Let’s start with definitions for extrinsic and intrinsic motivation. Extrinsic motivation refers to the things outside of ourselves that motivate us. So in terms of taking a course, an extrinsic motivator would be achieving a high grade in the course. As is common with adult learners, another extrinsic motivator would be to get a job or get a better job, with higher pay than we might get without taking that course or program. Thus, in the picture above, we imagine the better money we will get in our careers. Sometimes, an extrinsic motivator might be that we must do something to avoid punishment of some kind...for example, many colleges require by contract that an instructor take this particular Instructor Diploma Program. The “punishment” that may come from not completing this Program might be not to be hired for a second semester as an instructor.
However, because we HAVE to do something or we want to get an A+ in it, is true learning able to occur? I may get a very high mark in this course, and have learned the material well enough to succeed in it, but will I continue to want to learn about instructor techniques, and will the information in the course stay in my brain beyond the eight weeks of the course?
This is where intrinsic motivation comes in. Many theorists who have studied motivation say if we’re intrinsically motivated as students, the learning we achieve will be more long-lasting and we’ll be inspired to learn about the subject further. The second picture is meant to portray the inside self-actualization that occurs when are truly interested and inspired by a particular subject.
As instructors, then, the goal is to achieve this kind of intrinsic motivation for our students.
Herzberg's motivation-hygiene theory should not be ignored on this matter, however. Herzberg’s work originally looked at worker motivation, but we can easily draw parallels to instruction in the classroom. Herzberg looks at both motivation and hygiene factors in workers. Motivation results from true satisfaction and gratification in your work – you have a challenging job that gives you good self esteem. Hygiene factors are items salary and benefits. One can be truly motivated with the intrinsic (inner and positive) factors in your job, but that the hygiene factors (e.g. decent pay and good company policy)must be present for the motivation occur in the first place. In the workplace, workers are not really motivated to work better because they’re paid more, BUT workers have to be paid a decent wage, or they’ll be unsatisfied and unmotivated. To me, this applies to adult education, because adults have to have some practical reason for taking education that usually involves improving their careers and thus their financial situation. Education is an investment in the adult world. Adults are paying for it. So there has to be somewhat of a financial or career improvement outcome at the end of it. But to truly learn the material and be interested in it, there has to be something beyond that to motivate the adult learner. We can get through a course and probably do fine academically with some sort of extrinsic goal alone. But are we inspired, are we truly self-actualized?
According to Raymond Wlodkowski1 , these four conditions are important in establishing intrinsic motivation for learners (here he is writing about motivating learners in professional development):
Establishing inclusion: Creating a learning atmosphere in which learners and instructors feel respected by and connected to one another
Developing attitude: Creating a favorable disposition toward the learning experience through personal relevance and choice
Enhancing meaning: Creating challenging, thoughtful learning experiences that include learners’ perspectives and values
Engendering competence: Creating an understanding that learners are effective in learning something they value
Truly wanting to do something for it's own sake means you're intrinsically motivated.
Extrinsic vs. Intrinsic Motivation
Let’s start with definitions for extrinsic and intrinsic motivation. Extrinsic motivation refers to the things outside of ourselves that motivate us. So in terms of taking a course, an extrinsic motivator would be achieving a high grade in the course. As is common with adult learners, another extrinsic motivator would be to get a job or get a better job, with higher pay than we might get without taking that course or program. Thus, in the picture above, we imagine the better money we will get in our careers. Sometimes, an extrinsic motivator might be that we must do something to avoid punishment of some kind...for example, many colleges require by contract that an instructor take this particular Instructor Diploma Program. The “punishment” that may come from not completing this Program might be not to be hired for a second semester as an instructor.
However, because we HAVE to do something or we want to get an A+ in it, is true learning able to occur? I may get a very high mark in this course, and have learned the material well enough to succeed in it, but will I continue to want to learn about instructor techniques, and will the information in the course stay in my brain beyond the eight weeks of the course?
This is where intrinsic motivation comes in. Many theorists who have studied motivation say if we’re intrinsically motivated as students, the learning we achieve will be more long-lasting and we’ll be inspired to learn about the subject further. The second picture is meant to portray the inside self-actualization that occurs when are truly interested and inspired by a particular subject.
As instructors, then, the goal is to achieve this kind of intrinsic motivation for our students.
Herzberg's motivation-hygiene theory should not be ignored on this matter, however. Herzberg’s work originally looked at worker motivation, but we can easily draw parallels to instruction in the classroom. Herzberg looks at both motivation and hygiene factors in workers. Motivation results from true satisfaction and gratification in your work – you have a challenging job that gives you good self esteem. Hygiene factors are items salary and benefits. One can be truly motivated with the intrinsic (inner and positive) factors in your job, but that the hygiene factors (e.g. decent pay and good company policy)must be present for the motivation occur in the first place. In the workplace, workers are not really motivated to work better because they’re paid more, BUT workers have to be paid a decent wage, or they’ll be unsatisfied and unmotivated. To me, this applies to adult education, because adults have to have some practical reason for taking education that usually involves improving their careers and thus their financial situation. Education is an investment in the adult world. Adults are paying for it. So there has to be somewhat of a financial or career improvement outcome at the end of it. But to truly learn the material and be interested in it, there has to be something beyond that to motivate the adult learner. We can get through a course and probably do fine academically with some sort of extrinsic goal alone. But are we inspired, are we truly self-actualized?
According to Raymond Wlodkowski1 , these four conditions are important in establishing intrinsic motivation for learners (here he is writing about motivating learners in professional development):
Truly wanting to do something for it's own sake means you're intrinsically motivated.
2
References