivation and academic progress. These are all consistent with the codes extracted from the study [3, 33, 41–50].

Professional teachers are not only required to master the fields of science, teaching materials, learning methods, and student motivation. They have high skills and broad insight into the world of education. This is inseparable from the guidance of a supervisor. Supervision is carried out to form and improve abilities in the teaching and learning process [42]. Therefore, the results seem to improve teachers’ teaching style and behavior in class can be an effective strategy in improving students’ academic motivation.

According to the findings, clinical and face-to-face training for students was found as an effective strategy for increasing student academic motivation, which is consistent with the results reported by Hosseinpour et al. (2023) [43]. Therefore, the results show that by holding workshops needed by students, we can take an effective step in improving their academic motivation.

7. Improving student preparation for learning:

The study showed that improving student preparation for learning is an effective strategy to increase student academic motivation. This is consistent with a body of research like those reported by Borah. (2021). As modern education is compulsory, teachers are expected to make sure that students are motivated enough and are also expected to convince students of why to do something [44–46]. The aim is to improve students’ preparation for learning. The study emphasized giving prominence to the nursing domain as a way to increase student academic motivation. Similar studies also showed significant relationships between academic motivation and satisfaction with future jobs, satisfaction with the field of study, titles of future careers, professional identity, future career and the relative position and value of science in society [47–49]. Society strongly needs the nursing staff and holds a positive view toward them and their position in society. Especially in the last few years, this profession has drastically changed. Thus, there are hopes that it will be possible to improve nursing students’ academic motivation and improve the level of public health. The study emphasized that enriching student resumes is a strategy to increase academic motivation, which is consistent with a body of research by Kulhanek et al. (2021), Scott et al. (2019), and Zanchetta et al. (2021) [50–52]. Enriching student resumes through simple and well-known methods helps students and job seekers get better positions. Therefore, the results seem to be able to play an effective role in increasing student academic motivation. Based on the findings of this research, by honouring and explaining the position of nursing in society and helping to strengthen students’ academic resumes, an effective step can be taken in improving students’ academic preparation, which will lead to an increase in students’ academic motivation.

8. Decreasing the number of students in class as a strategy to increase academic motivation.

Due to the increased number of incoming students every year and the lack of educational facilities needed for these students, many educational problems arise every year. In the study, the smaller number of students in class was mentioned as a strategy to increase their academic motivation. Putra et al. (2021) also mentioned in their study the low motivation and interest of students in learning and considered it to be caused by overcrowded classes [45]. The large population of students in class is known as a negative factor affecting student learning. First, the number of students affects the extent to which and how students interact with each other, or in other words, the level of their social relations, which leads to more or less noise or disruptive behavior. The more crowded a class, the more incompatible behaviors with academic progress. This feature, along with more noise in the environment, may adversely affect all students. Second, the amount of time the teacher spends attending to each student and his/her needs matters. The smaller the class, at least in theory, the higher the possibility of attending to every student. This attention is manifested both in class and in the evaluation of assignments and exams [53, 54], which also applies to students in classes at university.

The second category: improving educational conditions and environment as a way to increase student academic motivation

1. Providing educational facilities for students as a strategy to increase academic motivation.

As students spend much of their daily hours in the university environment, there are inappropriate physical conditions from which they may suffer. Examples are insufficient light, inappropriate air conditioning systems, building security, and so on. According to the findings, these factors affect people’s academic motivation Thus, by improving the health standards of the class, an effective step can be taken to increase student motivation [33]. Many of these cases are consistent with the results of the study.

2. Attention to aesthetic aspects of the educational environment.

In the study, attention to the aesthetic aspects of the educational environment was considered as a way to increase student academic motivation. This is consistent with a body of research by Falahi et al. (2019), Korpershoek et al. (2020) and Aldridge et al. (2022),.Buckley et al. (2016) and Razali et al. (2020) [50, 55–58]. Variables that can help are clean air, relaxing colors in an educational environment, absence of noise pollution, adequate lighting in class, efficient ventilation system and temperature regulation. As students spend much of their daily hours in the university environment, there are inappropriate physical conditions from which they may suffer. Examples are insufficient light, inappropriate air conditioning systems, building security, and so on. According to the findings, these factors affect people’s academic motivation Thus, by improving the health standards of the class, an effective step can be taken to increase student motivation [33]. The presence of a wide range of attractive landscapes on university campuses can motivate students to learn educational materials better. Aesthetics is of great value as it develops individuals’ ability to think, express and understand ideas and feelings, describe feedback and integrate in the development of skills. There is also a significant positive relationship between aesthetic judgment style and personality development. Technology tools in visual arts facilitate learning for people; thus, this finding can be used to improve the aesthetic quality of the educational environment. Effective measures can be taken to improve academic motivation and facilitate learning for individuals [59, 60].

The third category: improving the welfare and recreational conditions of students as a strategy to increase academic motivation

In the study, the provision of educational facilities for students was mentioned as a strategy to increase their academic motivation, which is consistent with a body of research by Ramezani et al. (2021) [17], Thomas (2022) [55]. As the results showed, it affects individuals’ academic motivation, the quality of education and the outcomes. Education is also effective and requires more attention from educational officials. In the current study, improving the welfare, cultural and interpersonal relations programs of the dormitory was pointed out as a solution to increase student academic motivation. This is consistent with a body of research by Ramezani et al. (2021). Salahshour et al. (2022) [2, 56, 57]. Moreover, the study suggested providing good food for students as a way to increase academic motivation, which is consistent with a body of research by Moneva et al. (2020) and Van Woerden et al. (2019) [58, 61]. Providing amenities and dormitories as well as holding face-to-face classes were among students’ concerns, especially in the first months of the academic year, particularly for male students for whom no dormitory was provided. This issue was truly troublesome. It seems that effective measures can be taken to increase student academic motivation by improving welfare and dormitory facilities. Also In the study, financial support for students was suggested as a way to increase academic motivation, which is consistent with a body of research by Mandasari et al. (2020), and Ibáñez et al. [62–64]. The positive external effect of education on society and the economy is an important factor accounting for the government’s support for education. The findings showed that increasing the financial support of students is an effective step that can be taken to increase student academic motivation; thus, it is recommended to increase the financial support of students.

The limitations and strengths of the study

the one limitation of the study is that the qualitative study was carried out on a small number of students which makes it hard to generalize the findings. Another limitation of this study depends on the self-report of participants. The self-reported data may not always be accurate because some personal or unconscious factors may influence the participants’ answers. Therefore, it is suggested to conduct similar qualitative and quantitative studies in future on different populations. If the study was conducted in a single period, this may also be a limitation. Academic motivation can change over time and studies conducted in different time periods may yield different results there a long-term study is suggested to investigate the change of variable levels of motivation over time. One strength of the study is that it was conducted qualitatively. Thus, the findings are dependent on the culture dominating the participants.

Conclusion

This research aimed to explore strategies for enhancing academic motivation among nursing students within the local research community. The study identified three key categories for improving academic motivation: “Enhancing Educational Performance,” “Improving Educational Conditions and Environment,” and “Supporting Student Welfare and Recreational Activities.”

Based on these findings, effective measures can be implemented to boost academic motivation by improving educational conditions, optimizing the learning environment, and providing educational, recreational, and financial support. Further research is needed in diverse cultural and structural contexts of nursing education, both nationally and internationally, to develop tailored motivational solutions that address specific challenges.

Moreover, applying these insights in teaching and learning can enhance the educational process, foster better interaction between students and professors, and improve overall teaching quality. These findings can also inform educational policies aimed at enhancing students’ academic motivation.

Abbreviations

ITS

Investigating The Strategies

IAM

Improve Academic Motivation

NS

Nursing Students

AQCA

A Qualitative Content Analysis

Author contributions

All authors were responsible for the study. Mozhdeh Taheri Afshar and Fatemeh Mohammadkhah conceived and designed the survey. Fatemeh Mohammadkhah, Arash Ziapour and Fakhreddin Chaboksavar performed the investigation. Shakiba Lajmiri and Fatemeh Mohammadkhah analyzed the data. Fatemeh Mohammadkhah, Arash Ziapour and Murat Yıldırım revised the paper. Murat Yıldırım edited the paper grammatically. All the authors have read and approved the final manuscript.

Funding

This study did not receive any funding from funding agencies.

Data availability

The datasets generated and/or analysed during the current study are not publicly available due to consent not being obtained from participants for this purpose but are available from the corresponding author on reasonable request.

Declarations

Ethics approval and consent to participate

The paper was part of a larger research project entitled “Investigating ways to improve academic motivation in nursing students: A qualitative content analysis”, reviewed and approved by the ethics committee of the Health Research School - Babol University of Medical Sciences (#IR.MUBABOL.REC.1402.007). Before the interview, the participants received an oral explanation of the purpose of the study, participant rights, freedom to participate in the study, the possibility of not answering questions to the researcher or withdrawing from the interview, and confidentiality of information in all stages of data collection and publication. They were asked to sign a written consent form. The time and place of the interview were agreed on beforehand.

Consent for publication

Not applicable.

Competing interests

The authors declare no competing interests.