Cognitive Models and a Theory of Academic Motivation

By Team Arnowicza.k.a

Eric Arnold&

Phillip Galarowicz

1. The psychological feature that arouses an organism to action toward a desired goal.

2. The reason for the action that which gives purpose and direction to behavior.

“Students with high self-efficacy increase their effort on difficult tasks, persist when they encounter obstacles, and tend to set challenging goals for themselves.”

Goal: The goal of motivational models and theories

focuses on the factors that influence student engagement in achievement-related activities.

Different from learning theory in that learning theory focuses on achievement of specific skills and capabilities or the conditions of growth in thinking.

1. Motivation is the result of interactions between environmental factors and the individual’s characteristics.

2. The learner is an active processor of information.

3. A learner’s motives, needs, or goals are explicit information.

1. The Expectancy-Value Model

2. Goal Orientation Models`

Student motivation is derived from what they are expected to do to reach the level of attainment value.

Task Value: Attainment Value Intrinsic value Utility Value Cost

Expectancy Value: Extent to which the individual will perceive their level of

success for a given goal.

Students motivations are derived from personal rationales for engagement in academic tasks based on a set of behavioral intentions.

Learning Related Goals:1. Learning Goals2. Mastery Goals3. Task Goals

Performance Goals:1. Performance Goals2. Ego-Involved Goals

Addresses individuals’ thoughts, emotions, and expectancies following an achievement-related outcome.

Attribution VS. Causality1. Process involved in determining the causes of

success and failure outcomes.2. The resulting emotions and expectancies that

influence the subsequent behavior.a. Positive Outcomesb. Negative Outcomes

1. Motivational beliefs develop and change over time.

2. Encouraging students to try harder is counter productive:

a) Students believe that they already work hard.b) Students are discouraged by the directives that

indicate their success depends on maximum effort.

3. The search for understanding should be the prime motivator. – Attribution Theory

1. Set the tone the first day and hold students to clear expectations.

2. Interact with the students on their level.3. Build POSITIVE relationships.4. Show the students that you are

interested in them.5. If you can get their interest, you can help

them achieve success.

“Motivation” defined by dictionary.com All other quotes and slides were derived

from Gredler. Picture from

http://people.nnu.edu/~blmyers/SarahGivingThumbsUp.JPG