Motivation as determinant of communication training needs in higher agricultural education: Role of academic and achievement motivation

Abstract

Effective communication is central to professional competence in agricultural education, yet postgraduate students often experience persistent communication skill gaps that may hinder their ability to disseminate research findings and engage with diverse stakeholders. This study examines the relationship between motivational orientation and perceived communication skill gaps among postgraduate students in higher agricultural education in India. The research is motivated by the continued presence of communication deficiencies among agricultural graduates and the recognition of motivation as an important socio-emotional factor influencing effective communication and professional development. The study employed the Motivation Measurement Scale (MMS) developed by Smith (2017) and the Achievement Motivation Scale (AMS) developed by Reddy (1979) to measure academic and achievement motivation among postgraduate agricultural students and to examine their association with self-reported communication skill gaps. Data were collected from 210 postgraduate students drawn from three leading agricultural universities—IARI, GBPUAT, and IAS-BHU. Communication training needs were assessed using the Training Need Index (TNI). The findings revealed that 36.67% of students reported low achievement motivation, while 21.43% exhibited low academic motivation. Writing (skill gap = 32.74%) and speaking (skill gap = 31.95%) emerged as the most critical communication training areas. Correlation analysis indicated significant negative associations between motivation and communication training needs, with academic motivation (r = ?0.213) and achievement motivation (r = ?0.264) linked to lower perceived skill gaps. Regression results further showed that academic motivation (? = ?0.671) and achievement motivation (? = ?0.575) were significantly associated with reduced communication training needs. The study highlights the importance of integrating communication skill development with motivation-enhancing strategies to strengthen the professional competence of agricultural graduates. It recommends integrating motivation-building strategies—such as mentoring, feedback, and goal-setting—into communication training programs to prepare achievement-oriented graduates for research, extension, and policy engagement.