Comparing Learning Modalities: How Motivation and Learning Approaches Shape Academic Achievement

The hurried shift to online learning during the COVID-19 pandemic significantly disrupted traditional learning paradigms for students, methods of instruction for faculty, and measurement of student success for administrators. The adaptability of existing online learning approaches did not withstand the significant pressures of the pandemic-forced transition. Despite a growing interest and literature base in online learning before the pandemic, additional challenges were uncovered in the quick transition to online learning, reflecting gaps in equitable access to learning across modalities. This commentary serves two purposes: First, it describes the psychological underpinnings of effective learning, including motivational factors and cognitive factors underlying strategies employed by students for self-regulated learning. Second, this article provides examples of practical applications from the existing educational and psychological scholarship concerning the role of student motivation and student learning behaviors that promote learning achievement across modalities.