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Students’ motivation as the key to academic success

Teachers and educators all over the world nowadays are facing the challenge of how to motivate the students entering colleges and universities who are often psychologically, socially, and academically unprepared for the demands of student life. Education programs, however, do not address the whole problem. Lack of motivation is not limited to the academically weak student. Successful remedial and study strategies courses aimed at the underprepared student have demonstrated that students who really want to improve their skills can do so when motivated. However, even the best  curricula have failed to positively impact the student who is both underprepared academically and unmotivated. When students have both a lack of academic skills and lack motivation, the greater problem is motivation [5].  Faculty often have neither the time nor inclination to address difficult motivational issues in the classroom, consequently, the task of trying to effectively motivate such students often falls to academic advisors. Therefore, the purpose of this article is to give a general understanding of student motivation, to analize the factors influencing it and find the most effective ways to get them excited about learning.

Opinions about the role of motivation in academic achievement and what can be done about it vary widely among college faculty, administrators, and student services professionals. Consideration about unmotivated students opens a Pandora’s box of questions: Can anything be done about these students? Can motivation be taught? What kind of strategies can be used to influence motivation? Is this time wasted that might better be used on those students who are already motivated? The problem of devising effective strategies that influence motivation relies initially on the identification of specific motivational factors. The histories of psychology and education are abundant with research on motivation and its effect on behavior. The study of motivation in education has undergone many changes over the years, moving away from reinforcement contingencies to the more current social-cognitive perspective emphasizing learners’ constructive interpretations of events and the role that their beliefs, cognitions, affects, and values play in achievement[8].

“There are three things to remember about education. The first is motivation. The second one is motivation. The third one is motivation.” (Former U.S. Secretary of Education Terrel Bell). Practice shows that the best lessons, books, and materials in the world will not get students excited about learning and willing to work hard if they are not motivated. A student may arrive in class with a certain degree of motivation. But the teacher's behavior and teaching style, the structure of the course, the nature of the assignments and informal interactions with students all have a large effect on student motivation. We may have heard the utterance, "my students are so unmotivated!" and the good news is that there is a lot that we can do to change that. Because learners have different purposes for studying, it is important for instructors to identify students' purposes and needs and develop proper motivational strategies. Students should understand why they need to make an effort, how long they must sustain an activity, how hard they should pursue it, and how motivated they feel toward their pursuits.

Motivation, both intrinsic and extrinsic, is a key factor in the success of students at all stages of their education, and teachers can play a pivotal role in providing and encouraging that motivation in their students. They say, “It is easier said than done”, as all students are motivated differently and it takes time and a lot of effort to learn to get your students enthusiastic about learning, working hard.

 

What Is Student Motivation?

Numerous cross-disciplinary theories have been suggested to explain motivation. While each of these theories has some truth, no single theory seems to adequately explain all human motivation. The fact is that human beings in general and students in particular are complex creatures with complex needs and desires. With regard to students, very little if any learning can occur unless students are motivated on a consistent basis. The five key ingredients affecting student motivation are: student, teacher, content, method/process, and environment.Motivation is defined as the act or process of motivating; the condition of being motivated; a motivating force, stimulus, or influence; incentive; drive; something (such as a need or desire) that causes a person or student to act [7].  Some theories claim that people or students are motivated by material rewards, desire to increase their power and prestige in the world, interesting work, enriched environments, recognition, or being respected as an individual. Each of these theories has some truth but no single theory seems to adequately explain all human motivation.According to Jere Brophy, a leading researcher on student motivation and effective teaching, “Student motivation to learn is an acquired competence developed through general experience but stimulated most directly through modeling, communication of expectations, and direct instruction or socialization by others (especially parents or teachers).” [1].

Student motivation naturally has to do with students' desire to participate in the learning process. However, it also concerns the reasons or goals that underlie their involvement or noninvolvement in academic activities. Although students may be equally motivated to perform a task, the sources of their motivation may differ.

The question of what motivates students’ behavior in achievement contexts is one of long-standing interest to psychologists and educators. Much of the research in this area has classified motivation as either intrinsic (i.e., inherent to the self or the task) or extrinsic (i.e., originating from outside of the self or the task). That is, students are often thought to be learning either for the sake of learning or as a means to some other end, whether it be praise, good grades, etc. A student who is intrinsically motivated undertakes an activity "for its own sake, for the enjoyment it provides, the learning it permits, or the feelings of accomplishment it evokes"[6].  An extrinsically motivated student performs "in order to obtain some reward or avoid some punishment external to the activity itself," such as grades, stickers, or teacher approval. Numerous research studies have shown that intrinsically motivated students have higher achievement levels, lower levels of anxiety and higher perceptions of competence and engagement in learning than students who are not intrinsically motivated.  However, every student is not and cannot be always intrinsically motivated towards certain tasks. The majority of researchers believe that motivation is not exclusively intrinsic or extrinsic in orientation.A balanced pedagogical approach in the classroom includes the combination of both types [3].

Several specific motivational factors have come to light in recent educational research from the social cognitive approach including: Intrinsic Goal Orientation, Extrinsic Goal Orientation, Task Value, Control of Learning Beliefs, and Self-Efficacy for Learning and Performance. These factors are defined as:

Intrinsic Goal Orientation is having a goal orientation toward an academic task that indicates the students' participation in the task is an end all to itself rather than participation being a means to an end. Also included here is the degree to which students perceive themselves to be participating in a task for reasons such as challenge, curiosity, and mastery [2].

Extrinsic Goal Orientation concerns the degree to which students perceive themselves to be participating in a task for reasons such as grades, rewards, performance evaluation of others and competition. Students with high in extrinsic goal orientation engage in learning tasks as the means to an end. The main concern here is the students with high Extrinsic Goal Orientation relate to issues rather than those directly related to participating in the task itself [2].

Task Value refers to students' evaluation of how interesting, how important, and how useful the task is. High task should lead to more involvement in learning. Task value refers to the students' perceptions of the course material in terms of interest, importance, and utility[2].

Self-Efficacy for Learning and Performance comprises two aspects of expectancy: expectancy for success and self-efficacy. Expectancy for success refers to performance expectations, and relates specifically to task performance. Self-efficacy is a self appraisal of one's ability to accomplish a task and one's confidence in possessing the skills needed to perform that task [2].

Test Anxiety has been found to be negatively related to expectancies as well as to academic performance. Test anxiety is thought to have two components: a worry, or cognitive component, and an emotional component. The worry component refers to students' negative thoughts that disrupt performance, whereas the emotionality component refers to affective and physiological arousal aspects of anxiety. Cognitive component and preoccupation with performance have been found to be the greatest sources of performance decrement. Training in the use of effective learning strategies and test-taking skills should help reduce the degree of anxiety [2].

These factors identified in the social-cognitive model of motivation can be narrowed to three motivational constructs: expectancy, value, and affect. The expectancy construct assesses perceptions of self-efficacy and control beliefs of learning. The self-efficacy construct postulated by Bandura in his social learning theory has guided extensive motivational research. The second construct of expectancy is a refined construct based on Rotter’s locus of control. Rotter’s locus of control construct, first presented in 1966, is perhaps one of the most highly researched concepts in modern psychological study. The value construct includes intrinsic and extrinsic goal orientation as well as task value beliefs. Ryan, Connell, and Deci (1985) who researched the role of intrinsic and extrinsic motivation in their “Cognitive Evaluation Theory” argue that perceptions of autonomy and competence are fundamental to intrinsic motivation. Commitment to educational attainment and learning are necessary to sustain motivation. Commitment to learning is a syndrome of variables such as belief in the value of learning.The third motivational construct is affect and can be measured in terms of test-anxiety. A meta-analysis of 562 studies that related test anxiety and academic achievement found that test anxiety does cause poor performance, is negatively related to self-esteem, and is directly related to students’ fear of negative evaluation [4]. Ryan and Deci (2000) proposed a Self Determination Theory (SDT) in order to make the critical distinction between behaviors that are volitional and accompanied by the experienceof freedom and autonomy. They propose that some types of extrinsic motivations are weak, whereas, some are active and agentic states. They describe different forms of extrinsic motivation as a continuum starting from a motivation (not motivated); to external regulation (where a task is attempted to satisfy an external demand); introjected regulation (a task is done for ego enhancement); identification (where the task is valued for itself) and integrated regulation which is the most autonomous kind of extrinsic motivation and exists when external regulations are fully assimilated in a person's self evaluations and beliefs of their own personal needs. Understanding the different types of extrinsic motivation is very important as the types of extrinsic motivations show how much a student is self determined during a learning task and also shows the quality of effort he or she is putting into a task.

Figure. Ryan and Deci’s Self Determination Theory Model

Students display more motivational benefits from teachers they like over teachers they dislike. The following suggestions are offered regarding teacher contributions to student motivation:

− Use inventive teaching techniques,

− Encourage your students to embrace technology,

− Make learning both interesting and entertaining,

− Require significant effort both inside and outside the classroom,

− Convey a real sense of caring to the students,

− Make each student feel special,

− Help students outside of the classroom and at odd hours,

− Teach them how to use information to make proper decisions for real life,

− Students need to know you are approachable,

− Motivate them to achieve at their maximum level,

− Instill a fire in your students,

− Go beyond the confines of the academic setting,

− Discuss contemporary topics,

− Share personal relevant experience,

− Capture the interest of your students,

− Be devoted to your students,

− Learn students’ individual needs and respond appropriately,

− Develop specialized assignments and schedules when needed,

− Provide tools for their careers,

− Promote practical work experience,

− Foster relationships with local area professionals,

Here are five effective ways to get your students excited about learning:

1. Encourage Students

Students look to teachers for approval and positive reinforcement, and are more likely to be enthusiastic about learning if they feel their work is recognized and valued. You should encourage open communication and free thinking with your students to make them feel important. Be enthusiastic. Praise your students often. Recognize them for their contributions. If your classroom is a friendly place where students feel heard and respected, they will be more eager to learn. A “good job” or “nice work” can go a long way.

2. Get Them Involved

One way to encourage students and teach them responsibility is to get them involved in the classroom. Make students work in groups and assign each a task or role. Giving students a sense of ownership allows them to feel accomplished and encourages active participation in class.

3. Offer Incentives

Setting expectations and making reasonable demands encourages students to participate, but sometimes students need an extra push in the right direction. Offering students small incentives makes learning fun and motivates students to push themselves. Incentives can range from small to large giving a special privilege to an exemplary student, to a class pizza party if the average test score rises. Rewards give students a sense of accomplishment and encourage them to work with a goal in mind.

4. Get Creative

Avoid monotony by changing around the structure of your class. Teach through games and discussions instead of lectures, encourage students to debate and enrich the subject matter with visual aids, like colorful charts, diagrams and videos. You can even show a movie that effectively illustrates a topic or theme. Your physical classroom should never be boring: use posters, models, student projects and seasonal themes to decorate your classroom, and create a warm, stimulating environment.

5. Draw Connections to Real Life

“When will I ever need this?” This question, too often heard in the classroom, indicates that a student is not engaged. If a student does not believe that what they are learning is important, they will not want to learn, so it is important to demonstrate how the subject relates to them.

It is a well-known fact that motivation fluctuates, and it is challenging to keep language learners' motivation at a high level all the time. When designing a language course, teachers must take into consideration that each learner has different interests and expectations. The following strategies are effective ways to increase language learners' external motivation.

1) Create a Friendly Atmosphere in the Classroom

Develop a friendly climate in which all students feel recognized and valued. Many students feel more comfortable participating in classroom activities after they know their teacher and their peers.

2) Create Situations in Which Students Will Feel a Sense of Accomplishment

A sense of accomplishment is a great factor in motivating students. Be sure to give positive feedback and reinforcement. Doing so can increase students' satisfaction and encourage positive self-evaluation. A student who feels a sense of accomplishment will be better able to direct his or her own studies and learning outcomes. Positive as well as negative comments influence motivation, but research consistently indicates that students are more affected by positive feedback and success. Praise builds students' self-confidence, competence, and self-esteem.

3) Encourage Students to Set Their Own Short-Term Goals

Language learners can achieve success by setting their own goals and by directing their studies toward their own expectations. Students can help themselves achieve their goals by determining their own language needs and by defining why they want to learn the language. Having goals and expectations leads to increased motivation, which in turn leads to a higher level of language competence. We as teachers should encourage students to have specific short-term goals such as communicating with English speakers or reading books in English. No matter what these goals are, we should help students set and pursue them.

4) Provide Pair and Group Activities to Develop Students’ Confidence

Students learn by doing, making, writing, designing, creating, and solving. Passivity decreases students' motivation and curiosity. Small-group activities and pair work boost students' self-confidence and are excellent sources of motivation. Group work can give quiet students a chance to express their ideas and feelings on a topic because they find it easier to speak to groups of three or four than to an entire class.

5) Connect Language Learning to Students' Interests Outside of Class

In today’s high-tech learning environment, it would be unfair to limit students to traditional methods. Encouraging students to relate their classroom experience to outside interests and activities makes developing language skills more relevant. For example, computer-assisted language learning could be linked to playing computer games, or to computer programs that the students are interested in using. Listening to English language songs, watching English language films or videos, and reading English language Web sites can lead students to broaden their perspective on their language acquisition process.

To sum it up, motivational teaching strategies such as these can easily increase language learners' motivation levels. The idea that student motivation is a personality trait and that students are either motivated or unmotivated is incorrect. Without sufficient motivation, even individuals with the most remarkable abilities cannot achieve their long-term goals. As instructors, we may be the most important factor in influencing our students' motivation, which is a key element in the language acquisition process.

 

References:

1. Brophy, Jere. Synthesis of Research on Strategies for Motivating Students to Learn. Educational Leadership 45(2): 40-48.

2. Garcia, T., McKeachie, W. J., Pintrich, P. R., & Smith, D. A. (1991). A manual for the use of the Motivated Strategies for Learning Questionnaire (Tech. Rep. No. 91-B-004). Ann Arbor, MI : The University of Michigan, School of Education.

3.Harackiewicz, J. M., & Sansone, C. (2000). Rewarding competence: The importance of goals in the study of intrinsic motivation. In C. Sansone & J. M. Harackiewicz (Eds.), Intrinsic and extrinsic motivation: The search for optimal motivation and performance. San Diego, USA: Academic Press.

4. Hembree, R. (1988). Correlates, causes, effects, and treatment of test anxiety. Review of Educational Research, 58, 47-77.

5. Kelly, D.K. (1988). Motivating the underprepared unmotivated community college student. Viewpoints (120) – Information analyes (070).

6. Lepper, Mark R. "Motivational Considerations in the Study of Instruction." Cognition and Instruction 5, 4 (1988): 289-309.

7. Merriam-Webster (1997). Merriam-Webster’s Dictionary, Houghton-Mifflin.

8.Pintrich, P. R., & Schunk, D. H. (1996). Motivation in education.Englewood Cliffs, NJ: Prentice Hall.