Motivation is the drive and energy we put into accomplishing
something. It can also be described as the educational engagement. This refers
to the time and energy students put in to activities as well as the policies
and practices that institutions use to induce students to participate. (Merriam & Bierema, 2014, p. 147) This video, while
amusing, is a great example of “student motivation”
Motivation is either extrinsic or intrinsic. Extrinsic is
the outside factors the motivate someone. Examples are recognition, promotions,
earning a degree or certificate or receiving a pay increase. Intrinsic
motivation is an internal process in which a person seeks a challenge,
satisfies a curiosity, or the love of intellectual challenge. (Merriam & Bierema, 2014, p. 147)
The classic motivation theories are as follows:
- Economic or Rational Motivation Theory – views humans as rational actors who seek to maximize highest economic returns
- Social or Human Motivation Theory – concluded that factors other than economic returns affected work motivation. These were factors involving the social and emotional aspects of well-functioning groups.
- Behavioristic Motivation Theory - learners are conditioned through punishments and rewards
- Need-driven Motivational Theory- contends that humans are partially motivated by external factors but also intrinsic human needs are the man drivers of human behavior.
- Cognitive Motivation Theory – maintains that a reward for
learning will be different from person to person.(Merriam & Bierema, 2014)
The text also discusses motivation as it relates to adult
education. In Houle’s publication The Inquiring Mind he reported about an
in-depth study of 22 adult learners. Three types of learning orientations arose
from his analysis. They are as follows:
- Goal-oriented learners – learning as a means to attain a goal
- Activity-oriented learners – learning as an opportunity to participate in an activity with other learners for the sake of the activity
- Learning-oriented learners – learning to develop new knowledge for the sake of learning.(Merriam & Bierema, 2014)
I do not believe anyone in this class has a question as to
what motivation is. We all have different motivations for completing this class
as well as the degree program we are engaged in. In the process of working with classmates, I
have heard a variety of different motivators.
Some are taking these classes to broaden their knowledge in
the subject of online teaching. Others are taking this class, in order to help
them perfect their current techniques for online teaching. Some are taking the
classes just to be taking them. I am taking these classes in order to prepare
for a second career when I retire from my current. Although that is several years away, I had
the motivation to start the process now so that I would not be “rushed” or “pressured”
when the time arises that I want to make a change. All of the different reasons, as well as my
own, fit into one of the classical motivation theories listed below. Some are
intrinsic and some are extrinsic. In each of our individual situations, I believe
we can all be categorized into one or more of Houle’s learning orientations.
Merriam, S. B., &
Bierema, L. L. (2014). Adult learning: Linking theory and
practice. San Fransico, CA: Jossey-Bass.
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