The Relationship between Perception of School Climate and Achievement Motivation among Korean Students in Grades 6 to 12 at a Selected International School in Bangkok, Thailand

Abstract

This study was conducted mainly to determine whether there was a significant relationship between Korean students’ perception of school climate and their achievement motivation level. The perception of school climate was investigated by a researcher-created questionnaire and achievement motivation was examined by a questionnaire developed by Turner (1996). The school climate questionnaire measured four dimensions: safety, teaching and learning, interpersonal relationship and institutional environment. The achievement motivation questionnaire measured need for achievement based on McClelland's (1987) theory of motivation. Eighty-three Korean students studying in grades 6 to 12 at an international school in Bangkok in the academic year 2013 participated in the study. The findings indicated that the students perceived average school climate at a relatively high level. Also, the students had a relatively high level of achievement motivation. A significant relationship was found between the Korean students’ perception of school climate and their achievement motivation level.