MOTIVATION

Introduction
Motivation is an internal process. Whether we define it as a drive or a need, motivation is a
condition inside us that desires a change, either in the self or the environment. When we tap into
this well of energy, motivation endows the person with the drive and direction needed to engage
with the environment in an adaptive, open-ended, and problem-solving sort of way (Reeve,
2018).
Motivation is derived from the word ‘Movere’ which means ‘to move’. It is basically the process
of arousing action, sustaining activity in progress, regulating and directing pattern of activity
through energy transformations within the tissues of the organism. It is an art of inculcating and
stimulating interest in studies and in other such activities.
The essence of motivation is energized and persistent goal-directed behavior. When we are
motivated, we move and take action.
The study of motivation in psychology revolves around providing the best possible answers to
two fundamental questions:
1.) What causes behavior?
2.) Why does behavior vary in its intensity?
Motivational science is a behavioral science that seeks to construct theories about what
constitutes human motivation and how motivational processes work.
Motivation, when seen in the real world, and when measured by science, becomes visible and
detectable through behavior, level of engagement, neural activation, and psychophysiology.
Some would also include self-report in this list, but studies show that self-reports have proven to
be highly unreliable sources of information (Reeve, 2018).
Why is motivation in education important?
Motivation plays a key role in education. Students who are motivated are more likely to set goals and
work toward achieving those goals. Students are more likely to have higher achievement and learn more
when they are motivated.

What are the types of motivation in education?

There are two types of motivation in education:
Intrinsic – When students are internally motivated to learn
Extrinsic – When students are motivated by outside factors.

Intrinsic motivation

According to Ryan and Deci (2000) (pp. 56),

Intrinsic motivation is defined as the doing of an activity for its inherent satisfaction rather than
for some separable consequence. When intrinsically motivated, a person is moved to act for the
fun or challenge entailed rather than because of external products, pressures, or rewards.

Intrinsic motivation is clearly visible in young infants, that consistently try to grasp, throw, bite,
squash or shout at new objects they encounter. Even if less important as they grow, human adults
are still often intrinsically motivated while they play crosswords, make paintings, do gardening
or just read novels or watch movies. Yet, to get a clearer picture of intrinsic motivation, one
needs to understand that it has been defined by contrast to extrinsic motivation:

Extrinsic motivation

Extrinsic motivation is a construct that pertains whenever an activity is done in order to attain
some separable outcome. Extrinsic motivation thus contrasts with intrinsic motivation, which
refers to doing an activity simply for the enjoyment of the activity itself, rather than its
instrumental value. (Ryan and Deci, 2000)

We see that a central feature that differentiates intrinsic and extrinsic motivation is
instrumentalization. We also see that the concepts of intrinsic and extrinsic motivations form a
different distinction than the one between internal and external motivations. In the computational
literature, “intrinsic” is sometimes used as a synonym to “internal”, and “extrinsic” as a synonym
to “external”. Yet, it is in fact a confusion. Indeed, there are extrinsic motivations that can be
internal and vice versa. In fact, there are different kinds of instrumentalizations that can be
classified as more or less self-determined (Ryan and Deci, 2000).
Examples of extrinsic and intrinsic motivation;

For example, a child that does thoroughly his homework might be motivated by avoiding the
sanctions of his parents if he would not do it. The cause for action is here clearly external, and
the homework is not done for its own sake but for the separate outcome of not getting sanctions.
Here the child is extrinsically and externally motivated.

On the other hand, it is possible that a child could do thoroughly his homework because he is
persuaded that it will help him get the job he dreams of, later when he will be an adult. In this
case, the cause for action is internally generated, and the homework is again not achieved for its
own sake but because the child thinks it will lead to the separate outcome of getting a good job.

Finally, it is also possible that a child does thoroughly its homework for the fun of it, and
because he experiences pleasure in the discovery of new knowledge or considers for example its
math problem just as fun as playing a video game. In this case, its behavior is intrinsically (and
internally) motivated.

These different kinds of motivations can also sometimes be superposed or interleaved in the
same global activity. For example, it is quite possible that a child doing his homework is partly
extrinsically motivated by getting a high grade at the exam and partly intrinsically motivated by
learning new interesting things. Also, for example, imagine a child that is intrinsically motivated
by playing tennis but has to ride its bicycle to get to the tennis court (and does not like
particularly riding bicycles). In this case, the riding of the bicycle is an internal and extrinsically
motivated behavior that spins out of the intrinsically motivated behavior of playing tennis

Additionally, there are several theories or perspectives of motivation as it relates to learning. Some of
these include:

 Trait perspective - The trait theory of personality suggests that people have certain basic traits and
it is the strength and intensity of those traits that account for personality differences. The trait
approach to personality is one of the major theoretical areas in the study personality. Trait theory
suggests that individual personalities are composed of broad dispositions.
 Behaviorist perspective - Behaviorist theory, also known as behaviorism, is the study of
observable and measurable human behaviors. It places a strong emphasis on environmental
factors in shaping behavior.
 Social cognitive perspective - describes the influence of individual experiences, the actions of
others, and environmental factors on individual health behaviors. SCT provides opportunities for
social support through instilling expectations, self-efficacy, and using observational learning and
other reinforcements to achieve behavior change.
 Cognitive perspective- Cognitive psychology seeks to understand why people learn and process
information the way they do. Cognitive psychologists might help patients cope with memory
disorders, or they might consult on ways to improve educational environments and curriculum.
What motivates students to do well in school?

Students may be intrinsically or extrinsically motivated to do well in school. If they are intrinsically
motivated, they have an internal desire to learn something and are not learning it for a reward of any kind.
Extrinsically motivated students are motivated to learn by an outside reward—this may be praise,
allowance, gifts, etc.

What is motivation in the classroom?

Motivation in the classroom is the willingness and desire of a student to learn. Motivation can be
measured by four indices: choice, effort, persistence, and level of achievement. The higher these
indicators are, the higher a student's motivation.

. Several studies show that intrinsic motivation is a key predictor of high academic achievement.

Indices, or indicators, of motivation that are all connected to a student's motivation are:

 Choice – A student choosing to complete a task on their own free will indicates they are
motivated.
 Effort – The amount of effort a student puts forth on a task or working toward achieving a goal is
an indicator of their level of motivation.
 Persistence – The longer a student is willing to work on something, despite difficulty or other
obstacles, is an indicator of their motivation.
 Level of Achievement – The higher each of the three aforementioned indicators (choice, effort,
persistence), the higher the likeliness of task completion and achievement.

Impact of Motivation in School

1. Motivated students are going to be inclined to want to learn and be more willing to accept the
challenges that may come with the learning process.
2. If students want to learn, then they are going to be more likely to work hard in class, study and
complete homework at home, have a desire to fix mistakes, and potentially even motivate or
spark the interest of their peers.
3. Motivation comes with many benefits including increases in effort, energy, persistence, and
creativity, enhanced cognitive processing, better school attendance, and the overall betterment of
a student's well-being.

How Motivation Affects Learning & Behavior

 1. Motivation drives student behavior and performance. When students are motivated they will be
more positive and energetic in the classroom and toward their learning.
2. Students are going to be more likely to take initiative in their learning and persist through
difficult material, mistakes, or tasks.
3. They are going to be less distracted and more engaged, meaning that they will pay more attention,
thereby taking in, understanding, and acquiring more knowledge, and enhancing their cognitive
processing.

Conclusion
Teachers must follow and implement this knowledge in their classrooms since motivation and
engagement are essential features that shape behavior. Understanding how intrinsic and extrinsic
motivations and engagement relate to students and their education can assist the teacher in creating a
more conducive environment for student learning. Student engagement is a multi-step process that entails
more than merely engaging students. Educators must focus on a variety of elements, including student
personality, academic tasks, the school and classroom environment, and the external world that may
influence the student and school, to promote true student involvement. Improved student involvement
necessitates focused teacher effort, and each of the components listed above should be considered and
addressed.

According to a thorough review of the research, disengaged students could complete their work but
lacked engagement and interest. (Phyllis C. Blumenfeld, 2005 ), Engaged students, on the other hand,
work hard, set objectives for themselves, and achieve the best possible academic outcomes given their
learning context.

It supports earlier research that students who are intrinsically motivated are more proficient and interested
in their academics than those who are not. It also corresponds to research showing that when a teacher
fills a student's desire for support, relatedness, and autonomy (as seems to be the case in the classroom),
student motivation and engagement rise.