Chapter 12: Motivation in Learning and Teaching

Chapter twelve is about motivation which refers to one of the driving elements
underlying human behavior. It encourages competition and at the same time fosters social
interaction. Intrinsic and extrinsic motivations are the two types of motivation. According to
Cebollero (2014), intrinsic motivation refers to the urge to meet personal wants that stems from
"internal" factors. For example, you may be doing something for the sake of doing it rather than
for the reason of receiving some external benefit, because doing so can be considered a reward. It
could be playing chess or reading books because you find them enjoyable. On the other hand,
extrinsic motivation refers to the motivation that comes from “external” factors. It occurs when
we are motivated to engage in an action or activity in order to receive a reward or avoid
punishment. For instance, one engages into an activity even though it’s not enjoyable nor
satisfying as for the reason that the individual is expecting something in return. Participating in a
chess contest to win awards is an example of this type of motivation. 

On a scale of 10, I would rate intrinsic motivation a perfect 10 and extrinsic a 8. The
impact of intrinsic motivation on students for example, is long lasting because learning gives
them both emotional and intellectual satisfaction. There is an attachment, hence most likely the
knowledge that they have acquired cannot be easily forgotten. Extrinsic motivation, on the other
hand despite its advantages, is not that effective when it comes to learning compared to intrinsic
motivation because there is no passion in learning. Students only do their activities to avoid
punishments or gain rewards which are something that should not be practiced over a long period
of time. I myself sometimes do tasks just because I have to and if I don’t, there is a possibility
that I’ll fail and my family will get disappointed. Despite this disadvantage, extrinsic motivation
is great for competitive individuals. Therefore, both types regardless of their differences and
disadvantages are of great help for individuals, especially for learners and educators. 

Furthermore, motivation which plays a crucial role in learning is the concept that strikes
me most in this chapter. In my own perspective, motivation is what keeps me going. Hence, a
lack of motivation can cause a huge impact in learning. For example, there are countless times
when I do not have the motivation to do anything especially my school works because of some
personal issue and this lack of motivation always leads me to procrastination and procrastinating
means low quality answers. Therefore, the more deeply a learner is motivated to pursue an
activity, the less likely he or she will accept simple answers to complex concerns. This is where
intrinsic motivation plays a significant role for it promotes critical thinking abilities that are both
robust and adaptable. On the other note, one concept in this chapter that I believe can be visibly
found in the Filipino educational setting is the behavioral approaches to motivation. For instance,
kindergartners will be rewarded in the form of a star sticker if they can sing the alphabet really
well. 

Overall, this chapter has taught me a lot of lessons when it comes to motivation, the
importance of it, the influence of teachers on students’ learning, and many more. My knowledge
about motivation has widened as I went through this chapter. I have realized that not only is it
important in learning but also in teaching because sometimes I forget that teachers, despite their
experiences and all, are still human beings that can experience a lack of motivation which might
affect their teaching strategies.