cover thumbnail Educational Psychology: Effective Teaching, Effective Learning
by Elliott, Kratochwill, Littlefield Cook & Travers
Chapter 9 Summary

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Motivation and Student Learning

Motivation arouses, sustains, and integrates behavior. The work of several theorists have had a lasting impact on our understanding of motivation. Maslow's needs hierarchy demonstrates how a deficit in any category of need, such as physiological, safety, or love, will affect student performance. Bruner suggested that educators use discovery learning as a means of stimulating students' interest in learning. According to Bandura, the teacher's performance in the classroom can be a powerful model for students to imitate. Among the most potent influences on motivation are anxiety, attitudes, curiosity, and locus of control. When students have positive attitudes toward school, teachers, and themselves, they typically experience higher levels of academic achievement. Teachers can encourage motivation and desirable behavior in students using a variety of strategies, including positive reinforcement, cooperative learning groups, and technology in the classroom.


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