How to “Bake” Intrinsic Motivation

Students develop intrinsic motivation when schools focus on developing students’ sense of autonomy, mastery goal orientation, academic press, and belongingness.

Kim Farris-Berg writes:

Getting students to develop their own intrinsic motivation is kind of like getting those fresh-out-of-the-oven holiday cookies. Even with every other holiday priority competing, if you want those fresh-out-of-the oven cookies, then you need to bake them. You can’t get them off the shelf. If the ingredients aren’t there, then, well… you won’t get the cookies.

“It’s the same with intrinsic motivation,” Hope Survey proponent Keven Kroehler says. “It has to be baked, and all the ingredients must be there.” Schools must focus on students’ sense of autonomy, mastery goal orientation, academic press, and belongingness.

Read more in this guest post for the Of, By, For Education Week blog.

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Designing student engagement strategies