Motivation and learning

Motivation is the extent to which you make choices about (a) goals to pursue and (b) the effort you devote to that pursuit. We want our students to share our enthusiasm for our academic discipline and find courses so compelling that they willingly devote their hearts and minds to the learning process. As a teacher, we should provide opportunities for students to choose ways to learn at least occasionally will improve their motivation. Furthermore to work toward making the tasks more intrinsically motivating by tapping students' pre-existing interests through choices and only resorting to extrinsic rewards for things that are important but just not interesting. 

There are several different views of motivation. They do not necessarily conflict with each other but rather complement each other. 

1- Behaviourism:  it is known as the stimulus-response theory, where a particular stimulus provokes a particular response. Behaviourism lays emphasis on external rewards (grades, test scores, please the teacher,..)

2- Expectancy theory: motivation is a function of expectations and values. the learner is motivated by the anticipated benefit, the likelihood of achieving the benefit and the importance of the gain to the learner.

3- Needs theory: Lower order needs must be satisfied before higher-order ones, progress through the hierarchy from lower to higher fulfilments.

4- Self-perception: The value of pupils having influence over their learning, performance, and a sense of accomplishment, as well as receiving rich and constructive feedback, is emphasized by self-worth and self-esteem.

5- Learned helplessness: Learned helplessness is linked to a lack of control over one's learning; it happens when we believe there is no answer we can make to a circumstance that will affect the outcome, even though we put forward our best effort.

6- Social theory: In social theories of learning, cognitive, behavioral, and environmental influences constantly interact to foster motivation and learning, not least because students model their learning after observing other students.