One of the most important things I took away from the readings for this week is the importance for kids to be inspired for themselves. There are many different theories and ways in which we try to classify motivation, but i’ve learned the most important motivation is intrinsic. Intrinsic motivation is when a student is motivated to do something for themselves. This is why intrinsic motivation is a very powerful tool within the classroom. When students are intrinsically motivated to do academic task they are more likely to have positive results.
While I do believe intrinsic motivation is the most important driving force, the readings have shown me that a combination between both intrinsic and extrinsic motivation can also be successful. The right type of extrinsic motivation can be helpful in achieving academic goals. There are 4 types of extrinsic motivation: external regulation, introjection, identification, integration. External regulation are behaviors fueled by the need to fulfill and external demand. Introjection is when a person feels pressure around a task. Identification regulation is when a person has identified with a task and adopts that regulation. Lastly, there is integration regulation which occurs when someone’s identified regulations become completely assimilated with his or her own values and beliefs. While some types of extrinsic motivators can be harmful to positive learning, some can be useful. If we pair intrinsic motives such as mastery with an extrinsic motive like moving on to the next grade level, positive outcomes can occur.
All of this new information on intrinsic and extrinsic motivation informs my own practice by helping me to keep in mind the different types of motivation involved with learning. I think if we spend more time figuring out what motivates students it will be easier to guide them to the right strategies that fill that type of need.
I can also relate this to teaching football because to be good at football you can hold yourself to extrinsic motivators, but to be great you really have to have motives within yourself. If you don't push yourself to be great at football you can never reach your full potential. This same idea can be applied to students and learning. Yeah, students can just get by, but to really maximize the learning experience students have to have that intrinsic motivation.
Hello Oliver
ReplyDeleteyou said:
>> While I do believe intrinsic motivation is the most important driving force, the readings have shown me that a combination between both intrinsic and extrinsic motivation can also be successful.<<
This is absolutely the case. While intrinsic motivation is important, that doesn't mean extrinsic motivators are bad. I sometimes find that people seem to imply that this is the case. If a person is intrinsically motivated to learn that is gets them excited an invested in the learning in a particular way, and extrinsic motivators can help push a person even further.
Years ago, when I was a grad student in chemistry, I commented once "grades aren't that important, it's that one learns and wants to learn that is important." A professor responded ".... well... grades are important." Sure it was important that I was motivated to learn, but let's face it, success in school, which leads to being able graduate and demonstrate my ability to perform, hence get a decent job... grades are a measure of that so are important.
The same in sports. One can be motivated to improve, but also have to be motivated to win so they consistently perform at a high level during games.
:-)
Rob