Motivation During Virtual Instruction
There are two types of motivation: extrinsic and intrinsic.
- Extrinsic Motivation is when we are motivated to perform a behavior or engage in an activity because we want to earn a reward or avoid punishment. You will engage in behavior not because you enjoy it or because you find it satisfying, but because you expect to get something in return or avoid something unpleasant.
- Intrinsic Motivation is when you engage in a behavior because you find it rewarding. You are performing an activity for its own sake rather than from the desire for some external reward. The behavior itself is its own reward.
When synthesizing research on motivation, three principal characteristics emerge as fundamental to intrinsic motivation and positive achievement outcomes. These characteristics include students' need for autonomy, competence, and relatedness/meaning (The Importance of Intrinsic Motivation When Selecting Educational Technologies, www.lexialexia.com).
Autonomy
Autonomy is the need for internal sense of control and agency; the ability to self-direct behavior and independently pursue goals, interests, and desires.
Competence
Competence relates to students' needs to feel effective, capable, and successful at tackling learning challenges.
Relatedness/Meaning
Relatedness/meaning pertains to the notion that learning experiences need to be placed into the contexts of a student's community, personal goals, or interests.