Unit Two: Why is Motivation Important in the classroom?
Unit Two: Why is Motivation Important in the Classroom?
Learning Objectives
1. Gain an understanding of the importance of motivation in instruction.
2. Identify differences between extrinsic motivation and intrinsic motivation.
Overview
Motivation is a theoretical construct used to explain the initiation, direction, intensity, persistence, and quality of behavior, especially goal-directed behavior (Maehr & Meyer, 1997). Motivation is essentially the force that drives one to act. This force can come from within or from an outside source. Regardless of its origin, motivation plays a key role in our deciding if and why we do things. Motivation comes from one of two places: within our ourselves (intrinsi ) or from an outside source (extrinsic). According to Pintrich & Schunk, "intrinsic motivation refers to motivation to engage in an activity for its own sake. People who are intrinsically motivated work on tasks because they find them enjoyable." Intrinsic motivation can be influenced by the level of difficulty, curiosity of the learner, or a need for control. Extrinsic motivation, on the other hand, comes from an outside source such as money, grades, praise, etc. When extrinsically motivated one will complete a task in order to receive the reward regardless of personal interest.
Motivation is of particular interest in the field of education because of it's strong impact on student learning. Motivation in education can have several effects on how students learn and their behavior towards subject matter (Ormrod, 2003). It can:
- Provide direction
- Increased energy and overall effort
- Increased initiative and drive
- Enhanced cognitive processing abilities
- Highlight reinforcing consequences
- Overall improved performance
Activities
- Click on the following link to download a pdf version of a motivation style assessment.
How do Conner's three types of motivation relate to intrinsic and extrinsic motivation?
- Read the following articles Student Motivation to Learn and Motivation: A Key to Effective Teaching. What is the difference between intrinsic motivation and extrinsic motivation? Which do you feel is most important? Site one piece of research to support your answer. What would you do as a teacher to promote intrinsic motivation in the classroom? Post your answers to these questions in the Discussion Forum. Respond to at least two of your classmates. Be sure to also respond to those who have responded to you. Also remember to site an outside source in your responses.
References
Maehr, M. L., & Meyer, H. A. (1997). Understanding motivation and schooling: Where we’ve been, where we are, and where we need to go. Educational Psychology Review, 9, 371-409.
Ormond, Jeanne Ellis. (2003). “Educational Psychology: Developing Learners” Fourth Edition. Merrill Prentice Hall.
Proceed to Unit Three: What is the ARCS model? What does ARCS stand for?