Motivation

By: Christina McCanliesCreated for: READ 5493.50

Summer 2011, TWU University

Motivation is more than engagement. What beliefs

motivate you, your students, your teaching?

What is the most common learning type of motivation?

Have you…. Worked harder for a reward at the end?

Promised rewards to you students for working? Like….treasure boxes, computer time,

extra recess….

Worked harder to avoid punishment?

Told your students they might be punished if they don’t work harder?

Like…no recess, no free time, calling home, or changing a grade….

Answer:Extrinsic Motivation

• Rewards, punishment, or pleasing others (Becker, McElvany, & Kortenbruck, 2010).

For learners - • Caused because students do not find a task

personally relatable or have not developed autonomy (Hardré, 2009).

For teachers – • Common Western pedagogy – “Read and Test”

strategy.• Easier to do.• Levels of expectations.

• LEAST EFFECTIVE towards life-long learning.

What is the most challenging form of motivation to achieve?

Have you…. Worked harder to teach yourself how to do something?

Felt satisfaction because you figured something out independently?

Showed your students the resource and not the answer?

Encouraged self-selection, creativity, and choice?

Shared your knowledge with someone else? Let your students share theirs?

Felt empowered by your knowledge?

Answer: Intrinsic Motivation

• Enjoyment, self-selection, personal interests (Becker et al., 2010; LaGuardia, 2009)

For learners – • Progress and competence is caused because a

student has developed a sense of identity as a learner (McCombs, Daniels, & Perry, 2008).

For teachers – • Relationships must exist between learner and

teacher.• Teacher must show value in what is taught.• Interest, curiosity, social connections, and self-

efficacy must be fostered (Cho, Xu, & Rhodes, 2010).

How to…

Motivate your Students

1. Get to know your students. How can you foster interest, curiosity, social connections, and self-efficacy?

2. How can you give your students more time to learn?

3. Find ways to shift your teaching away from extrinsic rewards. How can you make your lessons authentic?

How to…

Motivate yourself

1. What is one thing you can change to develop stronger relationships with your peers and students?

2. Seek out new ideas and research from other sources. How do you get your ideas now and is it extrinsic or intrinsically motivated?

3. Analyze your teaching. How can you take what you enjoy and share that with others?

References Becker, M., McElvany, N., & Kortenbruck, M. (2010). Intrinsic and extrinsic reading motivation as predictors of reading literacy: A longitudinal study. Journal of Educational Psychology, 102(4),

773- 785. Cho, S., Xu, Y., & Rhodes, J. A. (2010). Examining English language learners’ motivation of, and engagement in, reading: A qualitative study. Reading Matrix: An International Online Journal,

10(2), 205-221.   Hardré, P. L. (2009). The motivating opportunities model for performance SUCCESS: Design, development, and instructional implications. Performance Improvement Quarterly, 22(1), 5-

26. LaGuardia, J. G. (2009). Developing who I am: A self-determination theory approach to the establishment of healthy identities. Educational Psychologist, 44(2), 90-104. McCombs, B., Daniels, D., & Perry, K. (2008). Children’s and teacher’s perceptions of learner-

centered practices, and student motivation: Implications for early schooling. The Elementary School

Journal, 109(1), 16-32. Wang, H. Y., & Guthrie, J. T. (2004). Modeling the effects of intrinsic motivation, extrinsic

motivation, amount of reading, and past reading achievement on text comprehension between U.S. and

Chinese students. Reading Research Quarterly, 39(2), 162-186.