Thanks to Derek for this one.
As I sat in a class this morning watching students labour over a task that only a few seemed genuinely engaged in, the teacher and I discussed what their motivation was for the task. Essentially the only reason they were doing anything in this lesson was to get the grade. Now I can’t say we can avoid this all the time and my other reason for being interested in this in the first place is because Rylee has just hit two and boy can she throw a tantrum at toothbrushing time. So what is needed how can we as teachers/parents avoid the trap of rewards? The site references Alfie Kohn who seems to have quite the library of texts on the subject I will try and find one in the library and see what I can learn.
Intrinsic does not mean “wants to do it” but that I want to do it for its own sake. Furthermore, just because something I don’t want to do something doesn’t mean it’s extrinsic exactly. (example borrowed from Stephen Hoover’s CEEP class)
Consider the idea that I’d never just want to jog for jogging sake. I kinda dislike jogging. But, I can value jogging because it improves my health - that’s extrinsic but an internally regulated idea. I can value jogging because it seems attractive to women - that’s extrinsic and based on external social comparisons. I can value jogging because it gets me away from housework, that’s extrinsic. Maybe I jog because I want to be a police officer - this is not intrinsic either, but also extrinsic motivation.
The only intrinsic motivation is if, I jog because I love jogging for jogging sake. If that’s the only tool I have to motivate my students, I’ll be sunk.
I came across this quote during my studying days, and it’s always stuck with me:
“Research has shown that under certain conditions offering extrinsic rewards for engaging in tasks actually undermines intrinsic interest in a task.” (Stipek, 1996)
The diagram says it all, really, so how can we get away form this mentality? Good luck at toothbrush time!