M1S4: Motivation for learning

At the end of this session, you will be able to –

• Differentiate between intrinsic and extrinsic motivation.
• Discuss the role of motivation for learning on the basis of Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs, and
• Justify the need for Universal Design for Learning to improve learning experiences.
Motivation is the invisible and intangible force that drives people and urges them to act. It makes
people to get into an action mode, invests eagerness, and sustains them to accomplish their
aspirations. Motivation can be categorised as intrinsic, and extrinsic.
Intrinsic motivation is the one which influences us to accomplish certain things for the satisfaction
that we get at the end of it. Intrinsic motivation is seen when we seek out to overcome a challenge, to
prove that ‘I can do it’; where there is a curiosity about something and we want to moderate it; when
we find a satisfaction in controlling things around us; and, when learning something is essential for
our success.
Extrinsic motivation on the other hand, is driven by the prospect of either rewards or punishments. It
could be either to win someone’s appreciation, or avoid a punishment, or escape from a social
embarrassment. Once the external influence wanes off, that motivation also might disappear.
Abraham Maslow introduced the concept of a hierarchy of needs which suggests that people are
motivated to fulfil basic needs before moving on to other, more advanced needs. He wanted to explore
what makes people happy and what they would do to achieve that happiness. As a result of this
exploration, he surmised that ultimately everyone wants to reach a stage where they are at peace with
themselves and accept their surroundings, and the others for who they are. Maslow called this state as
‘self-actualisation’ stage, which is at the height of the model that he designed.
To achieve this ultimate goal, we need to pass through many stages. Maslow organised these in the
form of a pyramid of needs that proceed from bottom up. At the bottom of this hierarchy is meeting
the physiological needs such as food, water, etc, which are vital for survival. Once a person has
stabilised with survival, he or she seeks out security and safety, such as health, financial stability,
social protection, etc.
In the third layer of this pyramid, we pursue the social needs such as love, acceptance, belonging,
which satisfy our needs for emotional bonding in the form of family, friendship, social networks, etc.
At the fourth layer of Maslow’s hierarchy, we crave for appreciation, recognition, and respect to
satisfy our sense of esteem, and this modifies our behaviour. At the summit of the pyramid, there are
the self-actualization needs. Self-actualised people are those who are self-aware, more concerned with
personal growth, less concerned with the opinions of others, and interested in fulfilling their own
potential.
According to the cognitive load theory, which explains the way that we process information and learn,
there are two types of memories – short-term or working memory, and long-term memory. Working
memory has a limited processing capacity, while the long-term memory is strung together by what are
known as ‘schemas’, which are chunks of homogenous information. These chunks respond as
internalised instincts at the time of need.
There are certain similarities between the theories of cognitive load and motivation. The ‘schemas’
can be developed only when the existential needs are satisfied. Otherwise, the immediate needs can be
met with the working memory alone. Maslow's hierarchy of needs therefore, is directly related to
learning through increasing the levels of motivation, moving from the most basic survival needs to the
highest, of being at peace with self and others.

Universal Design for Learning or UDL is the facility of teaching-learning that gives an equitable
learning opportunity for all the students, irrespective of any perceived limitations. In fact, UDL
believes that limitations, if any would be in the system, and not in the learner. This philosophy
incorporates a variety of teaching methods and learning approaches so that there is flexibility and
resilience in the system to respond to the uniqueness of each learner. Such a broad based design
removes any external barriers to learning and gives all the students, equitable opportunities to
succeed.
UDL also believes that learner variability is the norm, so that a one-size-fits-all approach doesn’t
work; and continual self-reflection leads to lifelong, expert learners. The UDL framework is
based on three major principles – engagement, representation, and action & expression.
The principle of Engagement expects the teachers to look for multiple ways to motivate and
encourage their students by way of giving assignments that relate to the students’ unique situations, so
that the students’ interest is sustained.
The principle of Representation recommends providing information in multiple formats such as text,
audio, video, hands-on learning, so that all the strengths of VARK style of learning are represented.
The principle of Action and Expression suggests facilitating more than one way of interacting with the
learning resources. This gives the students the option to choose either a written assignment as test,
making an oral presentation, making an animated slide, doing a group project, etc, to demonstrate the
proof of their learning.
At the end of this session, are you able to –
• Differentiate between intrinsic and extrinsic motivation.
• Discuss the role of motivation for learning on the basis of Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs, and
• Justify the need for Universal Design for Learning to improve learning experiences.