Motivational Learning in Conflict-Affected Educational Settings

Authors

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.64832/xzkbe524

Keywords:

Motivational learning, South Sudan, self-efficacy, self determination, expectency-value, responsive pedagogy, academic persistance

Abstract

This study investigates motivational learning in South Sudan's conflict-affected educational settings, where widespread conflict, displacement, and pervasive trauma severely impede student engagement and academic persistence. Despite global efforts to improve educational access, a critical gap exists in understanding the specific motivational dynamics within this unique context. Applying expectancy-value, self-efficacy, and self-determination theories, this mixed-methods research explored how socio-economic, cultural, and conflict factors profoundly influence student motivation. Findings revealed notably low intrinsic motivation and academic self-efficacy, alongside high perceived utility and reliance on extrinsic motivation. The study underscored trauma's profound impact on learning, highlighting the critical need for trauma-informed teacher support and culturally responsive pedagogy. This research enriches academic literature on education in fragile states, provides empirical insights for designing effective, context-sensitive interventions, and offers crucial implications for sustainable positive social development and peacebuilding in South Sudan.

Author Biography

  • Dr. Gai Chol Paul, Charity and Empowerment Foundation

    Dr. Gai Chol Paul is the President of the Charity and Empowerment Foundation (CEF), an organization he founded in 2017. He is also a dedicated researcher focused on sustainable development.

    Dr. Paul's academic background includes a Doctor of Business Administration from Walden University. His research interests and publications span critical areas such as poverty reduction, inclusive economic growth, business sustainability, and challenges to sustainable rural development in South Sudan. He has authored works exploring issues like youth unemployment, road maintenance as an obstacle to development, and strategies for small businesses to thrive.

     

References

Ahmad, Z. (2019). Impact of conflict on children & education: A global perspective. Think India Journal, 22(10), 1499-1515. https://www.academia.edu/143159531/Impact_of_Conflict_on_Children_and_Education_A_Global_Perspective

Akar, B. (2024). Disrupted institutional pathways for educational equity in conflict-affected nations. Daedalus, MIT Press, 153 (4): 286–301. doi: https://doi.org/10.1162/daed_a_02116

Al Shabibi, A., Al Mantheri, A., & Al Rashdi, B. (2019). Impact of teacher professional development on student attitudes and experiences in school learning – a case study of Oman. International Journal of Learning, Teaching and Educational Research, 18(10), 48–67. https://doi.org/10.26803/ijlter.18.10.4

Altugan, A. S. (2015). The relationship between cultural identity and learning. Procedia - Social and Behavioral Sciences, 186, 1159–1162. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.sbspro.2015.04.161

Ashlee, A., Clericetti, G., Gladwell, J., Mitchell, J., & Torrance, R. (2020). Education in emergencies. Rapid Evidence Review. https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.4058181

Australian Council for Educational Research (ACER), "Education in conflict-affected and/or fragile states: Foundation level" (2021). https://research.acer.edu.au/eas/40

Avery, J. C., Morris, H., Galvin, E., Misso, M., Savaglio, M., Skouteris, H. (2020). Systematic review of school-wide trauma-informed approaches. Journal of Child & Adolescent Trauma, 14(3), 381–397. https://doi.org/10.1007/s40653-020-00321-1

Badrasawi, K., Ahmed, I., & Eid, I. (2018). Exploring ways to provide education in conflict zones: Implementation and challenges. Intellectual Discourse, 26(2), 567–594. http://irep.iium.edu.my/69251/

Bandura, A. (1977). Self-efficacy: Toward a unifying theory of behavioral change. Psychological Review, 84(2), 191–215. https://doi.org/10.1037/0033-295X.84.2.191

Bandura, A. (1997). Self-efficacy: The exercise of control. W. H. Freeman and Company. https://www.google.com/books/edition/Self_Efficacy/eJ-PN9g_o-EC?hl=en

Bashir, S. (2015, May). The imperative of skills development for the structural transformation of Sub-Saharan Africa: Potential for China-World Bank-Africa collaboration. Investing in Africa Forum, World Bank Group, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. https://www.worldbank.org/content/dam/Worldbank/Event/Africa/Investing%20in%20Africa%20Forum/2015/investing-in-africa-forum-the-imperative-of-skills-development-for-the-structural-transformation-of-sub-saharan-africa-potential-for-china-world-bank-africa-collaboration.pdf

Briggs, B. (2017). Civil war and lack of food wreck children's education in South Sudan. Protecting Education from Attack. https://protectingeducation.org/news/civil-war-and-lack-of-food-wreck-childrens-education-in-south-sudan/

Dangeni. (2023). Student Engagement: A critical conceptualisation of the complexity of the international students' experiences. Journal of International Students, 13(4), 227-233. https://doi.org/10.32674/jis.v14i3.5702

Darling-Hammond, L., Hyler, M. E., Gardner, M. (2017). Effective teacher professional development. Palo Alto, CA: Learning Policy Institute. https://doi.org/10.54300/122.311.

Deci, E. L., & Ryan, R. M. (1985). Intrinsic motivation and self-determination in human behavior. Plenum. https://link.springer.com/book/10.1007/978-1-4899-2271-7

Deci, E. L., & Ryan, R. M. (2008). Self-determination theory: A macrotheory of human motivation, development, and health. Canadian Psychology / Psychologie canadienne, 49(3), 182–185. https://doi.org/10.1037/a0012801

Dryden-Peterson, S. (2009). Barriers to accessing primary education in conflict-affected fragile states. Save the Children. https://projects.iq.harvard.edu/sites/projects.iq.harvard.edu/files/wcfia/files/2942.pdf

Dweck, C. S., & Leggett, E. L. (1988). A social-cognitive approach to motivation and personality. Psychological Review, 95(2), 256–273. https://doi.org/10.1037/0033-295X.95.2.256

Eccles, J. S., & Wigfield, A. (2002). Motivational beliefs, values, and goals. Annual Review of Psychology, 53(1), 109–132. https://doi.org/10.1146/annurev.psych.53.100901.135153

Elliot, A. J., Dweck, C. S., & Yeager, D. S. (Eds.). (2018). Handbook of competence and motivation: Theory and application (2nd ed.). Guilford Press. https://www.guilford.com/books/Handbook-of-Competence-and-Motivation/Elliot-Dweck-Yeager/9781462536030

Forsberg, J. T., & Schultz, J. H. (2022). Educational and psychosocial support for conflict-affected youths: The effectiveness of a school-based intervention targeting academic underachievement. International Journal of School & Educational Psychology, 11(2), 145–166. https://doi.org/10.1080/21683603.2022.2043209

Gladstone, J. R., Wigfield, A., & Eccles, J. S. (2022). Situated expectancy-value theory, Dimensions of engagement, and academic outcomes. In A. L. Reschly, & S. L. Christenson (Eds.), Handbook of Research on Student Engagement: Second Edition (pp. 57-76). Springer. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-031-07853-8_3

Global Education Monitoring Report Team. (2023). Global education monitoring report: Technology in education: A tool on whose terms?. UNESCO. https://unesdoc.unesco.org/ark:/48223/pf0000385723

Global Partnership for Education. (2023). Supporting education in fragile and conflict-affected contexts. https://files.eric.ed.gov/fulltext/ED627381.pdf

Heltne, U. M., Dybdahl, R., Elkhalifa, S., & Breidlid, A. (2020). Psychosocial support and emergency education: An explorative study of perceptions among adult stakeholders in Sudan and South Sudan. Sustainability, 12(4), 1410. https://doi.org/10.3390/su12041410

Herman, K. C., Hickmon-Rosa, J., & Reinke, W. M. (2018). Empirically derived profiles of teacher stress, burnout, self-efficacy, and coping and associated student outcomes. Journal of Positive Behavior Interventions, 20(2), 90–100. https://doi.org/10.1177/1098300717732066

Hidi, S., & Renninger, K. A. (2006). The four-phase model of interest development. Educational Psychologist, 41(2), 111–127. https://doi.org/10.1207/s15326985ep4102_4

Iliya, A., & Grace, L. (2015). Assessment of teacher motivation approaches in the less developed countries. Journal of Education and Practice, 6(22), 10–17. https://files.eric.ed.gov/fulltext/EJ1079453.pdf

Kimmons, R. (2023). Mixed methods. In J. R. Park (Ed.), Introduction to educational research (1st ed.). https://edtechbooks.org/education_research/mixed_methods

Kuek, J. C., Velasquez, R. J., Castellanos, J., Velasquez, D. R., & Nogales, E. (2018). Hunger for an education: A research essay on the case of South Sudan and the voices of its people. Forum for International Research in Education, 1(2). https://doi.org/10.18275/fire201401021004

Kueth, G. S. D. (2025). Unlocking education rights: A path forward for South Sudan. Advances in Social Sciences Research Journal, 12(3), 174–189. https://www.journals.scholarpublishing.org/index.php/ASSRJ/article/view/18516/10630

Lubit, R., Rovine, D., DeFrancisci, L., & Eth, S. (2003). Impact of trauma on children. Journal of Psychiatric Practice, 9(2), 128–138. https://journals.lww.com/practicalpsychiatry/abstract/2003/03000/impact_of_trauma_on_children.4.aspx

Majgaard, K., & Mingat, A. (2012). Education in Sub-Saharan Africa: A comparative analysis. The World Bank. https://documents1.worldbank.org/curated/en/892631468003571777/pdf/709790PUB0EPI0067926B09780821388891.pdf

Mao, Y., Zou, Y., Hash, J., Long, N., Tan, M., Yang, J., & Yuwen, W. (2025). Psychosocial interventions for children and adolescents with adverse childhood experiences: A systematic review and meta-analysis. Child Abuse & Neglect, 161, 107244. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.chiabu.2024.107244

Masitsa, M. G. (2006). Student motivation: The study approaches of grade twelve learners in township schools. South African Journal of Higher Education, 20(3), 122–136. https://journals.co.za/doi/pdf/10.10520/EJC37249

Miller, K., & Flint-Stipp, K. (2024). The unintended consequences of integrating trauma-informed teaching into teacher education. Teaching Education, 35(4), 424–442. https://doi.org/10.1080/10476210.2024.2307360

Mino, T. (2024). Humanising higher education: Three case studies in Sub-Saharan Africa. International Journal of African Higher Education, 11. https://ejournals.bc.edu/index.php/ijahe/article/view/11249

Pajares, F., & Urdan, T. C. (Eds.). (2006). Self-efficacy beliefs and adolescent motivation. Information Age Publishing. https://www.google.com/books/edition/Self_Efficacy_Beliefs_of_Adolescents/P_onDwAAQBAJ?hl=en

Park, S. W. (2019). Motivation theories and instructional design. Foundations of learning and instructional design technology (1st ed.) https://edtechbooks.org/lidtfoundations/motivation_theories_and_instructional_design

Parker, E. (2016). Constitutional obligations for public education. 50-state review. Education Commission of the States. https://eric.ed.gov/?id=ED564952

Radil, A. I., Goegan, L. D., & Daniels, L. M. (2023). Teachers’ authentic strategies to support student motivation. Frontiers in Education, 8. https://doi.org/10.3389/feduc.2023.1040996

Reisman, L., & Janke, C. (2015). Conflict-sensitive teacher education: Viewing EDC's experience with the South Sudan teacher education project through a conflict-sensitive lens. Journal on Education in Emergencies, 1(1), 131–166. https://doi.org/10.17609/N8HTOR

Renninger, K. A., & Hidi, S. (2015). The power of interest for motivation and engagement. (1st ed.). Routledge. https://doi.org/10.4324/9781315771045

Ryan, R. M., & Deci, E. L. (2000). Self-determination theory and the facilitation of intrinsic motivation, social development, and well-being. American Psychologist, 55(1), 68–78. https://doi.org/10.1037/0003-066X.55.1.68

Ryan, R. M., & Deci, E. L. (2017). Self-determination theory: Basic psychological needs in motivation, development, and wellness. The Guilford Press. https://doi.org/10.1521/978.14625/28806

Ryan, R. M., & Deci, E. L. (2020). Intrinsic and extrinsic motivation from a self-determination theory perspective: Definitions, theory, practices, and future directions. Contemporary Educational Psychology, 61, 101860. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cedpsych.2020.101860

Schunk, D. H., & Meece, J. L. (2008). Motivation in education : Theory, research, and applications (3rd ed.). Pearson/Merrill Prentice Hall. https://searchworks.stanford.edu/view/6774934

Schunk, D. H., & Pajares, F. (2009). Self-efficacy theory. Handbook of motivation in education (pp. 35–53). Routledge. https://doi.org/10.1037/a0016021

Seifert, K., & Sutton, R. (2009). Educational psychology. University of Manitoba. https://open.umn.edu/opentextbooks/textbooks/153

Smith, J. A., Zhang, J., Urusov, A., Colucci, L., Sloss, I., Eckert, L., Price-Cameron, M., Browne, D. T. (2024). Exploring networks of complex developmental trauma symptomatology among children and adolescents involved in child welfare. JCPP Advances, 4(2), 1-15. https://doi.org/10.1002/jcv2.12224

U.S. Department of State. (2023). South Sudan human rights report. https://www.state.gov/wp-content/uploads/2024/02/528267-SOUTH-SUDAN-2023-HUMAN-RIGHTS-REPORT.pdf

UNFPA. (2018). Child marriage: A threat to lives and future of South Sudan’s girls. https://southsudan.unfpa.org/en/news/child-marriage-south-sudan-persistent-challenge

UNICEF. (2025). Humanitarian action for children 2025: South Sudan. https://www.unicefusa.org/sites/default/files/2025-03/UNICEF_2025_HAC_South_Sudan.pdf

Urhahne, D., & Wijnia, L. (2023). Theories of motivation in education: An integrative framework. Educational Psychology Review, 35(1), 45. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10648-023-09767-9

Weiner, B. (1985). An attributional theory of achievement motivation and emotion. Psychological Review, 92(4), 548–573. https://doi.org/10.1037/0033-295X.92.4.548

Weiner, B. (2000). Intrapersonal and interpersonal theories of motivation from an attributional perspective. Educational Psychology Review, 12(1), 1–14. https://link.springer.com/article/10.1023/A:1009017532121

Wigfield, A., & Eccles, J. S. (2000). Expectancy–value theory of achievement motivation. Contemporary chrome-extension://anopodponloibekldiehmilbbbadncgf/icons/icon48.pngEducational Psychology, 25(1), 68–81. https://doi.org/10.1006/ceps.1999.1015

World Bank. (2025). Fragile and conflict-affected situations: Intertwined crises. The World Bank. https://www.worldbank.org/en/research/publication/fragile-and-conflict-affected-situations-vulnerabilities

Yu, G. (2007). Research evidence of school effectiveness in Sub-Saharan Africa (Working Paper No. 12). Department for International Development. https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/media/57a08c02ed915d622c001073/workingpaper12.pdf

Downloads

Published

2025-09-15

Issue

Section

Articles

How to Cite

Motivational Learning in Conflict-Affected Educational Settings. (2025). GSX Journal of Education, Teaching, and Learning, 1(1), 1-22. https://doi.org/10.64832/xzkbe524