Module 8

Republic of the Philippines

MALLIG PLAINS COLLEGES INC.
Casili, Mallig, Isabela

FACILITATING LEARNER – CENTERED TEACHING

MODULE 8

The Place of Motivation in Learning

Motivation refers to an internal condition of stimulation that often comes before the
performance of a desired behavior. It is linked with behavior. if we are motivated to do
something, such motivation is manifested in our behavior. Motivation is triggered by a variety of
sources:
Exercise. Physical activities can increase our energy level. If we feel that we are
sluggish, we can do a little stretching of our arms and legs to keep us alive and alert.
Good nutrition. there are foods that make us energetic. Nutritional supplements
energize our body, make it vibrant, and keep it in good shape.
Sleep. A good night’s sleep helps our body maintain vigor. If we are tired and sleepy, we
may not be fully energized and concentrated.
Rewards. When we receive rewards, we get motivated.
Challenges. Problems and heartaches challenge us to do better next time.
Friendship. Real friends can motivate or provide us with the needed encouragement to
push through with our project. Supportive friends are wonderful people who can serve as
motivators.
Kindness. It is something that comes from within. Sometimes, we easily obey our elders
because of their words of encouragement and gestures of love and care.
Security. Everyone wants to feel safe and secure. If we are secured, we are motivated to
do more and be more.
Authority. We are motivated by power; we aim to get a position because we want to be
powerful. We want to be promoted not just for prestige, recognition, or upward
movement, but also for authority.
Independence. Some of us want to be free and autonomous. We do not want to be
dictated by others so, we seek for self-employment.
Pleasant environment. It is so nice to work in a conducive and noise-free environment.
Creative expression. We are motivated by our freedom for creative expression.
Meaning. Everyday occurrences trigger us to search for meaning. If we believe it is a
worthwhile task, then we are motivated to continue and succeed in doing it.

Aspects of Motivation

Motivation has created a great impact to learning. Motivation is all about available
opportunities that we engage in and the interpersonal relationships that may support and
challenge us. Motivation is a form of engagement; it involves the learners’ disposition
connecting with an opportunity which results in meaningful activity. Our behavior is motivated.
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One of the principles of teaching states that: “An individual must be motivated in order to learn.”
Motivation is a force which makes us take an action. Motivation drives us to perform something.
Some aspects of motivation:
 Motivation takes place within the individual. It cannot be superimposed by someone
else. In other words, motivation dwells within the individual.
 It is possible to treat the students in ways that will encourage them to develop the
desire for learning. Motivation is something personal; we cannot do something about
other people’s motivation if they are not willing to do something about it.
 It is impossible to present materials to be learned in ways that will make learning
easier. We should stimulate the learners’ motivation.
 The potential learner’s motivation will automatically be directed toward his most
pressing need at the moment. It means that no matter how interesting the lesson maybe,
the learners’ motivation will always be directed toward their most pressing need.

Motivation and Behavior

All actions are motivated and nothing happens by chance. Motivation moves either
toward or away from something. Motivation is individual and elusive. The ff. factors affect
motivation:
 Knowledge in a particular content area
 Beliefs about what the teacher expects
 Adolescents’ self-concept or perceived personal ability
 Anxiety and concern over grades
 Level of support in the classroom environment
 Difficulty and challenge of the task
 Social interactions
 Belief that learning is useful, meaningful, and of consequence of others

It is important that we develop various abilities to enhance our motivation level. Ability to:
 Manage the environment
 Manage our own thoughts
 Set goals
 Maintain a healthy lifestyle
 Make commitments
 Monitor our behavior
 Manage stress
 Manage rewards

Sequence of Motivation

Motivation involves sequence and starts when we choose a reason to fulfill. Our choice
depends on the intensity of our motive, the attractiveness of its outcome, and the likelihood of
success.
The next step is the instrumental behavior which deals with all the activities that we
engage in order to satisfy our motive. The last step in motivation is when the motive is satisfied
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or not. Everything we do leads to satisfaction of our motives. If we are already satisfied, we feel
a great deal of success.

How Motivation Works

To succeed in our academic life, we form a lot of ideas about how motivation works.
These conceptions are based on:
1) Interest
2) Belief
3) Attributions
4) Goals
5) Social partnership

Motives and Drives

What moves us to do something better in order to accomplish our goals and dreams? The
answer is clear - because of motivation. Our desire to pursue our goals is driven by motivation.
Motivation is related to motives and drives. Drives is for motivation that is assumed to
have a strong biological component and plays an important role in survival and reproduction.
The term motives are urges that are learned for achievement.
Two types of motivation are intrinsic and extrinsic motivation. Intrinsic motivation
comes from within the individual and from the pleasure provided by the work itself. Extrinsic
motivation is based is based on the external reward, it comes from outside of us.

Elements of Motivational System

Motivation is a goal-directed behavior that is affected by personality – totality of what we

are in relation to other people; persona – is the self or the perceived personality of a person It is
the identity or role that we assume or the image of character we project. In the study of the
“self”, there are 3 interrelated concepts:
1. Self-concept accounts for our perception s formed through experience. It is our
knowledge of ourselves that is organized in a schema.
 Self-enhancement is our desire to learn positive things about ourselves
 Self-awareness - one of the most important ways through which we develop our
academic self-concept. It refers to a greater understanding of ourselves.
2. Self-esteem – is on the valuing processed where there is the belief in our own worth as a
person. Self-esteem teaches us choose and to develop the orientation toward ourselves.
3. Self-regulation is the behavioral component in the study of the self. It is a system by
which we control our actions and decisions. Various processes we use in self-regulation:
 Setting difficult but attainable goals
 Identifying task strategies
 Making us of imagery
 Managing time carefully
 Structuring the environment
 Seeking help when needed

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 Learning to self-monitor
 Learning to self-evaluate
 Learning to create positive outcomes

Basic Elements of Self – regulation

1. Self-observation (self-monitoring)
2. Self-evaluation (self-judgment)
3. Self-reaction (self-incentive)

It must be noted that self-concept (cognitive aspect), self-esteem(affective aspect), and self-
regulation(behavioral aspect0 are important elements of academic success.

Self-talk, inner speech, or private speech is an effective way of developing our self-concept
and enhancing our self-monitoring skills. Knowledge of inner speech helps us monitor our
behavior. Four characteristics of inner speech:
1. Egocentric is the attention that directed inward.
2. Silent means that we do not allow others to hear the words we say.
3. Compressed syntax means that the inner speech is not constructed the way it is in
spoken language, nor does it use the same grammar.
4. Semantic embeddedness can signify more than it does in interpersonal
communication.

Self – efficacy

Self-efficacy refers to our ability to deal effectively with a particular task. Self-efficacy
guides us in the choice of learning goals.

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