Virtually all students are motivated in one way or another. One student may be keenly interested in classroom subject matter and seek out challenging course work, participate actively in class discussions, and earn high marks on assigned projects. Another student may be more concerned with the social side of school, interacting with classmates frequently, attending extracurricular activities almost every day, and perhaps running for a student government office. Still another may be focused on athletics, excelling in physical education classes, playing or watching sports most afternoons and weekends, and faithfully following a physical fitness regimen. Yet another student, perhaps because of an undetected learning disability, a shy temperament, or a seemingly uncoordinated body, may be motivated to avoid academics, social situations, or athletic activities. Thus, all students learn differently and are motivated by different methods or triggers.
What are intrinsic and extrinsic motivation and motivation to learn?
How is motivation conceptualized in the behavioral, cognitive, humanistic, and sociocultural perspectives?
What are the possible motivational effects of success and failure, and how do these effects relate to beliefs about ability?
What are the roles of goals, interests, emotions, and beliefs about the self in motivation?
What external factors can teachers influence that will encourage students’ motivation to learn?
What is your strategy for teaching your subject to an uninterested student?
