Fifth, Sixth and Seventh Session

What’s the definition of motivation?

• “An internal state that arouses, directs and maintains behaviour.”

How does motivation occur?

• Different causes & kinds of motivation => different theories/perspectives

• Motivation of a person at a particular time in a particular context/situation: Mixture of different kinds of motivation/different causes (no recipe!)

• As with learning: General tendencies + individual differences what motivates people (individual goals, interests, relevance, experiences, strengths/weaknesses, etc.)

Explain intrinsic and extrinsic motivation.

• Intrinsic motivation: activity itself is rewarding/pleasant for a person (internal locus of
  causality, i.e. within a person)

• Extrinsic motivation due to external/environmental factors such as rewards, punishment, pressure (external locus of causality, i.e. outside a person)

Explain Behaviourism.

• Central ideas (of how motivation occurs & behaviour can be influenced):

• Brain/mind = black box, i.e. thought processes unknown/irrelevant

• Pattern: Stimulus – response (= behaviour) – (positive/negative) feedback
  1. Feedback: Incentive (theoretical) & reward (real) => encouragement
  2. Feedback: Punishment => Discouragement (change undesired behaviour)

• Motivation due to extrinsic cause: attractive incentives/rewards & unattractive punishment (avoidance)

How can Behaviourism be used in praxis?

• Motivation due to extrinsic cause: attractive incentives/rewards & unattractive punishment (avoidance)

• E.g. classroom management & grading

• Motivational effects wear off => increasingly attractive rewards

• Clear/transparent and specific rules without room for interpretation

• Feedback = contingent

• For better results: Include internal locus of control / room for internalisation

Explain Maslow hierarchy of needs.

• Motivation = addressing/striving to satisfy bodily & psych. needs

• Deficiency needs (first four levels incl. esteem) vs. growth needs:
  1. Def. needs: Lower needs as prerequisite (mind = ready for learning)
  2. Growth needs: No final state, sought after continuously

• Criticism: People behave atypically, study of “master race”, focus on multiple needs at the same time, people stop to strive for fulfilment at some stage

• Take-away: Physical, biological, emotional & intellectual needs interrelated;
  some deficiencies more relevant than others (require immediate attention) & prevent learning

What are the basic concepts of motivation?

• Locus of causality (location of cause/reason for action): internal vs. external

• Locus of control (locationofthecontrolofaction):internalvs.external
  • (SMART)Goals

• Specific (=> check success) vs. unspecific

• Measurable/observable (indications for successful attainment)

• Attractive/desirable vs. unattractive

• Realistic vs. unrealistic (break down long-term goals =>visible progress/success)

• Timed / time-bound

Explain the Self-Determination Theory.

• Three basic human needs [tie in with our theory of learning!]
  1. Autonomy & control: authority in one’s life/wishes & in charge of one’s behaviour, choice (≠ external pressure/goals); internal locus of control
  2. Competence: Feel competent, get better/achieve something
  3. Social-relatedness: feel connected, sense of belonging (social groups) (+purpose)

• Experiencing their fulfilment => intrinsic motivation (more sustainable)

• Students learn more, more interested/curious in their work, higher self-esteem/self- concept, creativity, preference for challenge

Explain the Attribution Theory.

• We try to make sense of our/other’s past success & failure and seek explanations for
  it => basis of our (de)motivation & future behaviour

• Attribution = causal explanation / perceived reason / belief (one’s own personal explanation of or excuse for past successes and failures)

• Three dimensions of attributions

• 1. Locus of causality [where is cause/reason?]: internal or external

• 2. Stability: cause = fixed/permanent/stable or unstable

• 3. Locus of control: internal/controllable or external/uncontrollable

• Attributions => empower students/increase mot. or the opposite

How can the Attribution theory be applied in praxis?

• Control/power important

• Students have tendencies/habits/mindsets to use certain attributions;
  reframing possible (!)

• Focus on what you can do [control/power over your “fate”] to mitigate issues (e.g.):
  − provide security, i.e. comfortable & anxiety-free environment − figure out with students what helps / develop strategies

Explain the Expectancy-Value-Theory.

• Motivation as product of

• Expectation of success/reaching a goal (Likelihood of success in future)

• Value (Relevance/importance/attractiveness) of the goal to a person

• both in relation to costs of pursuing it (how much energy/what sacrifice?)

What is the Academic Self-Concept?

• „[A] person’s self-perceptions that are formed through experience with and interpretations of one’s environment.”

• Relatively stabile, dispositional/habitual tendency to perceive oneself

• Domain-specific (verbal vs. mathematical) mental representations and convictions of one’s knowledge, competences, talents; includes self-confidence/worth/acceptance

• Involves social comparisons with others (peers)

What’s the Self-Efficacy Theory?

• Self-efficacy(Selbstwirksamkeit)=Belief about one’s own ability to solve a task in a particular situation (and being in control of success)

• Exercising control over one’s behavior: self-regulation/metacognition

• Planning/Pre-learning: set goals, develop plan/schedule to attain goals, prepare learning environment

• While-Learning: implementation, monitoring progress/success, adaptation

• Post-learning: Reflection for the future

How does motivation connect to classroom management?

• Learning, motivation & classroom management => “three sides of same coin”

• Realisation during PXS: “Ich hab gegen die ja nix in der Hand!”

• Overestimation of power

• teachers have to

  • work hard to earn power (competence, fairness, transparency, respect stds)

  • use power as a gift wisely (and rarely: wears off over time => behaviourism!)

  • use motivation as a positive instrument to influence students’ behavior