Lecture 4 ‘Motivation’
Hanneke Bos 6167055
If I was a teacher and I had to set up a university course, I would expect students to have
intrinsic motivation to learn and develop themselves further, otherwise you wouldn’t be in
higher education. But the article of this lecture also stated that intrinsic motivation becomes
weaker with advancing grades.
To facilitate intrinsic motivation people must experience perceived competence and
autonomy. Choice and opportunity for self-direction enhances intrinsic motivation in students.
For the assignment of the course, for example writing an essay, I would let the students pick
their own subject (the subject does need to fit with the course) that they want to write about.
Threats, deadlines, directives and competition also undermines intrinsic motivation. The
writing assignment will therefore only have one mandatory deadline at the end of the course. I
would also have one or two non-mandatory deadlines (to reduce feelings of threat) as
opportunities for feedback. I would not use a price for the best essay because this undermines
the motivation.
Because intrinsic motivation becomes weaker for students in higher education, we also
need to focus on extrinsic motivation. There are different types of extrinsic motivation,
differing in the degree to which it is autonomous. The different extrinsic motivations are
associated with different attitudes and adjustments. One of the extrinsic motivation types,
identified regulation, is associated with positive coping styles and greater enjoyment. Students
are more likely to internalize goals if their competence is being supported. So, there will be a
template for the assignment, but this template is flexible enough so that students still feel self-
direction. I would also give an overview of the subjects that are important for the test to offer
more support.
To motivate students extrinsically I would use incentives, but every type of tangible
and expected reward, undermines intrinsic motivation. I would give compliments in the
slights of the lectures (unexpected and not tangible) to motivate students externally. For the
test I would write a little pep-talk on the introduction screen. This would also give the
students a feeling of relatedness, and this promotes identified regulation. For the students with
low intrinsic motivation, rewards are useful. To also include these students I would organise a
non-mandatory test in the middle of the course, for the opportunity to get bonus points for the
final test.
Hanneke Bos 6167055
If I was a teacher and I had to set up a university course, I would expect students to have
intrinsic motivation to learn and develop themselves further, otherwise you wouldn’t be in
higher education. But the article of this lecture also stated that intrinsic motivation becomes
weaker with advancing grades.
To facilitate intrinsic motivation people must experience perceived competence and
autonomy. Choice and opportunity for self-direction enhances intrinsic motivation in students.
For the assignment of the course, for example writing an essay, I would let the students pick
their own subject (the subject does need to fit with the course) that they want to write about.
Threats, deadlines, directives and competition also undermines intrinsic motivation. The
writing assignment will therefore only have one mandatory deadline at the end of the course. I
would also have one or two non-mandatory deadlines (to reduce feelings of threat) as
opportunities for feedback. I would not use a price for the best essay because this undermines
the motivation.
Because intrinsic motivation becomes weaker for students in higher education, we also
need to focus on extrinsic motivation. There are different types of extrinsic motivation,
differing in the degree to which it is autonomous. The different extrinsic motivations are
associated with different attitudes and adjustments. One of the extrinsic motivation types,
identified regulation, is associated with positive coping styles and greater enjoyment. Students
are more likely to internalize goals if their competence is being supported. So, there will be a
template for the assignment, but this template is flexible enough so that students still feel self-
direction. I would also give an overview of the subjects that are important for the test to offer
more support.
To motivate students extrinsically I would use incentives, but every type of tangible
and expected reward, undermines intrinsic motivation. I would give compliments in the
slights of the lectures (unexpected and not tangible) to motivate students externally. For the
test I would write a little pep-talk on the introduction screen. This would also give the
students a feeling of relatedness, and this promotes identified regulation. For the students with
low intrinsic motivation, rewards are useful. To also include these students I would organise a
non-mandatory test in the middle of the course, for the opportunity to get bonus points for the
final test.
