The focus of this research is on the well-being of vocational college students in China, in relation to their academic goals and motivation types behind their goals. Vocational colleges in China are placed at the bottom of the educational system, accepting the students with relatively low academic outcomes (Liu and Wang, 2015; Geng Wang, 2020). The students in vocational colleges get limited attention and resources from central government compared to students in academic colleges (Wan, 2006). Studies found that vocational students are more focused on non-academic pursuits, such as playing games (Mok, 2001; Zha, 2011). Some students have been found sleeping and playing games on mobile phones all the time in class or after class, which has become a main way for vocational students to occupy their time (Woronov, 2012). The primary purpose of vocational education is to offer a chance for students to obtainprofessional skills and cultivate students with high quality to serve the country (Pun & Koo, 2019). How to make it come true, vocational education plays an important role of cultivating vocational students to be valuable people. 

Vocational education students who have failed to enter the academic universities due to their relatively low performance in Gaokao – National College Entrance Exam(NCEE), have faced frequent failures in their learning experiences and they are not sure of, or do not have, any academic goals and expectations (Jiang & Zhang, 2012). Savage (1993) claimed that lack of goals is related with less good performance of students. Goals have been proved to be positively related with intrinsic motivation and interest (Grant & Dweck, 2003; Hulleman et al., 2008; Liem & Nie, 2008; Vrugt & Oort, 2008). The research had proved that the process of goal pursuits makes an significant difference in relation to well-being (Deci & Ryan, 2001). Therefore, for vocational students who do not have or are unsure of their goals, to explore how to help them set goals and pursuit goals may be a possible way to enhance vocational students’ well-being, which provides references for personal tutors when they are guiding students. 

Many studies confirmed that intrinsic motivation is related with better learning outcomes and well-being (Deci & Ryan, 1985, 2001). Timoshina, and Deci (1999) found that extrinsic motivation can not improve well-being, but intrinsic motivation can (in Russian and US sample). Aligning with Sheldon and Elliot’s (1998) research findings, well-being could be improved by the actual accomplishment of intrinsic goals, while success at extrinsic goals had little benefits. Study has suggested that interest is an positive indicator of subjective well-being (Steinmayr et al., 2018). However, all these findings were identified in Western contexts and amongst academically-oriented students rather than in eastern contexts and vocational-oriented students. Therefore, this research will contribute to current research in well-being field.

he primary research question is: What is the relationship between academic goals, motivation and well-being of vocational students?

The specific research questions are :

(1)  what are Chinese higher vocational education students’ academic goals?

(2)  what factors impact students’ academic goals and academic interests?

(3)  what is the relationship between academic goals and well-being of vocational students? 

(4)  What is the relationship between motivation and well-being of vocational students? 

(5)  Can a well-being intervention improve the academic goals, motivation and well-being of vocational students?

In this research, goal content theory (GCT), self-determination theory (SDT) and well-being theory will be selected, because these three theories provide different perspectives to explain and describe research findings. 

This research has adopted a mixed methods approach in ‘a qualitatively addressed way’ (Mason, 2006), which is QUAL-quan kind of exploratory-sequential approach (Edmonds & Kennedy, 2017, p. 201). QUAL-quan means that qualitative data may be the primary emphasis of the study (Edmonds & Kennedy, 2017). As it generates great potential for exploring the complexities and contexts of vocational students’ experience, (Mason, 2006, p. 10). The mixed methods also presents much ‘reflexivity and flexibility’ (Mason, 2006, p. 22). Conducting mixed methods research in a qualitatively addressed way is important for this research, because it offers a way to comprehensively understand the engaged learning experiences of students in vocational colleges. Thus using qualitatively driven way could be more exploratory first, which is beneficial for me to understand student academic goals and motivation well and truly. In study 1, the data were collected in a Chinese vocational college: Shaanxi Railway Institute, which is a state-funded vocational college located in Weinan. It absorbs students all over the country. It has two campuses, Linwei campus is located in the city centre and equipped with outdated facilities, whereas the Gaoxin campus is located on the outskirts of Weinan city and equipped with newer facilities. For the qualitative phase, purposive sampling was adopted to recruit participants. In the focus group phase, participants accessed to the research through their personal tutors' introducing the project in classroom, eventually there were 40 freshmen who became the members of the sample, eight focus groups were conducted in different departments, consisting of 20 students at Linwei campus and 20 students at Gaoxin campus. when selecting interview participants, I adopted the same sampling method. 24 personal tutors were interviewed according to their working years in this college. The aim of interviewing personal tutors was to investigate students’ well-being, academic goals and motivation through the different perspective, which could provide a comprehensive understanding of the research problem. Because of the special job responsibilities context, personal tutors in Chinese colleges are the group of people who have the most contact with students and understand their students more than anyone else in the college. As stipulated in official documents, the personal tutor is the student’s life mentor and close friend (CMOE, 2017). There are 58 personal tutors in total at Shaanxi Railway Institute, and 24 personal tutors volunteered to be the members of the sample.

The meaning of specific goals relate to well-being can vary across cultures (Deci & Ryan, 2000). （1）Introjected regulation seem have potential positive relation with E (engagement) and M (meaning); have negative relation with P (positive emotion); （2）Identified regulation seem have potential positive relation with E (engagement), M (meaning), A(accomplishment); have negative relation with P (positive emotion); Literature support: Research in Chinese context show that extrinsic motivation have a positive effect on work performance, job performance is more closely related to extrinsic motivation than to intrinsic motivation (Zhang et al, 2016). The pursuit of intrinsic goals positively predict all performance types ( task performance, dedicative performance, interpersonal performance, adaptive performance) (Ying et al, 2018). The pursuit of extrinsic goals is positively related to task performance and adaptive performance (Ying et al, 2018). Study 2 to explore the impact of six motivational profiles (amotivation, external, introjected, identified, integrated regulation, and intrinsic motivation) on well-being (Positive emotion, engagement, relationship, meaning, accomplishment). Hypothesis H1: the Higher internalization of extrinsic motivation (i.e. integrated regulation), the more positive relations with well-being; H2: High- internalized extrinsic motivation (i.e. integrated regulation) is a stronger predictor of well-being than intrinsic motivation.

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