The current study investigated high school students’ patterns of motivation in mathematics, and their relation to academic outcomes in on-line mathematics courses. Participants reported their motivation (value, competency beliefs, and achievement goal orientations) at the beginning (n = 206) and middle (n = 83) of a single semester. Students also reported their reactions to exam feedback after the first two exams. Four motivational profiles—characterized as Highly Motivated by Any Means, Intrinsically Motivated and Confident, Average All Motivation, and Amotivated—were identified. Over 50% of participants remained in the same profile from the beginning to middle of the semester, with the Intrinsically Motivated and Confident profile most stable and the Highly Motivated by Any Means and Amotivated profiles least stable. Profiles differed with respect to achievement trajectories, dropout rates, regulation, and engagement; students in the Highly Motivated by Any Means and Intrinsically Motivated and Confident profiles were higher achieving and more engaged than students in the Amotivated profile. Amotivated students also responded differently to exam feedback than students in the other three profiles; even when controlling for objective achievement, Amotivated students were unlikely to perceive themselves as successful, make internal attributions, or experience positive emotions. The current study refines ongoing theoretical debates by examining profile membership and academic outcomes longitudinally. This study also guides educational practice by identifying an at-risk group of students and exploring underlying psychological mechanisms that may highlight promising avenues for intervention efforts.
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