www.MotivatingStudents.info
Instructor
creates
motivating
conditions

Students
become
engaged in
the process
Students
learn
more
Instructor meets students’ motivational needs
Instructor
creates
motivating
conditions:
• eMpowerment
• Usefulness
• Success
• Interest
• Caring
Students
become
engaged in
the process
Students
learn
more
eMpowerment
Usefulness
The model consists of
5 primary components
and is based on research
and theories
Success
Interest
Caring
Instructors need to ensure that students:
eMpowerment

believe that they have some control over
some aspect of their learning
Usefulness

understand why the content is useful
Success

believe that they can succeed if they put
forth the effort
Interest

are interested in what they are supposed
to be learning

believe that the instructor cares about
whether they meet the course objectives
Caring
1. Do students believe that they have control
over some aspects of their learning?

Example: Providing choices
2. Do students believe that the instructor
empowers them and does not try to
manipulate their behavior?
 Example: Providing rationales for rules/directions
1. Do students understand why what they are learning
is useful to their interests, to their career goals,
and/or in the “real-world”?
 Example: Explicitly explaining the usefulness
 Example: Providing activities that demonstrate
usefulness
1. Do students understand the instructor’s expectations
of them?
 Example: Having explicit grading criteria
2. Do students find the learning activities challenging in
that they are not too hard or easy?
 Example: Dividing complex learning activities into
sections
3. Do students receive regular feedback about their
level of competence?
 Example: Providing opportunities for regular feedback
4. Do students believe that they can succeed if they put
forth the effort?
 Example: Providing a “study tips” guide
1. Do students demonstrate a situational
interest in the course activities?

Examples: Using novelty, social interaction,
games, humor; engendering emotions; varying
learning activities; providing surprising
information
1. Do students believe that the instructor cares about
whether they achieve the course objectives?
 Example: Devoting time to helping students academically
2. Do students believe that the instructor cares about
their well-being?
 Example: Making reasonable accommodations for
extraordinary events
eMpowerment
Usefulness
Success
Interest
Caring
A full explanation of the model is provided in the
following article linked to the Research page at
www.MotivatingStudents.info
 Jones, B. D. (2009). Motivating students to engage
in learning: The MUSIC Model of Academic
Motivation. International Journal of Teaching and
Learning in Higher Education, 21(2), 272-285.
 Also: http://www.isetl.org/ijtlhe/pdf/IJTLHE774.pdf