The Influence of Motivation in Level of Participation in Learning Mountaineering Skills of Grade 12 Learners

Maria Carina T. Irinco

Anchored in the Theory of Reasoned Action (TRA), this study examined whether students’ motivation predicts their participation in learning basic mountaineering skills. TRA posits that behavior is primarily determined by behavioral intention, which is influenced by attitude toward the behavior and subjective norms. Guided by this framework, the study conceptualized students’ physical, mental, emotional, and social motivations as salient behavioral beliefs that shape attitudes and intentions toward mountaineering participation. The study sought to determine whether students’ motivation predict the extent of their participation in learning mountaineering skills. It answered the following questions:

1.What is the respondents’ level of motivation in learning mountaineering skills in terms of : 1.1 Physical 1.2 Mental 1.3 Emotional 1.4 Social

2. What is the respondents’ extent of participation in learning mountaineering skills in terms of: 2.1 Backpacking 2.2 Ropemanship 2.3Trekking 2.4 Compass Reading 2.5 Tent Pitching

3. Does motivation significantly predict the extent of the respondents’ participation in learning mountaineering skills?

4. Based on the finding of the study, what basic mountaineering program may be proposed for Grade 12 high school? A quantitative predictive research design was employed among 103 randomly selected Grade 12 students enrolled in a school-based mountaineering course in a senior high school in Manila during the School Year 2024-2025. Motivation data were collected using a validated and reliability-tested survey questionnaire, while participation was measured through students’ performance grades in backpacking, ropemanship, trekking, compass reading, and tent pitching. Descriptive statistics and multiple linear regression analysis were utilized to analyze the data.

Results showed that students were highly motivated across all four domains, with physical motivation ranking the highest, followed by mental, social, and emotional areas. Students also showed a strong level of participation in mountaineering skills, especially in ropemanship and backpacking. However, regression analysis indicated that motivation did not significantly predict participation (p > .05). The findings suggest that in a structured, classroom-based Physical Education setting where participation is a course requirement, performance outcomes may be more influenced by curriculum structure and assessment policies than by intrinsic motivational beliefs alone. Although TRA offers a clear framework for understanding the mental pathways connecting beliefs, attitudes, and behavior, the results highlight the role of contextual and instructional factors in shaping observable participation. The study recommends adding more authentic outdoor experiences and extra qualitative measures of engagement to better understand the connection between motivation and participation in mountaineering education.