Intrinsic Motivation |
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Motivation is an important element in creating learning experiences that learners will stick with until they have mastered the material. They must have some reason for learning. e-Learning developers often rely upon external motivators (games, points, etc.) to provide a reason for learning. In this kind of scenario where you navigate through a maze, search for clues, elude monsters, or blast space rocks, the material to be learned comes in spurts and is relegated to a secondary position of importance.
As we have watched adult and young learners use our e-Learning programs, we have observed a tenacity in repeatedly going through the activities until they achieve mastery. No one has told these learners that they are required to master the material, or provided any other external motivators. Yet they continue to do the learning activities over and over until they get 100% correct.
There are several reasons for this persistent behavior. First, learners recognize the material as being relevant to their job or education. Second, as they progress through a series of activities, they can literally measure how much they have learned. They can recognize the fact that their knowledge is growing. At any point during the learning experience, they are able to gauge how much they know, or do not know, on the topic in question.
When a person can recognize and measure their own learning, and they see progress, it is a strong motivator. The thrill of learning something that will make one better can provide the intrinsic motivation necessary for one to spend the time needed to learn, and makes the entire learning experience worthwhile and rewarding. And you don’t need to gamify everything for your learners to enjoy it. |