Beyond the Classroom Walls: Investigating the Interplay of School Environment and Student Motivation on Academic Achievement among High School Learners in Urban Bangkok

This study examines the interplay between school environment, student motivation, and academic achievement among high school learners in urban Bangkok. It aims to (1) assess how school environment influences student motivation, (2) evaluate the impact of motivation on academic achievement, (3) test the direct effect of school environment on achievement, and (4) investigate whether motivation mediates this relationship. A quantitative cross-sectional design was employed, collecting data from students using validated scale, the data were collected from 1,250 students (ages 15-18) with a gender distribution of 52% female and 48% male. Moreover, structural equation modeling (SEM) was used to analyze the hypothesized relationships. Results confirmed that a positive school environment significantly enhances both intrinsic and extrinsic motivation, which in turn improves academic performance. The study also found a direct relationship between school environment and achievement, with motivation partially mediating this effect. These findings highlight the dual role of school environment directly fostering achievement while also cultivating the motivational drivers that sustain it. The study contributes to educational psychology by validating self-determination and ecological systems theories in an urban Asian context. Practical implications suggest that school improvements should simultaneously target infrastructural quality and motivational support systems, particularly teacher training in autonomy-supportive pedagogies.