Kajian Teori

Why Motivation in Math classroom is very important

Motivation is a very important element in the learning process as it is an inducer and propeller for one
to do a task successfully. Therefore, motivation is essential for an individual to successfully face
challenges in academic setting. Moreover, motivation will be used by students as the attribution or
determinant to their behavior in learning and performance. Behaviors that are related to academic
motivation such as the desire to do difficult tasks and stay longer in difficult situations will be the
determinant for students’ ability in facing daily school life challenges (Masaali, 2007).

Mohd Rameli, Mohd Rustam. (2016). Challenges in Mathematics Learning: A Study from School
Student’s Perspective..

Motivation is characterized as a complex and multidimensional construct (Zhu & Leung, 2010). Pintrich
(2003) refers to five frameworks of social–cognitive constructs that have recently been used in research
on students’ motivation in the classroom context. The framework of selfbeliefs (e.g. self-efficacy) asserts
that when students believe that they can do well in the educational settings, they feel confident, tend to
try hard, persist more, and perform better (Bandura, 1997). Attribution and control beliefs (Weiner,
1986) support that students who believe that they have more personal control of their learning are
expected to do better and achieve at higher levels than students who do not feel in control of their
learning behavior. Interest and intrinsic motivation is another theoretical framework that expands the
traditional distinction between students’ intrinsic and extrinsic motivation to a more complex
differentiation of extrinsic motivation. These different types of interest were found to lead students to
different learning outcomes (Ryan & Deci, 2000). Expectancyvalue theory (Eccles & Wigfield, 1995)
supports the view that students are motivated when they judge a task as somehow important. Research
under this framework revealed that task valued beliefs seem to influence

students’ choices, like the enrollment in future courses. Finally, achievement goal theory focuses on
goals, as the reasons and purposes for engaging in achievement tasks (Elliot, 1999). The current study
investigates how various affective constructs, derived from self-beliefs, interest and intrinsic motivation,
and achievement goal theory, interact and are related to students’ mathematical performance.
They served as the focus of group discussion over the school year and as rationales for the instructional
strategies we designed. Principles included fostering students’ competence, autonomy, and
belongingness in the mathematics classroom and emphasizing the meaningfulness of mathematics.
These principles cut across prominent theories of motivation, suggesting their centrality to fostering
motivation in the classroom.

Competence. Developing academic competence is both a human need and the expressed goal of
schooling. Competence includes understanding how to achieve certain outcomes and feeling efficacious
in performing the required actions (Bandura, 1997; Deci, Vallerand, Pelletier, & Ryan, 1991).

To support student competence, teachers can provide feedback (vs. evaluation) and demonstrate that
mistakes are informational. These practices are related to increased intrinsic motivation to learn (Turner
et al., 1998). In addition, Kazemi and Stipek (2001) illustrated how ‘‘pressing’’ for mathematical
arguments and justification rather than merely accepting correct answers promoted conceptual thinking

Belongingness. Belongingness is the human need to be an accepted member of a group and to have
strong, stable relationships with others (Baumeister & Leary, 1995). The need to feel accepted may be
accentuated during the early adolescent years and in transition to middle school (Carnegie Council on
Adolescent Development, 1989).

Students’ peer relationships are also related to academic achievement (Martin & Dowson, 2009;
Wentzel, 1991). In interviews with middle school students, Dowson and McInerney (2003) found that
students listed belonging to a group and wanting to assist or fulfill responsibility to others as reasons for
achievement (also see Patrick, Anderman, & Ryan, 2002)

Roseth, Johnson, and Johnson (2008) conducted a meta-analysis (encompassing 80 years of research)
examining the relative effectiveness of cooperative, competitive, and individualistic goal structures in
promoting early adolescents’ achievement and positive peer relationships. They found that when
students are working productively in cooperative groups, they are more likely to participate, to develop
positive attitudes toward others and toward content, and to exert more effort. Research has
demonstrated that students can be taught to work productively (Johnson & Johnson, 2003), to ask
good questions (e.g., King & Rosenshine, 1993), and to offer good explanations (Webb et al., 2008).

Autonomy. Autonomy refers to self-initiating and self-regulating one’s own actions (Deci et al., 1991).
When actions are freely chosen, endorsed as valuable, or judged consistent with one’s own values or
needs, motivation is autonomous (Ryan & Deci, 2000).

Field studies have shown that autonomy-supportive teachers engender more curiosity and desire for
challenge in their students (Deci, Nezlek, & Sheinman, 1981), whereas controlling teachers tend to have
students who are less interested and learn less effectively, especially when learning requires conceptual
understanding (Grolnick & Ryan, 1987)

Some teachers fear that ‘‘sharing control’’ can lead to off-task behavior and less learning, and so many
adopt controlling behaviors (Barrett & Boggiano, 1988)
However, Reeve and colleagues (2004) demonstrated that high school teachers could learn autonomy-
supportive strategies and found that the students in the experimental teachers’ classrooms reported
greater engagement than did a comparison group

Meaningful learning. ‘‘Why do we have to learn this?’’ is a common complaint in classrooms. Standard
responses such as ‘‘It’s on the test’’ or ‘‘You will need this in high school’’ are not satisfying to many
middle school students. The importance of meaning and understanding has long been a central issue in
research on mathematics learning

, ‘‘[The] experienced meaninglessness of school mathematics devastates the motivation to learn or use
mathematics and is entirely incompatible with a view of mathematics as a tool of personal insight and
problem solving’’ (pp. 99–100; also see Turner & Meyer, 2009)

Researchers agree on some major features of meaningful instruction (e.g., Brown & Campione, 1994;
Donovan & Bransford, 2005; Newmann, 1992). For example, Newmann, Marks, and Gamoran (1996)
mention several strategies including building on students’ prior knowledge, providing opportunities for
students to do complex thinking by addressing the central ideas of a topic or subject, and offering
opportunities for students to participate in extended

conversations with teachers and peers that build shared understanding (also see Tharp, Estrada, Dalton,
& Yamauchi, 2000).

Turner, J. C., Warzon, K. B., & Christensen, A. (2011). Motivating Mathematics Learning.
American Educational Research Journal, 48(3), 718–762. doi:10.3102/0002831210385103