Intrinsic and Extrinsic Motivation Essay -- Education Teaching

Intrinsic and Extrinsic Motivation Students are generally classified by two different types of motivation, which are, intrinsic and extrinsic motivation. These two types of motivation are the basis for a student’s action and their view of how they perceive schooling and even life. The first type of motivation is intrinsic motivation, which â€Å"generally refers to motivation to engage in an activity because that activity is enjoyable and satisfying to do† (Noels, Pelletier, Clà ©ment, & Vallerand, pg. 38, 2003). Intrinsic motivation is generally the best type of motivation for students to have, because doing certain activities is not being forced upon them; however, the students are enjoying the activities by themselves. This also leads to students creating interesting and self determining solutions for how to problem solve because they are working hard in order to solve the problem or do the activity. An example of intrinsic motivation can be seen everyday when a student thoroughly enjoys a class that they are taking. For example, let us say that a student is taking a math class and they are enticed by math. That student will most likely go home and work on the math homework first and devote the most time to it, because the student is intrinsically motivated to do it. The second major type of motivation is extrinsic motivation. According to Wlodkowski, in extrinsic motivation systems, teachers are perceived to motivate students through the engineering of rewards and punishments (1999). This type of motivation is used when students are not intrinsically motivated and must have some type of â€Å"push† in order to complete an assignment or learn a certain type of area. The main goal for teachers is to try and make students intrinsically ... ...nternet on-line courses. Retrieved November 10, 2004 from http://www.elmhurst.edu/~chm/diseduc/home.html A good website that discusses the importance of the internet in the classroom and how it will affect the future of student learning and motivation. Technologies for Communication. (1993, September). Retrieved September 27, 2004, from http://www.ed.gov/pubs/EdReformStudies/TechReforms/chap2e.html This article describes how communication can be used effectively in the classroom in order to achieve motivation in students. Tuckman, B. (2000). Using frequent testing to increase students’ motivation to achieve. Retrieved November 21, 2004 from http://dennislearningcenter.osu.edu/belgium-paper/BWT-belgium-paper.htm A teacher at Ohio State University who says that frequent testing will motivate students to learn. Gives an example of a study he did in 2000