Journal of Student Engagement: Education Matters

Volume 2 Issue 1 Article 6

2012

Intrinsic motivation in the classroom

Krystle Valerio
University of Wollongong, kmv321@uow.edu.au

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Recommended Citation
Valerio, Krystle, Intrinsic motivation in the classroom, Journal of Student Engagement:
Education Matters, 2(1), 2012, 30-35.
Available at:https://ro.uow.edu.au/jseem/vol2/iss1/6

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Intrinsic motivation in the classroom

Abstract
Motivation plays a significant role in a student’s learning and development. It is part of teachers’
pedagogy to develop in students the desire for new knowledge and understandings, known as intrinsic
motivation. All students are unique; educators, through implementing a variety of motivational techniques,
can have considerable influence on students’ participation and self-expression. Individual teachers have
the capability of making learning empowering, thus allowing the energy of the classroom to be filled with
excitement and anticipation. The purpose of this paper is to examine my own understandings of the
importance of intrinsic motivation within the classroom, as it applies to pre-service teachers. It is
important for pre-service teachers to think about ways to motivate students in the classroom, as part of
the process of developing lifelong learners and to develop effective practice.

This journal article is available in Journal of Student Engagement: Education Matters: https://ro.uow.edu.au/jseem/
vol2/iss1/6
Journal of Student Engagement: Education matters
2012, 2 (1), 30–35

Intrinsic motivation in the classroom

Krystle Marie Valerio

Bachelor of Primary Education (fourth year), Faculty of Education, University of

Wollongong, Australia

Type or paste abstract here, as specified in the journal’s submission guidelines

Motivation plays a significant role in a student’s learning and development. It
is part of teachers’ pedagogy to develop in students the desire for new
knowledge and understandings, known as intrinsic motivation. All students are
unique; educators, through implementing a variety of motivational techniques,
can have considerable influence on students’ participation and self-expression.
Individual teachers have the capability of making learning empowering, thus
allowing the energy of the classroom to be filled with excitement and
anticipation. The purpose of this paper is to examine my own understandings
of the importance of intrinsic motivation within the classroom, as it applies to
pre-service teachers. It is important for pre-service teachers to think about ways
to motivate students in the classroom, as part of the process of developing
lifelong learners and to develop effective practice.

Keywords: intrinsic motivation; supportive learning environment; goal setting;

choice; teacher passion

Introduction
Motivation is a fundamental element of students’ learning; teachers can assist in
increasing and developing motivation for optimal achievement in the classroom.
Through the facilitation of a supportive classroom environment, engaging learning
experiences, goal setting and teacher enthusiasm, teachers can empower students to
find joy and excitement in their learning. The purpose of this paper is to examine my
own understandings of the importance of intrinsic motivation in the classroom, as it
applies to pre-service teachers. An important component of a pre-service teacher’s
pedagogy is to examine the ways in which students can become self-motivated
learners, appreciating learning for the desire of learning.
Motivation, the “process whereby goal directed activity is instigated and
sustained” (Schunk, Pintrich & Meece, 2002, p.4), can take either intrinsic or extrinsic
forms. Intrinsic motivation refers to engaging in an activity for its own sake, for the
enjoyment, challenge, interest or natural fulfilment of curiosity (Barry & King, 2000).
Extrinsic motivation comes from outside the individual, for example, the offering of
incentives for successful task performance such as stickers or point systems
(Sternberg & Williams, 2002). Though such incentives play a part in the classroom,
incentives such as these should only be used if they are linked to the development of
students’ competencies, or to enhance intrinsic motivation (Schunk, Pintrich &
Meece, 2002).

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Extrinsic incentives, if used incorrectly, can send the message that it is ability
rather than effort that is best rewarded and acknowledged (Lepper, Iyengar & Corpus,
2005). For instance, students who are learning about sustainable environments could
develop plans for a vegetable garden. This would involve the students collaborating
with the local community to acquire materials such as seeds, plants and soil, while
making long-term goals to sell the produce back to the students and families of the
school. Such achievement can be rewarded extrinsically through awards and
certificates acknowledging effort. However, even in this instance, extrinsic motivation
needs to be structured to enhance intrinsic motivation, through rewarding students for
the seeking of new challenges, demonstrating curiosity in learning experiences or
completing tasks for the pleasure of new learning (Lepper, Iyengar & Corpus, 2005).

Supportive Learning Environment

The creation of a supportive learning environment can assist in the development of
successful learners in the classroom, where students want to learn for the enjoyment
of learning, a hub of intrinsic motivation. A supportive environment necessarily
involves teachers having high expectations for students’ individual learning abilities
(Hinde-McLeod & Reynolds, 2007). This entails ensuring learning outcomes fit
within a learner’s Zone of Proximal Development (ZPD) (Vygotsky, 1978), meaning
that teachers need to provide tasks that are challenging yet, through the mediation of
quality support, are achievable.
In a guided reading session, for example, the teacher initially selects texts that
learners may find difficult independently but, through quality support and proper
scaffolding, the learner is able to successfully read the text. Scaffolding strategies
such as questioning techniques can prompt students whilst they are reading (Killen,
2003). Through questioning the teacher and students collaboratively discuss the
meaning of the text, with students engaging in reading, summarising, clarifying and
predicting, while simultaneously developing cognitive processes and higher-order
thinking skills (Vialle, Lysaght & Verenikina, 2005). Motivation is enhanced as
students gain a sense of self-satisfaction as they are able to complete the text and task.
Ensuring tasks are neither too difficult nor too easy will reduce learner frustration and
allow for self-confidence in the learner (Hammond, 2001).
A supportive learning environment is free from discrimination and based on
mutual respect, involving the social support of teachers as well as fellow class
members (Hinde-McLeod & Reynolds, 2007). It is often found in classrooms that
students are hesitant to participate in classroom discussions, for fear of giving
incorrect answers and/or being teased by fellow classmates. Teachers utilising group
activities can assist students in the development of social support skills in the
classroom (Hinde-McLeod & Reynolds, 2007), through allowing students to
understand that is it is ‘OK’ to make mistakes as that is how new learning takes place.
The environment is of utmost importance, as it is here that the majority of knowledge
is generated and internalised.

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Student choice and goal setting

The amount of choice and control a teacher allows in learning experiences can
significantly impact learners’ intrinsic motivation, as choice in the classroom makes
learning personalised and significant to the learner (Scott, 2010). Allowing students to
choose themes or topics enables new knowledge, skills and understandings to be
made visible, as well as providing students with a sense of ownership over their work
(Scott, 2010). An illustration of student choice was demonstrated on Professional
Experience (PEX), when Mrs D, a Stage Two teacher, was working with her students
on ‘multiculturalism’. Students were given the opportunity to choose a country they
were curious about and write a report based on their findings. The teacher worked as a
facilitator by assisting in the writing process and ensuring the research task met the
assessment criteria. The learning experience elicited significant enthusiasm, with
many students researching a country they were connected to, for instance, the
birthplace of their parents or ancestors. Tasks such as these can provide teachers with
insight into the interests, as well as the individual learning styles, of their students
(Scott, 2010). Learning is also made significant, as students gain the incentive to
satisfy their own interests and curiosities (Sternberg & Williams, 2002).
Choice can also be implemented in the classroom to allow students to gain
experience in goal setting, an important component of motivation (Sternberg &
Williams, 2002). Goal setting is a motivating tool for four main reasons:

(1) Focuses attention: some learners find it difficult to organise or finish tasks,
goal setting allows learners to pay attention as the goals are clearly defined.

(2) Goals help mobilise resources: provide learners with an awareness of what is
required for the accomplishment of tasks.

(3) Goals facilitate persistence: having goals allows for a constant reminder within
the learner to where they are versus where they want to be.

(4) Goals facilitate accomplishment: the joy that comes with the accomplishment
of goals can motivate learners to continually wish to succeed in all aspects of
their life. (Sternberg & Williams, 2002, p.361, discussing the work of Locke
& Latham, 1990)

Teachers need to explicitly teach the skill of goal setting to ensure students set
realistic and achievable goals for tasks (Campbell, 2008; Szente, 2007). If students are
setting goals that are too high or too low, learners may feel a sense of failure and thus
become unmotivated to complete tasks (Sternberg & Williams, 2002). Goal setting
can be implemented in the classroom through initiating learning tasks where students
investigate an issue or topic of choice, however, a key component of these tasks
should be that students must set specific goals to be met each week.
Students learning about the global food crisis may create food action ideas for
their school to participate in, for example, fundraising ideas to raise money to support
a child in a Third World country. Such a task requires students to set and document
multiple goals for implementation of the task, as well as presenting ideas and results
to stakeholders and school community. Goal setting allows students to develop
positive thoughts about their learning abilities (Szente, 2007). As such, it

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demonstrates to students the process of learning, always working toward developing

new knowledge and improving previous performance (Arthur-Kelly et al., 2007).

Engaging learning experiences

Intrinsic motivation can be increased through engaging learning experiences.
Teachers need to deliver content in a way that grabs the attention of their students −
for example, teachers can utilise members of the school community, have lessons
outside of the classroom or have students dress up as certain characters. Engaging
students can assist in the struggle against loss of motivation, dislike of subjects and
disruption of classroom management (Handley, 2010).
Creative teaching pedagogies, interest-based texts and a variety of quality
resources can significantly impact the engagement of students and assist in the
making of connections to curriculum content (NSW DET, 2004). ‘Rich Tasks’ is a
creative teaching pedagogy, defined as “culminating performance, demonstration or
product that is purposeful and models a life role” (QLD DET, 2001, p.5). The tasks
are designed to be assessable and reportable, as they allow for teachers to measure
student understanding of outcomes through engagement in activities (Zevenbergen,
Walsh & Niesche, 2009).
Rich learning experiences allow students to see the relevance of the content to
real-life and -world experiences (Hurst, 2011). Immersing students in such tasks
allows for deep understandings of subject matter that is relevant and purposeful
(Zevenbergen, Walsh & Niesche, 2009). For a task to be truly rich it must be
transdisciplinary, drawing upon a variety of key subject learning areas while keeping
intact the integrity of each individual subject (QLD DET, 2001). Such tasks are based
on the theoretical underpinnings of theorists such as Vygotsky, Dewey, Freire and
Sizer, to provide intellectual, cognitive and developmental depth to students’ learning
across their years of schooling (QLD DET, 2001).
For example, teachers can implement learning experiences where students get
involved in environmental initiatives such as Streamwatch (Sydney Water, 2008), a
water-monitoring program. Students engage in gathering data, using methods such as
collecting and documenting water samples. The data provides Streamwatch with an
early “warning system for pollution and is used as a historical record of how
waterways have changed” (Sydney Water, 2008). This activity engages students in a
life role, as contributors to environmental sustainability. It is also transdisciplinary,
drawing on KLAs such as, Human Society and its Environment (HSIE), Mathematics,
Science and English.

Teacher’s passion and enthusiasm for learning

A teacher’s passion significantly impacts upon the energy of the classroom, enhancing
the value of the task and intriguing students into wanting to know more (Metcalf &
Game, 2006). Teachers can demonstrate their enthusiasm for learning through various
“facial expressions, body language and tone of voice” (Palmer, 2007, p.41). While on
PEX, Mrs K, a Kindergarten teacher, would frequently start discussions off with
“Boys and girls this is so exciting!” Straight away, silence would fill the classroom
and students would anxiously wait to hear the ‘exciting’ learning experience (Valerio,

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2012, 2 (1), 30–35

2011). Positive energy in a teacher’s voice can lead learners to believe that the
content has intrinsic value, motivating students into wanting to know more (Palmer,
2007).
A teacher’s interest can also become a student’s interest. Mrs K had a love of
Dr. Seuss books, often beginning her sentences and activities with “We are going to
read one of my favourite books …” and incorporating The Cat in the Hat (Seuss,
2003) in various worksheets, mathematical questions, stickers and wall print. Mrs K’s
interest slowly became the interest of her learners. Many students would pick up Dr.
Seuss books during free time and engage in conversations about the antics in the book
with Mrs K and student peers (Valerio, 2011). Such interest can be used as a stepping
stone to new learning.
A teacher’s passion and enthusiasm for learning is also apparent through the
planning and preparation time put into lessons. Teachers who plan lessons catering to
students’ strengths, prior knowledge and how learners learn best demonstrate their
own motivation, by example, to enhance student experiences (Palmer, 2007). On PEX
I have often found that creating my own resources intrigues students. Students would
ask at the beginning of the day ‘What is that for?’ or ‘What are we going to do with
that?’ (Valerio, 2011). Having such conversations can add intrinsic value to the topic
before the content has even been presented. Passion is “something that moves you”
(Metcalf & Game, 2006, p.99); teachers need to ‘move’ their students to motivate
curiosities and develop lifelong learners.

Conclusion
Motivation plays a crucial role in a teacher’s pedagogy. As a pre-service teacher it is
important to think about the ways students can be intrinsically motivated in the
classroom. Teachers can empower and move their students through providing a
supportive, quality learning environment, where learning is achievable and supported
by both teachers and students. Intrinsic motivation involves teachers providing choice,
enabling students to set goals and investigate their interests and curiosities. Through
the implementation of Rich Tasks, students are able to connect to the content and
engage in learning. Teachers are role models for students; a teacher who exhibits their
own passion and enthusiasm for learning will transfer these attributes to the
classroom, developing intrinsic students. Motivating students into learning for the
desire of learning can open up a world of possibilities. Intrinsic motivation is a
fundamental element in students’ learning, with teachers having the influence to
implement learning experiences that allow students to see knowledge as worthwhile
and take ownership over their learning.

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