Learning and Motivation

Understanding how people Learn Affective Theories

Learning is: A complex mix of dispositions, lived experiences, social relations, values, attitudes and beliefs that coalesce to shape the nature of an individual’s engagement with any particular learning opportunity.

What is motivation? Motivation: DEFINITION: From the Latin verb movere (to move). Motivation is the process whereby goal-directed activity is instigated and sustained. Why do students set and sustain goals?

‘Self’ Self concept - identity Who am I? Where do I belong? How do I fit (or fit in)?

Cognitive Affective Social What we know and can do How we feel about ourselves as learners Learning through Social interaction Self concept is an amalgam of….

Self – concept: Key motives Self-esteem Self-verification

Self – esteem: Two dimensions 1.Worth-based dimension: Am I accepted and valued? 2. Efficacy-based dimension Am I competent and capable in a particular role?

Sources of self – efficacy information

Self – verification Seeking feedback to corroborate and validate self-concept

The Ideal Self – Goals are about where we want to be. which goals we set which goals we value and which goals we keep working at. – Goals are related to who we WANT TO BE. One Part of the Answer:

Who students think they are affects what they want. Self-Efficacy (whether or not they are capable of achieving a goal) Things that effect self-efficacy: Mastery experiences Vicarious experience (models) Verbal persuasion The other part: The Actual Self

Moving From the Actual to the Ideal For many students there is a discrepancy between who they are and who they want to become… …it can be motivating – if students think they can change. – if they can make connections between the present and the future. …or devastating – if students don’t think they can change – if they are too focused on the present.

Why do students think they can or can’t change? Beliefs about Ability! – Incremental = Your ability changes over time – Entity = Your ability is set at birth Beliefs about Ability lead to goal orientations. – Incremental = Mastery – Entity = Performance

Mastery vs. Performance Mastery goal orientation (Good) – Students are mostly concerned with mastering the task at hand – Failure suggests areas for improvement – can be motivating. Performance goal orientation (Bad) – Students are mostly concerned with doing better than others – Student fears that failure indicates something about their ABILITY to do the task.

Why would someone want to master the task? Mastery is INTRINSICALLY motivating Intrinsic motivation: wanting to do something just because it is—in and of itself—enjoyable! Why are things enjoyable? – Interest – Competence – Curiosity – Relatedness – Autonomy

What Hurts Intrinsic Motivation? Controlling rewards Threats and deadlines Evaluation and surveillance Rule of thumb: If someone else made you – it’s not intrinsic motivation – it’s EXTRINSIC motivation.

What’s wrong with Extrinsic Motivation? It’s EXTRINSIC

Attribution Theory LOCUS OF CAUSALITY/ Control INTERNALEXTERNAL Approach ABILITY TASK DIFFICULTY EFFORTLUCK Success High Ability Increased effort Failure Lack of effort Success Luck or help Failure Lack of ability

High Challenge Low Challenge High SkillLow Skill Anxiety Apathy Boredom FLOW

Some dangers of being complacent about ‘talent’ ?

Tony Faulkner had long suspected that many promising players weren’t reaching their potential. Ignoring the team’s century-old motto—arte et labore, or “skill and hard work”—the most talented individuals disdained serious training.

The problem? British soccer culture held that star players are born, not made. If you buy into that view, and are told you’ve got immense talent, what’s the point of practice? If anything, training hard would tell you and others that you’re merely good, not great.

But even more worrying, when poor self- image and negative self- verification can be tragic

63% of universities report an increase in psychological distress among students. (Association of University and College Counselling) Suicide, second to accidents, is the largest cause of death in year old men in the UK. 56% of young men who attempt suicide have employment or study problems. (The Samaritans, UK )

Profiles of Students Did you meet any of these students last week? Defensive Dave Helpless Hannah Safe Sally Satisfied Sam Anxious Alma

Learn to fail or fail to learn