How is motivation useful in the learning of the child?
2013
How is motivation useful in the learning of the child?
Answer: D. All of the above — Concept. Motivation is the internal or external force that arouses a learner’s activity, keeps it going and directs it towards a goal. In educational…
- A.
Respecting individuality of the child
- B.
Reward and punishment
- C.
Praise and criticism
- D.
All of the above
Attempted by 4 students.
Show answer & explanation
Correct answer: D
Concept. Motivation is the internal or external force that arouses a learner’s activity, keeps it going and directs it towards a goal. In educational psychology it is not one classroom technique but the general drive-state a teacher builds up, so every practice that raises a child’s willingness to attend, to persist and to try again is treated as motivation being put to use in learning. Such practices are grouped into three channels: intrinsic (the child’s own needs), extrinsic (consequences supplied from outside) and informational (feedback about performance).
Applying it to this item. The stem asks in what form motivation is regarded as useful in a child’s learning, and each listed practice maps onto one of those three channels:
Practice | Motivational channel | Effect on the learner |
|---|---|---|
Respecting individuality of the child | Intrinsic | Pace, interest and task difficulty are matched to the learner, meeting needs for self-esteem and autonomy, so the child engages willingly. |
Reward and punishment | Extrinsic (operant) | Consequences follow the behaviour: reinforcement raises the likelihood of the act that earned it, punishment lowers it (Skinner). |
Praise and criticism | Informational (social reinforcement) | Knowledge of results is supplied, telling the child which part of the performance to repeat and which to alter. |
Cross-check. The three channels are complementary, not competing: an intrinsic source of drive does not exclude an external consequence, and neither of them supplies the performance information that praise and criticism carry. Because none of the three rules out the other two, no single practice can be the whole answer to “in what form is motivation useful”, and the composite choice is the one that fits.
Result. Respecting the individuality of the child, reward and punishment, and praise and criticism are all recognised forms in which motivation is used to aid a child’s learning — that is, all of the above.