Extrinsic vs intrinsic motivation has been a controversy since before I began teaching some 50 years ago. I have used grades, M&M’s, gold stars, rubber stamps tickets, and smiley faces to reward students for their good work and good behavior. I have done away with all of these except grades. That’s still a work in progress.
According to several studies these methods get results, but not the right results. A recent attendance study I read in Edutopia had unexpected negative results.It concludes that, “It’s a reminder that extrinsic rewards can be demotivating and actually decrease the behaviors we want to encourage.” Another study concludes:
Conversely, intrinsic motivation exists within the individual and can be harnessed and enhanced by environments that support the individual’s autonomy and competence. Intrinsic motivation underlies people’s natural inclinations to seek out novelty and challenge, as well as to learn, develop, and grow. Unlike extrinsic motivation, intrinsic motivation is associated creativity and vitality (Deci and Ryan 2008).
If we want students to seek out novelty and challenge, if we want them to be truly engaged in understanding the subject matter, we should de-emphasize grades and focus on the joy that can be found in learning the subject by projecting our enthusiasm and by showing the relevance of the subject.
I will conclude by telling you why I am posting this. The extrinsic motivation is minimal. I don’t even know if it will enhance my standing in the evaluation process. I do know that I want students to love learning for the sake of learning and I want teachers to love teaching their students to love learning. This intrinsic motivation is lasting, meaningful, and productive. It is the motivation that will make our students the 21st century lifelong learners we want them to be. I hope this will help other teachers to maintain their focus on ways to enhance intrinsic motivation in their students instead of the self defeating extrinsic motivations. And I hate it when students ask, “What I have to do to get an “A” in this class?”