A Glimpse at Student Motivation

Abstract

Motivation is a psychological force that moves a person toward some kind of action. Implicit in motivation is movement in the direction of meeting a need or toward reaching a goal. It is described in two broad categories. Extrinsic motivation is the motivation to engage in an activity as a means to an end, whereas intrinsic motivation is the motivation to be involved in an activity for its own sake. Motivation has been viewed differently in the learning theories, and many theories attempted to explain motivation, namely self-efficacy, attribution, self-determination, and achievement goal, among many other theories. Learning and motivation were described to be so interdependent that a person cannot fully understand learning without considering motivation. In order to play an effective role in student motivation, curriculum planners and teachers have to work on many aspects of the curriculum; choice of educational strategy, maximizing the educational environment, involving students in goal setting, building sound teacher-student relationships , encouragement of reflection and self-regulation, provision of feedback, and guaranteeing fair and objective student assessment.