Month: September 2019

I’m working a series about teaching, motivation, and game design; but I want to begin by giving you some information about Self-Determination Theory, because it’s really the key to motivation, and one of the overriding psychological reasons that games are so satisfying.

Self-determination theory is a behavioral theory focused on motivation and personality. It is a basic human need and the foundation of motivation. It arises from research done on intrinsic and extrinsic motivation.

To fulfill our sense of self-worth and well-being, to be self-motivated to complete tasks, as human beings we need the following:

• Competence
• Autonomy
• Relatedness

Let’s look at these one at a time and think about how they apply in teaching and learning.

1. Competence: In order for students to learn and to feel a sense of self-worth, in order for them to be motivated, students need to feel that they can master the task with which they are presented. Not that they are already experts, and this part is VERY important, NOT THAT THE TASK IS EASY (more on this later), but that the task CAN BE MASTERED. In other words, if I watched a video on how to cook a pie, I could probably master the instructions, but if I started taking a class in advanced calculus, I would feel so out of my element that I couldn’t succeed in that class.
2. Autonomy: For human beings to be motivated to complete a task, they have to feel like they are in control of their circumstances and that completing the task is something they want to do. That doesn’t mean students can’t feel this way about required work, but in no situation does coercion (through punishment, intimidation, or fear) lead to learning.
3. Relatedness: Some people interpret this as relevance, which is also important, but not necessarily a key to learning, In other words, the students’ actual experiences and interests do not have to line up with the curriculum. Rather, this point is about how students can connect with both the teacher and the learning experiences. Relatedness can be achieved through universal experiences such as love, loss, fear, anger, loneliness, etc.. It can also be achieved through simply caring about the students and recognizing their individual differences and strengths.

What does this have to do with learning?

There are two kinds of motivation: external or extrinsic, and internal or intrinsic. Extrinsic motivation is when behavior is externally regulated through incentives or punishments. In other words, students will complete a task because they believe they will receive a monetary reward, or an unpleasant punishment.

Intrinsic motivation is when students are driven to complete a task because it is inherently satisfying. This can occur because the task is in itself enjoyable, because it aligns with a students’ goals or values, or because the student achieves a sense of satisfaction from completing a difficult task, such as solving a difficult math problem, completing a homework assignment, or cleaning their room. Although these types of tasks can be difficult and even filled with anxiety and dread, completing leaves us feeling competent and accomplished.

Approaching a learning task with a sense of self determination (competence, autonomy, and relatedness) can give students a deeper sense of intrinsic motivation, which studies have shown leads to significant long-term retention and transfer.

For more on this topic, check out my post on Self-Determination Theory and Student Motivation.

For more posts on ways to faciliate student autonomy, improve competence and confidence, and foster relatedness and connectedness in your classroom and curriculum. Be sure to follow my blog to receive updates in your inbox.