Understanding intrinsic and extrinsic motivation
Motivation and locus of control
Motivation is affected greatly by the locus of control. The idea that a person feels
their own decisions and actions determine their destiny indicates an internal locus. If
the individual is operating using an external locus, they believe outside forces are
responsible for the events that occur in their lives and feel they have little control
situations. Those with an internal locus will often use intrinsic motivation, which is
person centered and comes from within an individual, whereas those with an external
locus may need extrinsic rewards or consequences as an effective motivational tool.
Intrinsic Motivation
Intrinsic motivation requires students to think through the consequences of their
actions and base their decisions on the expected outcome of those decisions. If
students are able to think through the situation at hand and determine the value of
success, regardless of whether or not they gain a reward, they are operating under the
internal locus of control. Students who are successful in the classroom usually operate
under the internal locus of control. They do not put too much weight on mistakes or
bad grades and are still able to maintain a level of esteem regardless of failures or
successes. They use cognitive tools that allow them to keep a perspective on the
perceived failure. They understand that if they do fail, it is probably because they did
not study as they should. They do not blame external factors such as the teacher or
classmates. They take responsibility for their own actions.
Consequences of Extrinsic Motivation
Students who are externally motivated are more likely to see the teacher, classroom,
book or other external force as a reason for their failure. These students have an
external locus of control and will tend to see their failure as all encompassing rather
than a one-time mistake. Their self-esteem may suffer greatly due to this lack of
cognitive focus and internal awareness. They tend to believe that their failure is
related to their lack of ability, and they are more likely to give up if they do not
achieve success continually.
Using Motivation in the Classroom
Motivation in the classroom is key to helping all students to learn. It is important to
model motivation and make sure that all students have a chance to be successful. This
means that goals can be met, and students have many chances for many successful
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outcomes in their endeavors. In order to increase motivation in the learning
environment, educational activities should be engaging and stress-free, allowing for
creativity and self-improvement. If students lack internal motivation to succeed, a
behavioral rewards systems might be useful in helping some extrinsically motivated
students to achieve an internal locus of control by allowing them successes, thereby
increasing their self-esteem. Students should be given chances to display their works
and enjoy all sorts of learning strategies that will allow them to succeed. Because all
students are different, motivational techniques should be adapted to meet student
needs to ensure an optimal learning experience for all children.
Reflection

How you motivate your students?

How much of its intrinsic or extrinsic?

How might the balance change?
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