Unit 2 Lecture: Motivation
Return to: Unit 2: What is motivation?
"Really the only thing that motivates me and keeps me going is food." - UAlbany Women's Lacrosse athlete
Motivation
So what exactly is motivation? The technical definition of motivation is internal and external factors that stimulate desire and energy in people to be continually interested and committed to a job, role or subject, or to make an effort to attain a goal. Motivation results from the interaction of both conscious and unconscious factors such as the (1) intensity of desire or need, (2) incentive or reward value of the goal, and (3) expectations of the individual and of his or her peers. When it comes to students, there's an ability and desire to learn that stems from motivation. Being motivated is a necessary conditions of learning (Green, 2015). Motivation for athletes is typically divided into two categories: intrinsic vs extrinsic motivation. If an athlete is intrinsically motivated they perform or behave out of a want to do so. They are engaged because they enjoy the thing and find it pleasurable. If an athlete is extrinsically motivated they perform or behave to avoid something unpleasant, like being punished or failing. Athletes are extraordinarily passionate about their sports, which is why they've decided to play, especially at the collegiate level. Athletes typically are intrinsically motivated to play their sport, but extrinsically motivated to perform in academics; extrinsically motivated students do not perform as well as those that are intrinsically motivated (Simons, Rheenen & Covington, 1999).
So what drives us? Go back to introductory psychology classes, and the name Maslow should ring a few bells. Maslow developed a model to theorize motivation. Picture the model as a ladder. Psychological needs are on the bottom, next are safety needs, followed by love and belonging, esteem, and then finally self-actualization. An individual cannot move up the ladder until the needs at the bottom have been met. The needs start as "basic needs", progress to "psychological needs:, and then eventually "self-fulfillment needs". Motivation to fulfill a need becomes stronger the longer they're denied (McLeod, 2018). Motivation can be confusing and not always directed in the right path. How can we get students, in particular athletes, to focus on academics, while still allowing them to fulfill their need for status and recognition. How can we make them want to excel in school and develop intrinsic motivation. ♦ Model can be viewed at the bottom of this page ♦
Learner-Centered Environment
An educators role is to design learning environments where students will be engaged in learning. A popular approach to creating an engaging classroom environment is following a learner-centered strategy. In order to design this environment educators start with what is to be learned. Second, the educator considers what evidence will show the students have achieved these learning outcomes. When a student sees their achievements and learning, they're more likely to continue to strive for growth (Green, 2015). Lastly, plan the activities that will lead to learning. Learner-centeredness gives students what they need to learn, and student motivation is important in this teaching style. Educators need to put in the effort to encourage their students to engage. According to Green (2015), motivation in the learner-centered environment is dependent on the students beliefs about: 1. The subjective value of the goal. Is the goal worth attaining? The higher subjective value a student gives to the goal, the higher the student’s motivation to achieve that goal. 2. The expectation of successful attainment of the goal. An expectancy is positive if the student believes they will achieve the goal and negative if the student believes they will not achieve the goal. 3. Their learning environment. In general, students tend to be more highly motivated in an environment that is perceived as promoting the previous two beliefs. A learner-centered environment is essentially driven by the students needs. If the student is setting their own goals, something athletes are asked to do daily by their coaches, they're more likely to strive to achieve them. Unsupportive or demanding environments make a student doubt the value of the goal or their ability to achieve it, and negatively impacts their motivation. Motivation is the driving force behind all actions and behaviors; student athletes need to be as determined to succeed in the classroom as they do in their sport.
Reflect
Take a look at Maslow's model, where do athletics and academics fall? Do you believe they're on the same level, or is one more motivating than the other?
References
Green, P. (2015). How to motivate students: a primer for learner-centered teachers. AAPT Studies in Pedagogy 1, 47-60. DOI: 10.5840/aaptstudies20159184.
McLeod, S. (2018). Maslow's hierarchy of needs. Simply Psychology. Retrieved May 10, 2019 from https://www.simplypsychology.org/maslow.html
Simmons, H. D., Van Rheenen, D., Covington, M. V. (1999). Academic motivation and the student athlete. University of California, Berkeley, 40:2. Retrieved May 09, 2019 from https://pdfs.semanticscholar.org/e28e/9e40992252a591c41328b6a690dff76184de.pdf
Return to: Unit 2: What is motivation?