Methods of Motivation

Methods of Motivation

Introduction

Student motivation naturally has to do with students' desire to participate in the learning process. But it also concerns the reasons or goals that underlie their involvement or noninvolvement in academic activities. Although students may be equally motivated to perform a task, the sources of their motivation may differ.

A student who is intrinsically motivated undertakes an activity "for its own sake, for the enjoyment it provides, the learning it permits, or the feelings of accomplishment it evokes" (Mark Lepper 1988). An extrinsically motivated student performs "in order to obtain some reward or avoid some punishment external to the activity itself," such as grades, stickers, or teacher approval (Lepper).

The term motivation to learn has a slightly different meaning. It is defined by one author as "the meaningfulness, value, and benefits of academic tasks to the learner--regard-less of whether or not they are intrinsically interesting" (Hermine Marshall 1987). Another notes that motivation to learn is characterized by long-term, quality involvement in learning and commitment to the process of learning (Carole Ames 1990).

Discussion

Motivating college students is one of the greatest challenges instructors face. While it is true that instructors have little, if any, control over external factors that influence students' behavior and engagement. Instructors do play a vital role in shaping what occurs in their classroom. In fact, their instructional choices can make a positive impact on student motivation.

The purpose of this paper is to provide instructors with a general understanding of student motivation from a psychological perspective and to recommend specific strategies to help motivate students in the college programme.

A Framework for Understanding Student Motivation

According to Jere Brophy, a leading researcher on student motivation and effective teaching, “Student motivation to learn is an acquired competence developed through general experience but stimulated most directly through modeling, communication of expectations, and direct instruction or socialization by others (especially parents or teachers).”   

Before exploring some practical applications for motivating students, we should examine the issue from a theoretical perspective. One thing to consider is the expectancy-value theory as it serves as the underlying theme for a number of the strategies we suggest to enhance student motivation. According to this theory, the degree to which a student is motivated to engage in an academic task is jointly determined by his/her expectancy for success and by the value that he/she has attached to a specific task. This theory suggests that students can be successful if they apply reasonable effort and appreciate the value of the learning activities.

Expectancy-Value Theory Summarized

Why am I doing this? + Will I be successful at it? -> Level of student motivation

Strategies for Increasing Student Motivation

Given the insight gleamed from motivation theories such as the expectancy-value theory discussed above, we should consider what steps instructors can take to maximize student engagement and success in the classroom. Instructors can create an optimal college programme environment that is conducive to learning, and research suggests this is most effectively achieved through instructional behaviors and course design.

Course Design

As Barbara Davis writes in Tools for Teaching, “Students respond ...