The impact of instructional behaviors on learning motivation via subjective task value in high school students in Cambodia

Instructional behavior plays a key role in learning motivation. In many developing countries, students' learning motivation needs to be restored, primarily through effective teaching. This research investigated the impact of instructional behaviors on learning motivation among high school students in Cambodia, emphasizing the mediating role of subjective task value. This study was conducted in three provinces of Cambodia, and a sample was obtained by convenience sampling. A total of 515 participants (42.72% male and 56.70% female) were lower secondary and high school students. Structural equation modeling (SEM) was applied to test the proposed relationship between the two first-order constructs of instructional behaviors and learning motivation. The results revealed direct positive associations between all of the constructs in the model. Autonomy support was a significant predictor of both subjective task value and intrinsic motivation. Cooperative learning support was significantly associated with only subjective task value and had no direct effect on intrinsic motivation. Conversely, video lecture support positively predicted extrinsic motivation. Additionally, subjective task value played an important role as a mediator of the relationship between autonomy support and cooperative learning support. These results emphasize the importance of developing instructional behaviors to support students' learning motivation.