Day 21: Motivation and Interest

Question 1

(Problem Solving continued) Well-Defined vs. Ill-Defined

Answer 1

Well-Defined problems

• Clear goals
• Only one correct solution
• Structure procedures for reaching a solution
• All information is specified

Ill-Defined problems

• Ambiguous goals
• More than one solution
• No generally agreed-upon strategy for reaching a solution
• One or more features of the problem are not specified or are ambiguous

Question 2

Well-Structured Problem-Solving Process

Answer 2

• Identify the problem goal
• Represent the problem
• Select a strategy
• Implement the strategy
• Evaluate the results

Question 3

Problem-Solving Paradox

Answer 3

• School tends to teach well-defined problems

- In real life we face problems related to money, careers, social relationships, and happiness that are ill-defined

Question 4

Problem-Based Learning (PBL) (Cindy Hmelo-Silver)

Answer 4

Active approach to learning in which learners collaborate in understanding and solving complex, ill-structured problems

Question 5

PBL Example

Answer 5

(The Mr. Ho example)

Question 6

In Summary

Answer 6

Problem solving is a complex process, but it is the foundation of learning and functioning in the world

• Ill-structured vs. well-structured
• In real world problems, there are well-structured pieces to ill structured problems
• Problem solving is a very specific form of transfer
• It’s goal directed, with a specific end in mind

Question 7

Definition of Motivation

Answer 7

An internal state that arouses us to action, pushes us in particular directions, and keeps us engaged in certain activities

Question 8

Why motivate?

Answer 8

Initiation, Intensity, and Persistence all increase

Question 9

Motivation affects…

Answer 9

Cognition

Question 10

What motivates you?

Answer 10

External

• Awards, rewards
• Money, payment
• Food
• Praise
• Grades (good or bad)
• Status, approval
• Health, mental health
• Environment/Context
  
  • Exciting, novel, challenging

Internal

• Personality
• Enjoyment
• Perceived ability
• Mastery
• Goals
• Faith
• Pride
• Growth
• Identity

Question 11

Types of motivation sources

Answer 11

Extrinsic and Intrinsic

Question 12

Extrinsic Motivation

Answer 12

An environmentally created reason to engage in an action or activity
- “DO this in order to get THAT” type of motivation

Question 13

Intrinsic Motivation

Answer 13

The inherent desire to engage in an activity and to exercise and develop one’s capacities
- “I’m DOING THIS because IT is…” type of motivation

Question 14

Paying for Motivation?

Answer 14

“It is easy to get people to do things by paying them if you’ve got enough money and they’ve got the necessary skills, but they will keep doing it only as long as you keep paying them.”

• Edward Deci

Question 15

The role of extrinsic motivation

Answer 15

Amotivation -> Extrinsic Motivation -> Intrinsic Motivation

Question 16

Why do we want to increase intrinsic motivation?

Answer 16

• Better conceptual understanding and quality of learning
• Greater creativity
• Optimal functioning and well-being

Why might we want to avoid extrinsic motivation?

• Lower performance quality
• Interference with learning process
• May undermine future autonomous self-regulation

Question 17

What Hurts Motivation?

Answer 17

• Prescribing all task and micromanaging

- Rewarding for engaging in tasks that are already intrinsically motivating

Question 18

Situated Motivation

Answer 18

Motivation is partly a function of the learning environment

• Factors can have an effect
  
  • Instructional materials
  • Relationship with teachers
  • Evaluation methods

Question 19

How to motivate?

Answer 19

The proper question is NOT, ‘How can people motivate others?’, but rather, ‘How can people create the conditions within which others will motivate themselves?’

Question 20

Interest?

Answer 20

• What is the difference?
• Interest
  
  • Psychological state characterized by effort, attention, and affect (Situational Interest)
  • A pre-disposition to re-engage with certain content (Individual Interest)
• Motivation
  
  • An internal state that arouse us to action, pushes us in particular directions, and keeps us engaged in certain activities

Question 21

Situational Interest

Answer 21

• A psychological state
• Affective
  
  • Positive feelings
• Cognitive qualities
  
  • Perceived Value
  • Attention

Question 22

Individual Interest

Answer 22

• Stable predisposition or preference for specific content
• Affective
  
  • Deepened positive feelings
• Cognitive qualities
  
  • Stored value
  • Stored knowledge

Question 23

How to develop individual interest

Answer 23

Social Influences

Exposure -> Attention (Triggered situational interest) -> Needs and Goals Met (Maintained Situational interest, Emerging individual interest) -> Well-developed individual interest

Question 24

Why interest

Answer 24

Support for interest increases

• Motivation
• Engagement
• Learning
• Future Re-engagement

Question 25

Specific Interventions to promote interest

Answer 25

Triggering interest

• Structural features
• Context personalization

Maintaining Situational Interest

• Personal importance
• Utility-Value

Individual Interest

• Challenge
• Autonomy
• Strategic Support