Motivation
I. Introduction
Motives lead our life to achieve desirable goals
A number of motives are responsible for our social life.
Motives can be classified into two types
1. Primary Motives: These needs are associated with the biological or physiological well being of
an individual. Often it is called as biological motives. Examples for the biological motives are
hunger, sex, thirst and etc. Biological motives are universal. It is basic for all living organism. It
is innate and inborn.
2. Secondary Motives: It is linked with one’s socio-psychological needs and it is called
psychological or sociological motives. Examples of these motives are achievement motive, self
actualization motives, security motives, application motives and affiliation motives etc.
II. Motivation: Definition
Motivation as process or behavior refers to reinforced, selective and goal-directed behavior initiated and
energized by a motive which aims to maintain balance and equilibrium of the person in relation to his
environment by keeping his basic needs satisfied.
III. The Motivation Cycle
The motivational cycle can be explained as follows
1. The behaviour is initiated on account of some inherent need.
2. It initiates one’s own behaviour to goal directed path.
3. In this step we are getting an temporary halt till the arrival of the nest need
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Drive or Motivation
Tension
Incentive or Relief
Motivated Behaviour
Reduction of Need and
Getting Relief
Goal
IV. Types of Motivation
The motivation can be classified into two kinds
1. Natural or Intrinsic Motivation: It is linked with the natural instincts, urges and impulses of the
organism. An individual performs an activity out of interest on that and getting pleasure out of
that. It may be outside motives or goals. Example: Reading a poem or hearing a song or solving a
mathematical problem to get pleasure out of it. This kind of activity carries its own reward and
the individual takes genuine interest in performing the activity. This kind of motivation has real
values and sustains throughout life.
2. Unnatural or Extrinsic Motivation: In this type the source of pleasure does not lie within the
task. This motivation has no functional relationship with the task. The individual does or learns
something not for its own sake, but as a means of obtaining desired goals or getting some
external reward. Examples are working for incentive or better grade, honor, receive praise or
blame.
But this kind of motivation brings a better result in teaching learning process. Even though,
whenever we get the chance we have to go for intrinsic motivation
V. Some Basic Definitions
1. Need: Need refers to a condition or state of our mind that prompts or persuades us to act
or behave in a specific way.
2. Motives: A motive is an inclination or impulsion to action plus some degree of orientation
or direction (Fisher 1971)
3. Drives: An aroused reaction tendency or a stage of heightened tension that sets up
activities in an individual and sustains them for increasing his general activity level.
VI. Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs (Need Theory)
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Abraham Maslow developed a theory of hierarchy of needs. This theory accurately describes many realities
of personal experiences. Maslow is a humanistic psychologist. Humanists do not believe that human beings
are pushed and pulled by mechanical forces, either of stimuli and reinforcements (behaviorism) or of
unconscious instinctual impulses (psychoanalysis). Maslow has set up a hierarchic theory of needs. All of
his basic needs are instinctual, equivalent of instincts in animals. Humans start with a very weak disposition
that is then fashioned fully as the person grows. If the environment is right, people will grow straight and
beautiful, actualizing the potentials they have inherited.
Maslow has set up a hierarchy of five levels of basic needs. Beyond these needs, higher levels of needs exist.
These include needs for understanding, esthetic appreciation and purely spiritual needs. In the levels of the
five basic needs, the person does not feel the second need until the demands of the first have been satisfied
or the third until the second has been satisfied, and so on. Maslow's basic needs are as follows:
Physiological Needs
These are biological needs. They consist of needs for oxygen, food, water, and a relatively constant
body temperature. They are the strongest needs because if a person were deprived of all needs, the
physiological ones would come first in the person's search for satisfaction.
Safety Needs
When all physiological needs are satisfied and are no longer controlling thoughts and behaviors, the
needs for security can become active. Adults have little awareness of their security needs except in
times of emergency or periods of disorganization in the social structure. Children often display the
signs of insecurity and the need to be safe.
Needs of Love, Affection and Belongingness
When the needs for safety and for physiological well-being are satisfied, the next class of needs for
love, affection and belongingness can emerge. Maslow states that people seek to overcome feelings
of loneliness and alienation. This involves both giving and receiving love, affection and the sense of
belonging.
Needs for Esteem
When the first three classes of needs are satisfied, the needs for esteem can become dominant. These
involve needs for both self-esteem and for the esteem a person gets from others. Humans have a need
for a stable, firmly based, high level of self-respect, and respect from others. When these needs are
satisfied, the person feels self-confident and valuable as a person in the world. When these needs are
frustrated, the person feels inferior, weak, helpless and worthless.
Needs for Self-Actualization
When all of the foregoing needs are satisfied, then and only then are the needs for self-actualization
activated. Maslow describes self-actualization as a person's need to be and do that which the person
was "born to do." "A musician must make music, an artist must paint, and a poet must write." These
needs make themselves felt in signs of restlessness. The person feels on edge, tense, lacking
something, in short, restless. If a person is hungry, unsafe, not loved or accepted, or lacking selfesteem, it is very easy to know what the person is restless about. It is not always clear what a person
wants when there is a need for self-actualization.
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The hierarchic theory is often represented as a pyramid, with the larger, lower levels representing the lower
needs, and the upper point representing the need for self-actualization. Maslow believes that the only reason
that people would not move well in direction of self-actualization is because of hindrances placed in their
way by society. He states that education is one of these hindrances. He recommends ways education can
switch from its usual person-stunting tactics to person-growing approaches. Maslow states that educators
should respond to the potential an individual has for growing into a self-actualizing person of his/her own
kind. Ten points that educators should address are listed:
1. We should teach people to be authentic, to be aware of their inner selves and to hear their innerfeeling voices.
2. We should teach people to transcend their cultural conditioning and become world citizens.
3. We should help people discover their vocation in life, their calling or destiny. This is especially
focused on finding the right career and the right mate.
4. We should teach people that life is precious, that there is joy to be experienced in life, and if people
are open to seeing the good and joyous in all kinds of situations, it makes life worth living.
5. We must accept the person as he or she is and helps the person learn their inner nature. From real
knowledge of aptitudes and limitations we can know what to build upon, what potentials are really
there?
6. We must see that the person's basic needs are satisfied. This includes safety, belongingness, and
esteem needs.
7. We should refreshed consciousness, teaching the person to appreciate beauty and the other good
things in nature and in living.
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8. We should teach people that controls are good, and complete abandon is bad. It takes control to
improve the quality of life in all areas.
9. We should teach people to transcend the trifling problems and grapple with the serious problems in
life. These include the problems of injustice, of pain, suffering, and death.
10. We must teach people to be good choosers. They must be given practice in making good choices.
VII. McClelland's Theory of Needs (Theory of Achievement Motivation
In his acquired-needs theory, David McClelland proposed
that an individual's specific needs are acquired over time
and are shaped by one's life experiences. Most of these
needs can be classed as achievement, affiliation, or power.
A person's motivation and effectiveness in certain job
functions are influenced by these three needs. McClelland's
theory sometimes is referred to as the three need theory or
as the learned needs theory.
Achievement
People with a high need for achievement (nAch) seek to
excel and thus tend to avoid both low-risk and high-risk
situations. Achievers avoid low-risk situations because the
easily attained success is not a genuine achievement. In
high-risk projects, achievers see the outcome as one of
chance rather than one's own effort. High nAch individuals
prefer work that has a moderate probability of success,
ideally a 50% chance. Achievers need regular feedback in
order to monitor the progress of their achievements. They
prefer either to work alone or with other high achievers.
Affiliation
Those with a high need for affiliation (nAff) need harmonious relationships with other people and need to
feel accepted by other people. They tend to conform to the norms of their work group. High nAff individuals
prefer work that provides significant personal interaction. They perform well in customer service and client
interaction situations.
Power
A person's need for power (nPow) can be one of two types - personal and institutional. Those who need
personal power want to direct others, and this need often is perceived as undesirable. Persons who need
institutional power (also known as social power) want to organize the efforts of others to further the goals of
the organization. Managers with a high need for institutional power tend to be more effective than those with
a high need for personal power.
Thematic Apperception Test
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McClelland used the Thematic Apperception Test (TAT) as a tool to measure the individual needs of
different people. The TAT is a test of imagination that presents the subject with a series of ambiguous
pictures, and the subject is asked to develop a spontaneous story for each picture. The assumption is that the
subject will project his or her own needs into the story.
Psychologists have developed fairly reliable scoring techniques for the Thematic Apperception Test. The
test determines the individual's score for each of the needs of achievement, affiliation, and power. This score
can be used to suggest the types of jobs for which the person might be well suited.
McClelland suggested other characteristics and attitudes of achievement-motivated people:
Achievement is more important than material or financial reward.
Achieving the aim or task gives greater personal satisfaction than receiving praise or recognition.
Financial reward is regarded as a measurement of success, not an end in itself.
Security is not prime motivator, nor is status.
Feedback is essential, because it enables measurement of success, not for reasons of praise or
recognition (the implication here is that feedback must be reliable, quantifiable and factual).
Achievement-motivated people constantly seek improvements and ways of doing things better.
Achievement-motivated people will logically favour jobs and responsibilities that naturally satisfy
their needs, ie offer flexibility and opportunity to set and achieve goals, eg., sales and business
management, and entrepreneurial roles.
Implications
People with different needs are motivated differently.
High need for achievement - High achievers should be given challenging projects with reachable
goals. They should be provided frequent feedback. While money is not an important motivator, it is
an effective form of feedback.
High need for affiliation – Learners with a high affiliation need perform best in a cooperative
environment.
High need for power - Management should provide power seekers the opportunity to manage others.
VIII. Motivational Functions of the Teachers (Techniques of motivation in the classroom)
Motivation is the central part of any teaching-learning process. So it is essential to think of the ways
and means of achieving motivation in the classroom situation
Child-centred approach
Linking the new learning with the past
Use of effective methods, aids and devices in teaching.
Definiteness of the purpose and goals
Praise and Reproof
Rewards and Punishments
Competition and cooperation
Ego-involvement
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Development of proper attitude
Appropriate learning environment and situation
Readiness to meet the individual needs
Teach the hearts not the heads
Collaborative and Group learning activities
Love and Belongingness
IX. Factors that affect the Study of the learners
1. Personal Factors:
Personality, attitude, aptitude, physical health, motivation,
intelligence, mental health and study habit
2. Teacher Factors:
the Professional knowledge, teaching competency, content
knowledge and Technique knowledge
3. Environment Factors:
the family, the society, the resources in the society and peer group
4. Content Factors:
the difficulty of the content, discontinuity in learning and the
presentation of the subject matter in the book
X. Study Skill that contribute to the Efficacy of the learners
No two people study the same way. However, there are some general techniques that seem to produce good
results. Everyone is different, and for some students, studying and being motivated to learn comes naturally.
The following are the study skill techniques which contribute to the efficacy of the learners.
I.
Scheduling
1. The value of a schedule: Before you even begin to think about the process of studying, you must
develop a schedule. If you don't have a schedule or plan for studying, then you will not have any way
of allocating your valuable time when the unexpected comes up.
2. A schedule saves time: All schedules should be made with the idea that they can be revised. A good
schedule helps to save the time in order to study properly.
3. Making every hour count: A schedule should take into account every class, laboratory, lecture,
social event, and other work in which you engage. There are givens such as classes and so on those
have to be incorporated.
4. When to study: The problem of when to study is critical. A good strategy is that studying should be
carried out only when you are rested, alert, and have planned for it. Last minute studying just before
a class is usually a waste of time.
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II.
The Process of Study
1. How to use your time: Time is the most valuable resource a student has. It is also one of the most
wasted of resources. The schedule that you have developed should guide you in how to allocate the
available time in the most productive manner. Avoiding study is the easiest thing in the world. It's up
to you to follow the schedule that you have prepared. A good deal of your success in high school or
college depends on this simple truth.
2. Where to study: You can study anywhere. Obviously, some places are better than others. Libraries,
study lounges or private rooms are best. Above all, the place you choose to study should not be
distracting. Distractions can build up, and the first thing you know, you're out of time and out of
luck. Make choosing a good physical environment a part of your study habits.
III.
Strategies
1. Thinking skills: Everybody has thinking skills, but few use them effectively. Effective thinking
skills cannot be studied, but must be built up over a period of time. Good thinkers see possibilities
where others see only dead-end. If you're not a good thinker, start now by developing habits that
make you ask yourself questions as you read. Talk to other students who you feel are good thinkers.
Ask them what it is they do when they think critically or creatively. Often times, you can pick up
valuable insights to help you become a better thinker.
2. The SQ3R method
The SQ3R method has been a proven way to sharpen study skills. SQ3R stands for Survey, Question,
Read, Recite, Review. Take a moment now and write SQ3R down. It is a good slogan to commit to
memory to carry out an effective study strategy.
Survey - get the best overall picture of what you're going to study BEFORE you study it in any
detail. It's like looking at a road map before going on a trip. If you don't know the territory, studying
a map is the best way to begin.
Question - ask questions for learning. The important things to learn are usually answers to questions.
Questions should lead to emphasis on the what, why, how, when, who and where of study content.
Ask yourself questions as you read or study.
Read - Reading is NOT running your eyes over a textbook. When you read, read actively. Read to
answer questions you have asked yourself or question the instructor or author has asked. Always be
alert to bold or italicized print. Also, when you read, be sure to read everything, including tables,
graphs and illustrations.
Recite - When you recite, you stop reading periodically to recall what you have read. Try to recall
main headings, important ideas of concepts presented in bold or italicized type, and what graphs,
charts or illustrations indicate. Try to develop an overall concept of what you have read in your own
words and thoughts.
Review - A review is a survey of what you have covered. It is a review of what you are supposed to
accomplish, not what you are going to do. Rereading is an important part of the review process.
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Reread with the idea that you are measuring what you have gained from the process. During review,
it's a good time to go over notes you have taken to help clarify points you may have missed or don't
understand.
3. Reading: A primary means by which you acquire information is through reading. You must learn to
read with a purpose. In studying, you may read the same assignment three or four times, each time
with a different purpose. You must know before you begin reading what your purpose is, and read
accordingly.
4. Getting the Main Idea: Getting the main idea in reading is central to effective studying. You must
learn what the author's central idea is, and understand it in your own way. Every paragraph contains
a main idea. Main ideas are perfect for outlining textbooks. Make it a habit to find the main idea in
each paragraph you read.
5. Extracting Important Details: Extracting important details means that you locate in your reading
the basis for main ideas. There is usually one important detail associated with every main idea.
6. Don't Read Aloud to Yourself: Generally, reading aloud to yourself does not help you study more
effectively. If you move your lips while you read, you're not reading efficiently. If you read aloud or
move your lips while you're reading, you are reading slowly, so stop moving your lips. Try putting a
finger over your lips. Your finger will remind you not to move your lips. Make an effort to read
faster and retain more - after a while, you'll be surprised how little effort it will take.
7. Taking Notes: Like reading, note-taking is a skill which must be learned and refined. Almost
invariably, note taking, or the lack of it, is a constant deficiency in the study methods of many high
school and college students. Learning the ingredients of good note taking is rather easy; applying
them to your own situation depends on how serious you are in becoming a successful student.
8. Study Space: Your study space should be as quiet and comfortable as possible. Avoid studying in
noisy places such as cafeterias, recreation rooms, or lounges. When studying, keep a waste basket
handy. Have a consistent place for everything, and above all, keep it there! : Have everything needed
for studying handy beforehand. Don't waste valuable time looking for books, notes, of other
information. After you have assembled the items you need, put them where
you can reach
them easily.
9. Study Habits: Begin studying no less than 30-90 minutes after a meal. Never study within 30
minutes of going to sleep. Prioritize! Make a list of what you intend to study, prioritize the list, and
stick to it! If possible, study no more than 30-40 minutes at a stretch. Many students retain more by
studying for short periods with breaks in between. It all depends on what you're trying to study, but
generally, after a period of study, take a break. Take study breaks away from your desk or wherever
you are studying. Let the break be a time to think about other things. Use some break time to reflect,
not constantly review what you have just studied.
XI. DISCIPLINE
Discipline has been defined in various ways by various sources. But defining discipline is relevant
only for the purpose of academics interest. I don't think we need to do a Phd. on the academic side of
child discipline to discipline our children.
Broadly speaking, as parents, the meaning of child discipline to us is:
Teaching a child how to:
Learn self control
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Recognizing acceptable limits
Learning where to stop
If the child is not learning to recognize limits, he is learning to ignore them. The more he learns to ignore
them, the harder it is to for him to recognize any boundary in future. By the time child reaches teen-age, the
process becomes irreversible.
STRATEGIES OF DISCIPLINE
1. Preventative Discipline: Teachers with effective classroom management strategies establish
expectations, guidelines and rules for behavior during the first few days of class. Clearly explaining
expectations is an essential component to preventative discipline. The goal of preventative discipline is to
provide proactive interventions to potential disruptive behaviors by clearly explaining to students what
behaviors are and are not appropriate. The most basic component to preventative discipline is a concise
outline about classroom expectations for students as well as for teachers; students need to know what is
expected of them for the remainder of the class. Such guidelines might include rules regarding talking,
homework or language use in the classroom. A preventative discipline strategy also establishes the types of
consequences that will follow a forbidden act or behavior. Preventative discipline strategies create a safe, no
confrontational classroom atmosphere in which students feel that they understand what is to come.
2. Supportive Discipline: Even the best laid preventative discipline strategies may fail periodically
throughout the school year. When a teacher offers a verbal warning or a suggestion for correcting behavior
while a student is disobeying an established classroom rule, the teacher is using supportive discipline.
Supportive discipline is distinct from punishment in that it provides a student with suggestions and options
for correcting a behavior before a consequence is necessary. For example, if a student is wandering around
the class after a teacher has announced it is time to sit down, the teacher may say, "I made the announcement
that it is time to sit down. Find your seat so we can get started or I will need to hold you after class." The
student has been given the option to accept or avoid further punishment; the behavior has been redirected
through a teacher's supportive discipline strategy. Reminders, redirection and nonverbal communication are
all examples of supportive discipline.
3. Corrective Discipline: When a student has failed to redirect her behavior after repeated attempts at
supportive discipline, a teacher may opt for a corrective discipline strategy. Corrective discipline refers to
the set of consequences delivered to students following an infraction. There is a wide degree of variation
among corrective discipline strategies, some more effective than others. For example, engaging in a verbal
altercation with a student is a corrective discipline technique, but it may escalate a volatile situation and
undermine your authority as a teacher and leader. Corrective discipline strategies should be adapted to the
students' age or grade level; though placing students in a time out may be effective for kindergarten, high
school students are much less likely to comply with such provisions. Consistent application of consequences
is an essential component of corrective discipline strategies.
ALTERNATIVES TO CORPORAL PUNISHMENTS
Provide direct instruction to students in social skills and problem-solving strategies.
Use positive reinforcement to teach and maintain the use of appropriate problem-solving and social
skills.
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Use social reinforcers such as teacher feedback, peer pressure, and other self-esteem enhancing
activities to support and maintain the use of problem-solving and social skills.
Apply logical consequences that will teach students personal responsibility for their actions; for
example. losing the privilege of
Participating in special school activities.
Consider the use of time out, which may allow students to learn to take control of their actions and
ultimately in conjunction with instruction in social skill to cease their undesirable behavior.
Employ problem-solving classroom meetings and/or school assemblies with honest discussion of
problems to encourage student ownership of and responsibility for solutions.
Establish a variety of strategies for communicating with parents.
Establish contractual agreements that clearly outline consequences with students and their
parents to enhance the development of self-control behavior.
Establish an in-school suspension program, supervised by a responsible adult, in which the student
performs curricula-related activities.
When necessary. refer students to a counselor, social worker and/or psychologist at the local or
intermediate level and coordinate services with other units of state government;
e.g., Public Health, Social Services, Mental Health, etc.
Also, seek assistance from private institutions or agencies with appropriate services; for example,
temporary placement in an alternative educational setting.
Evaluate and arrange awropriate curriculum and adequate support for students who need academic
acceleration, special education, alternative education or services for achieving English proficiency.
Consider and take action, in accordance with the student code of conduct and due process of law,
when disruptive behavior occurs.
Consider the use of suspensions and/or expulsions only after all other alternatives have been
exhausted
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