Motivation is one of the most important psychological concepts in education today, and has in fact shown to be related
to various
learning and performance outcomes. While some research has begun to examine the
motivation of various ethnic groups, and how this may impact on learning outcomes, little research has been conducted on the various ethnic groups present in New Zealand''s multicultural University setting. The present study aims to examine the academic motivation of Pakeha, Maori, Pacific Islands and Chinese students attending a New Zealand University. A revised version of the Academic Motivation Scale (measuring extrinsic, intrinsic, and amotivation) was administered to 318 undergraduate students, and results analysed as a function of ethnicity. Possible differences in the academic motivation of these ethnic groups will be discussed, along with implications for better structuring learning environments for these students.