What is MOTIVATION?

According to Geen (1995), motivation refers to the initiation, direction, intensity, and persistence of human behavior. In education, it can be defined as the extent to which students are involved in trying to learn (McMillan, 2007). There are many theories that explain human motivation. The need theory is one of these theories. Abraham Maslow's hierarchy of human needs theory is the most widely discussed theory of motivation. 

Motivation is of particular interest to educational psychologists because of the crucial role it plays in student learning. However, the specific kind of motivation that is studied in the specialized setting of education differs qualitatively from the more general forms of motivation studied by psychologists in other fields. Motivation in education can have several effects on how students learn and their behavior towards subject matter (Omrod, 2003). It can:

• direct behavior toward particular goals
• lead to increased effort and energy
• increase initiation of, and persistence in, activities
• enhance cognitive processing
• determine what consequences are reinforcing
• lead to improved performance

Students are not always internally motivated, they sometimes need situated motivation, which is found in environmental conditions that the teacher creates. There are two kinds of motivation. These are:

• Intrinsic motivation - which occurs when people are internally motivated to do something because it either brings them pleasure, they think it is important, or they feel that what they are learning is morally significant.
• Extrinsic motivation - comes into play when a student is compelled to do something or act a certain way because of factors external to him or her (like money or good grades).

When students do something or engage themselves in activities because they find the activities interesting, enjoyable, or challenging, they are intrinsically motivated. While extrinsic motivation is doing something because it leads to a reward or punishment.

Motivation Targets

Like attitudes, motivation is too ambiguous to use the general definitions as an outcome because it is difficult to pinpoint the source of lack of effort and involvement. McMillan (2007) suggests that motivation targets should focus on self-efficacy and value, distinct by academic subject and type of learning (like knowledge, understanding, reasoning). Below are some examples of motivation targets:

• students will believe that they are capable of learning how to write simple computer programs using Java (self-efficacy)
• students will believe that it is important to know how to write simple computer programs using Java (value)

In assessing motivation, it is important to consider why students are learning, and the reasons students' give for their actions. Students who are motivated need to understand and master the task (mastery orientation), show more positive behavior and thinking as compared to those who are doing something for the result or outcome (performance operation). Students who are for mastery orientation are more engaged, have in general, an inclination to generate solutions to difficulties and generate more positive credits to success and failure.