INTRINSIC MOTIVATION

Intrinsic Motivation and its Effects upon Academic Achievement in Middle School Mathematics

SECTION 3: CRITICAL ANALYSIS OF THE LITERATURE

Intrinsic Motivation

Intrinsic motivation is often associated with curiosity, which culminates in satisfaction through learning. This type of motivation prompted by want, desire, urge, or drive and this internal drive is referred to as intrinsic motivation. Intrinsic motivation is something why a person is investing the efforts, why he or she works every day, creating the team and the organization. A person does it for the sake of changing their lives and the lives of other people's lives. Intrinsic motivation includes dream, self-actualization, ideas, creativity, self-affirmation, conviction, curiosity, personal growth and the need for communication. Some research indicates that children with high curiosity either learn more in a given period of time or else retain more of what they experience. Problematic situations in which answers and explanations are not immediately available help to stimulate curiosity (Renzulli, J. & Richards, 2004). One of the main purposes of problem based learning is to raise questions or problems, the answer of which is unknown, but which, it is hoped, will be discovered as they proceed with the activity. Intrinsic motivation occurs when people are internally motivated to do something because it either brings them pleasure, they think it is important, or they feel that what they are learning is significant. Motivation is a major key explanation of human behavior. Hence, academic motivation helps explain much of the student's behavior in the classroom and their importance in the teaching - learning process.

Motivation and Mathematics

When making a declaration of interest in the study of mathematics, it is necessary to develop methods, strategies and materials and media used the study of mathematics, active investigation and adventure as much as possible. These methods should also be those that take into account differences in student attitudes towards mathematics as a subject. Examples can be programmed using text learning, the use of specific materials and other training devices that are manipulated. In addition, mathematical exercises in a variety of paper and pencil activities. The motivation is used to explain human behavior, explains the effectiveness or ineffectiveness of a reinforcer, are the reasons for a subject that determine the strength of the reinforcer for that person. Bartholomew (2007) points out the goal or direction in which a person is oriented and time devoted to the activities they undertake.

Achievement Motivation, Child Expectations and Attributions

The behavior of people, the real achievement not only depends on their motivation to achieve, but whether it is hoped, will have no fear. People are more willing to work hard when they see a real chance of success than if they see a target out of range. Expectations of children's success can be measured by asking a certain quality to predict the degree of certainty that they are a particular problem, and select the task more difficult than they think they can make a set of tasks varies depending on the complexity of ...