The Motivational Factor
Motivation is a process in which the individual’s attention and interests are aroused and directed towards definite goals. One’s attention and interest can be evoked to the extent that the person’s needs, May it be basic or acquired are the ones involved (Bustos, 1996).
Learning is a process inferred from relatively stable changes in behavior that result through practice or interaction with and adaptation to the environment (Goodwin and Klausmeier, 1975; 1978). It is the modification of organism’s behavior as a result of maturation and environmental experiences (Garrison and Magoon, 1975).
It has been said that the most effective learning takes place when there is a maximum mental activity on the part of the learner. This mental activity can be best achieved through strong motivation thus motivation is basic to learning.
A motivational factor varies according to age, needs, attitudes, intelligence, training and experience. An individual may respond to a particular stimulus due to some changes in his/her environment or something unusual is noticed. These factors that catch the attention of the learner can be utilized by the teacher in order to motivate learning.
Since motivational factors varies, the teacher should take into consideration then the nature of the child, past experiences, the environment, the needs and wants, as well as the individual differences. For instance if you are teaching 3rd graders the teacher should look into their developmental tasks so he/she (the teacher) would be able to associate his/her activities to the subject matter which the students attention are evoked.
An intrinsic motivation are internal desires to perform a particular task, people do certain activities because it gives them pleasure, develops a particular skill, or it’s morally the right thing to do. However extrinsic motivations are external factors that are not related to the task they are performing.
The more attached the person to the task he/she is performing the eager he/she does the work for the sense of fulfillment while people who are awarded with external things in order to perform a particular task (Deci and Ryan, 1985) would not be able to appreciate the job he/she performed but more likely to be bribed and would not feel fulfilled with his performance but rather with the thing he/she got because of it.
Teacher’s especially teaching children who are still in their formation years should be very careful as to how they deal with their students. Intrinsic motivation should likely be done in order for them to grow as responsible human beings who will do good things without bribing them of anything just to provoke them in doing a particular stuff. On the other hand, parents as well must do the same thing at home since discipline starts at home. Activities at school must possess more on the affective domain of the learner and the rest follows.
Motivation at this early stage on the development of the child lies more on his/her environment. The very concern of the teacher now is the knowledge and application of motivation and its sustainability. A lesson plan without a motivation is considered as incomplete. A teacher carries out the potentialities of the students with the motivation he/she has in store and so therefore he/she should be very well oriented with the factor that affects motivation to motivate his/her learners effectively.
References:
Bustos, Alicia S.Ed.D and Espiritu, Socoro PhD. (1996). Anthrpological, and Sociological Foundations of Education. Quezon City, Philippines. KATHA Publishing Inc.
Deci and Ryan.1985.Intrinsic Motivation. ChangingMinds.Org. http://changingminds.org/explanations/theories/intrinsic_motivation.htm
