The purpose of the study was to identify predictors that influence a learner’s motivation in a self-directed online business administration course in learning contexts by collecting a sample size population, sample of demographics, and indicators from online students from Business Administration Department at a Southern California Community College. The study explored significant correlation between students’ motivation and learning strategies in a self-directed online business administration course using demographics. Results from this study show demographics including age, education, and ethnicity were statistically significant, but none of the gender differences were statistically significant. This research also explored the educational needs of adult learners by examining motivation, self-efficacy, existing learning models, adult learning theories, and constraints of adult learners that affect students’ performance in computer-based instruction (CBI) format such as the andragogical approach versus the pedagogical approach to education. Since prior studies have since used both the Motivational Strategies Learning Questionnaire (MSLQ) and Online Technology Self-Efficacy Survey (OTSES) instruments that was used in this study, a pilot study was not conducted. Additionally, distance education courses are increasing rapidly and this study supported the type of students who are enrolling in these courses such as re-entry of adult learners.