{"id":3245,"date":"2020-10-07T18:11:02","date_gmt":"2020-10-07T22:11:02","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/sites.miamioh.edu\/edt431-531\/?p=3245"},"modified":"2020-10-07T18:11:02","modified_gmt":"2020-10-07T22:11:02","slug":"science-teaching-2-0-from-extrinsic-to-intrinsic-motivation","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/sites.miamioh.edu\/exemplary-science-teaching\/2020\/10\/science-teaching-2-0-from-extrinsic-to-intrinsic-motivation\/","title":{"rendered":"Science Teaching 2.0: From Extrinsic to Intrinsic Motivation"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

What does motivation\nhave to do with learning science?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Quite a bit,\nactually. For students, motivation typically stems from either extrinsic or\nintrinsic motivators. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Source of Extrinsic image: https:\/\/www.verywellmind.com\/what-is-extrinsic-motivation-2795164<\/a>
Source of Intrinsic image: https:\/\/www.verywellmind.com\/what-is-intrinsic-motivation-2795385<\/a> <\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Too often, student\nmotivation has been dependent on extrinsic motivators, such as grades,\nextra-credit, candy\/treats, technology, cash, and pizza coupons, to \u201cincentivize\u201d\nthem to learn (Pink, 2009, p. 9). Although research has found this system of\nextrinsic motivation to be largely incompatible with the learning environment,\nthere is disconnect between what science knows and what schools and teachers\nactually do. As Pink (2009), the author of Drive<\/em>, notes, rewards such as\nthose mentioned about only deliver a short-term boost in motivation, focus on\ncontrolling behavior, and tend to reduce both long-term and intrinsic motivation\n(p. 8, 37). More importantly, extrinsic motivators can lead students to develop\nadverse behaviors that negatively impact their academic performance. These\nissues are summarized in the table below, titled Carrots and Sticks: The\nSeven Deadly Flaws<\/em> (Pink, 2009, p. 57).<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Pink, 2009, p. 57<\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n

Extrinsic\nmotivators continue to be used in science classrooms because it\u2019s the only\nmotivation system students and teachers have known \u2013 its comfortable and they\nare used to it. But, as Pink has shown through his book, Drive<\/em>,\nextrinsic motivation often fails to promote engagement, creativity, innovation,\nor problem-solving. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

So how can we,\nas teachers, avoid extrinsic motivation and foster intrinsic motivation in our own\nscience classroom? It begins with three elements of deeper motivation: autonomy,\nmastery, and purpose (Pink, 2009, p. 62). <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Student-Autonomy\n<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

In the\ntraditional classroom, compliance and control are central tenets that are\nimplemented through extrinsic motivators, which often uses \u201cif-then\u201d rewards that\nrequire students to lose some of their autonomy (Pink, 2009, p. 36, 86). <\/p>\n\n\n\n