This study examines the development of students’ motivation in a hybrid robotics course, where some students worked with physical robots on campus while others used simulations online. The goal was to investigate how students’ intrinsic motivation evolves in different learning environments while they were working with the course project work. The research utilized the Intrinsic Motivation Inventory (IMI) survey to measure students’ motivation across five dimensions: interest/enjoyment, perceived competence, effort/importance, pressure/tension, and value/usefulness. The results indicate that hands-on project work enhanced students’ overall motivation, whether they worked with physical robots or simulations. Notably, students reported an increase in their perceived competence and understanding of robotics fundamentals. On-campus students found the project slightly more engaging and valuable. The study supports previous findings that project-based learning increases student motivation. The results suggest that both physical robots and simulations can serve as effective learning tools in robotics education.