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Lets Motivate our students! but how? Makeda Miller We all want our students to be motivated and engaged during the learning process. Who doesn’t want a classroom full of students whose “light bulbs” are gleaming every time they enter. However, understanding the ways in which students are motivated is necessary for educators to intrinsically motivate our students, foster their social development and overall well being. The presentation is based off the work of Richard Ryan and Edward Deci and the benefit of the self-determination theory.

Is this your classroom? Even if it is unbearable to admit, at times not all of our students are motivated while in our classrooms. It is important for us to know in what ways are our students actually motivated.

How you think you’re motivating your students… How some students interpret your motivation… Your perception of what is taking place in your classroom isn’t always a reality for your students. It is important that the motivation just isn’t coming from the instructor, but the students also possess self-motivation in order to be successful.

Why is motivation so important Motivation is valuable because it produces. Students can be motivated for a variety of reasons. They may see value in the activity or they may be urged into action because of external pressures such as grades. Either way motivation is the spark that lights the fire to your students being productive.

Self-determination theory (SDT) Focuses on the social-contextual conditions that facilitate the natural process of self-motivation. In order for self-motivation to be effective it is important that our students three innate psychological needs are met: SDT explores the ways in which we are naturally motivated as well as ways we can be externally motivated. Competence: feedback, communication, rewards that motivate students Autonomy: self-direction, curiosity, desire for challenge Relatedness: Sense of security or connection Competence Autonomy Relatedness

Determining what kind of motivation is being exhibited: either self-motivation or external regulation is the major focus of SDT SDT wants to foster positive development tendencies, but it is also very realistic to consider social environments that can contravene those tendencies. When students motivation is authentic (self-regulated) rather than externally controlled they tend to have more interest, excitement, and confidence which in turn fosters more enhanced performance, persistence, and creativity. (The social environments will be further explained when discussing intrinsic and extrinsic motivation) However, just because someone doesn’t display authentic motivation doesn’t mean they will be unable become motivated externally.

Intrinsic Motivation Intrinsic motivation is inherent. We’re born with the tendency to seek out novelty and challenges, explore, and learn. It is natural for us to be curious, even without rewards. The challenge is eliciting and sustaining these natural conditions so that students remain motivated while in and out of the learning environment Students have a natural inclination toward mastery or exploration that actually is enjoyable for them.

Are your students’ needs met? Remember the 3 Needs?: Competence, Autonomy, & Relatedness According to the Cognitive Evaluation Theory (CET), in order for intrinsic motivation to be evident, students must experience competence and feel as if their behavior is self-determined. As teachers we should foster an autonomy supportive approach rather than a controlling one so that students don’t lose interest and learn less effectively. Research reveals that tangible rewards and imposed goals diminish intrinsic motivation because it takes away from their personal control, or locus of causality. If students are in an environment in which they feel the teacher is too controlling, they lose initiative and learn less effectively when learning requires a conceptual, creative processing. This could be applied across the board to parents, mentors, coaches, etc. A student needs to feel a sense of competence, autonomy, and relatedness in order to continue to be intrinsically motivated. This can begin as an infant but also be fostered across a lifetime.

Social environments & Intrinsic motivation According to Ryan and Deci, social environments can facilitate or forestall intrinsic motivation by supporting versus thwarting people’s innate psychological needs. If we don’t want our students to hit a brick wall and lose their intrinsic motivation, they need to be motivated by activities that hold interest for them and have the appeal of challenge, or holds some values. So ask yourself, is your classroom facilitating or forestalling intrinsic motivation?

Extrinsic motivation Performance of an activity in order to attain some separable outcome Example: Homework Completion Intrinsic motivation is important during early childhood, but when social pressures to do activities that aren’t interesting arise a different form of motivation is needed. Homework: Some students complete homework because they recognize the value and how it can relate to their future goals. While other students complete homework to adhere to their parents rules. They are both performing the task of homework, not because it makes them happy (as it would with intrinsic motivation) but because they are trying to attain an external outcome.

Types of Extrinsic motivation External Regulation Introjected Regulation Identified Regulation Integrated Regulation External Regulation: Performed to satisfy an external demand or reward contingency Introjected Regulation: Behaviors are performed to avoid guilt or to attain ego enhancements such as pride. Helps you maintain feelings of worth. These two are the least autonomous (external and introjected). Identified Regulation: Value of behavioral goal or regulation and is deemed important Integrated regulation: Regulations are congruent with ones values and needs. The more that autonomous extrinsic motivation is associated with engagement the better the performance, lower the dropout rate, the increase in the quality of learning, and better teacher ratings.

How do we promote Autonomous Regulation Extrinsically motivated behaviors are typically interesting. People perform these actions because: Prompted Its been modeled for them Valued by significant others whom they feel attached or related to RELATEDNESS IS KEY!!!! Autonomous regulation for extrinsically motivated behaviors is critical in figuring out how to nurture versus inhibit internalization and integration is important. Students who had more internalized regulation for positive school related behaviors were those who felt securely connected to, and cared for by their parents and teachers. Students will adopt activities that are relevant to social groups. The inclusiveness/belongingness makes the student buy in to what is you are trying to teach them. They must see the value and they must feel connected to you as the teacher and the material. The students must feel competent, related, and autonomous am see the relation to their own goals and values. The support for autonomy transforms values into their own.

Key points Identify where students are and what type of motivation they need Intrinsic Motivation: student’s are born with it, but it dwindles the older they get Although students weren’t born with extrinsic motivation it can still have a positive impact the more autonomous it is. If the 3 Psychological needs are met and students are supported they are able to develop appropriately Be mindful of the environmental challenges and potential disruptions Additional Reading: “Self-Determination Theory and the Facilitation of Intrinsic Motivation, Social Development, and Well-Being” by Richard Ryan and Edward Deci

Resources Ryan, R. & Deci, E. (2000). Self-determination theory and the facilitation of intrinsic motivation, social development, and well-being. American Psychological Association. 55 (1). 68-78.