Academic Learning Motivation

Abstract

The decision to choose a teacher career means, first of all, to learn how to motivate your students. It is one of the most important aspects. Unmotivated students will not learn effectively. They will not retain information, they will not participate and some of them may even become disruptive. A student may be unmotivated for a variety of reasons: they may feel that they have no interest in the subject, find the teacher's methods un-engaging or they may be distracted by external forces. It may even appear sometimes that a student who seemed unmotivated has difficulty in learning and needs special attention. The research conducted at "George Bacovia" University illustrates the fact that students, intrinsically motivated, get superior academic results, a fact also showed by the Pearson calculated coefficient.

Headnote

Abstract:

The decision to choose a teacher career means, first of all, to learn how to motivate your students. It is one of the most important aspects. Unmotivated students will not learn effectively. They will not retain information, they will not participate and some of them may even become disruptive. A student may be unmotivated for a variety of reasons: they may feel that they have no interest in the subject, find the teacher's methods un-engaging or they may be distracted by external forces. It may even appear sometimes that a student who seemed unmotivated has difficulty in learning and needs special attention. The research conducted at "George Bacovia" University illustrates the fact that students, intrinsically motivated, get superior academic results, a fact also showed by the Pearson calculated coefficient.

Keywords: Motivation, learning, students, performance

Introduction

In the current period when the information is obsolete in a very short time and is accessible to anyone through computer networks, the need to increase lifelong learning and teaching models based on knowledge transmission and storage become inoperative. Therefore, it is necessary a reconsideration of these models and in guiding them to develop the ability of pupils/students to update their knowledge or it whenever necessary.

Often, under the current system of education, students acquire some knowledge just because they are to be tested and not because they have a value, would present any utility in the educational sense. Not having a clear perception of the usefulness of studies that follow, students may have a weak motivation for learning. And this is just one of the motivational factors of learning.

Analysis of reasons for learning is necessary because we explains why learning occurs, what causes them, we build up the knowledge and responsiveness of the subject to the level of employment in learned tasks, which can be a formal, apparent or serious, genuine, content. We build up on cases of not learning, learning weak or inefficient, allows us to see the transformation probability formative learning in positive or negative effects etc.

Learning Motivation... What are the meanings of this concept? What are the factors that lead to motivation or lack of motivation? How do we know if someone is motivated or not? What methods can be applied to develop motivation? What is the relationship between learning motivation and academic performance? There are a few questions to try to answer in this article.

1. About Motivation

Basic concepts in psychology, motivation expresses that "... based on human behaviour there stands a complex of motives - needs, sights, emotions, actions, deeds, attitudes" D.Golu quoted from [1,21].

Motivation represents "all, all internal states of the motives (needs, impulses, tendencies) who instigates, leads, mobilizes, pushing individual action to satisfy them" [2, 173]. It is one of the conditions that stimulate and facilitate the processes, activities and mental attributes. For example, learning activity is conditioned in its pursuit of the existence of appropriate incentives.

Motivation is "a trigger for action" [4, 467]. At the same time, the motivation is "a fundamental dimension of personality, an internal variable support role in the development of various mental processes and capacities" [2, 171]. Knowledge of temperamental traits, skills and individual character has a special importance in performing an activity.

When we talk about motivation we must refer to its dual forms: positive motivation (driven by praise, appreciation) and negative (effect of punishment, threats, blaming); cognitive motivation (expressed the need to know, the knew to be curious, understanding) and affective (need to join a group, thanks to the close, to obtain the consent of others for their ideas to be esteemed, respectively); intrinsic motivation (which includes curiosity, stable epistemic attitude through information provided by the learning process, cognitive interests, the pursuit of power etc.) and extrinsic (which takes into account the expectation of praise, Note, rewards, affiliation desire, fear of unpleasant consequences, ambition, necessity of high status etc.).

As a result, explains the motivation for our actions or peers. It answers the question, why we do what we do.

Motivation is one of the determining factors when it comes to learning. Learning motivation is defined as "the totality of motives that support energy activates and directs learning activities" [2, 188], [1,36].

Between motivation and learning there is a causal relationship. Thus, motivation is considered one of the main causes for the student is involved or not in learning. For most of the time, motivation is the effect of the learning activity. If the results obtained by the action learning are positive, then the student will be motivated to learn more.

A motivated person for teaching is identifiable by being absorbed, interested in a particular topic is persévérant, active and focused in achieving the learning task, transferred all his knowledge learning, emotional states, their life experience.

Reasons for students / learners are varied: the pursuit of a certain professional status, desire to succeed in life, to take notes (qualifiers) good desire to know something new and interesting, you surpass others by being praised by teachers and parents, attachment to an object or a teacher education, the desire to obtain certain rewards, prizes, fear of failure, learning satisfaction and pleasure to leam from coercion etc. Learning activity is typically supported, activated by a series of reasons, of which some are predominantly reasons.

Motivation is essential for success at school. How intense should be the motivation for the student/students to achieve superior performance in school activities? Thus it appears the idea's optimum motivational expressing optimum intensity of motivation that will enable achievement of high performance. Motivating too intense (over-motivation) and too low motivation (under-motivation) can lead to poor performance or even failure. Over-motivation encountered in education often produces frustration, mental blockage, disruption of business and even damage motivated behaviour. The under-motivated student do not mobilize enough and treats superficially tasks, gets bored easily, do not engage enough in addressing teaching load, and the result is failure purpose [1,23-25], [2, 187-188], [3, 161].

Motivation has an important role in activating or inhibiting student learning behaviour. Therefore, the educator (teacher) must give particular psychological profile of the student's knowledge and achieve a differentiated education, adapted to the specific needs of individual cognitive and motivational individual.

2. Approach Perspective

The research is carried out from a cognitive perspective, aiming to identify the importance of study and student perceptions of classroom lecture and seminar, identifying students' perception of learning competence in a particular discipline and accountability in the conduct of the learning process, the identification strategy applied if successful and unsuccessful.

3. Describing Methods and Theories

Theories on motivation are numerous; some of the classical theories on motivation are presented below. Thus, Abraham Maslow hierarchy of human needs model identifies seven categories of needs/ needs, organized hierarchically in a pyramid: physiological necessities, needs security, needs of love and belonging to the group, needs self-esteem, needs cognitive, aesthetic and necessities for achievement, distinguishing between lower and higher necessities. C.P. Alderfer ERG theory necessities classified into three major classes: necessities of existence (E - Existence), relational (R - Relatedness) and growth (G - Growth). D. McClelland believes that human needs can be acquired through experience and learning (in contrast to the unconscious nature of the needs of the other authors) and identifies three distinct needs that manifests itself closely with the work environment (the needs of achievement, affiliation and power). V.H. Vroom argues, according to theory of expectations that people choose rather individually and rational behaviours that they expected to be the most suitable to achieve objectives based on effort, usefulness or behaviour perceived value [5, 114-138], [6,111-125].

A. Maslow's theory has implications in education. In order to satisfy the needs of higher order (to know and understand performance) learners (students etc.) must first meet the needs of lower, i.e. to be well fed and rested, to feel safe, relaxed, loved and appreciated and have a high self-esteem. Only then, they will get a high return. Therefore, the teacher should ensure that the classroom atmosphere is pleasant, friendly, no need to threaten students/leamers with low grades or punishment, can help them to trust in their own forces and thereby have a high self-esteem.

Another theory about the educational process is the theory proposed by Bernard Weiner award (1979). In this theory there are four factors that influence motivation in learning and education: skills, intelligence (internal factor, stable and uncontrollable) task difficulty (external factor, stable, uncontrollable) effort (internal factor, incidentally, controllable) and luck (factor external variable uncontrollably). Weiner's research showed that, most often, Learners believes that their success is due to their intelligence (internal and stable cause) and less opportunity, lack of difficulty of the task or effort, and failure is the result of a lack of chance (external cause and unstable), which leaves the possibility of future success. But if repeated failures, then the student will consider that they are a result of the difficulty matter or lack of objectivity of the teacher.

Assignments made by the learner are closely related to its self-esteem, may influence engagement in school tasks. Thus, a student/university students who believe that their failures are due to learning activity especially lack of intelligence or aptitude, considering that he is not able to solve certain tasks, has a low self esteem and low expectations about its possibilities to succeed in the future. This will decrease the motivation for learning and reduce efforts for the implementation of activities, leading to inefficient behaviour in the face of difficulties; however, if it considers that the failure is due to lack of effort, he will keep hoping that he will succeed and leverage in achieving learning activities [7, 79].

Another theory about the motivation of learning is John Keller's ARCS theory that there are four steps for promoting and sustaining motivation in learning: attention (Attention), relevance (Relevance), tmst (Confidence) and satisfaction (Satisfaction) [8].

4. Research Regarding the Learning Motivation at George Bacovia University, Bacau

4.1. The Applied Research Objectives

* Knowledge of the factors that generate student interest in certain subjects;

* Identify barriers to student learning activity;

* Determination students attitude to learning;

* Determining the relationship between learning motivation and academic performance achieved;

* Identifying ways to stimulate learning motivation.

4.2. The Assumptions of the Applied Research

If students are interested in what they do, they will be actively involved in the learning process; otherwise they will have difficulty learning activity.

If the results are positive learning activity, then students will be motivated to leam more.

4.3. Methodology Applied Research

As a main research method was used based on a questionnaire survey method. The questionnaire is "a system of questions prepared so as to obtain accurate data about a person or group of persons". The questionnaire applied research includes multiple choice questions, questions to challenge explanations and motivations regarding opinions and questions of identification. It is shown in the following.

The sample used in the survey consists of 42 students (of which 26 girls and 16 boys) from the George Bacovia University, Bacau, 2nd grade, aged between 20 and 25 years old. Application questionnaire and interpretation of the results was carried out from October 15 to November 10, 2014.

It was also used indirect observation through the study of research on achievement motivation for learning above (for example, the study can be found at the following website: [9]

QUESTIONNAIRE

Dear student,

In order to draw up a study on the motivation that underlies academic learning, please complete the form below.

Honesty ensures the accuracy of your responses to the survey results.

1. Are you satisfied with (a) the choice made on the faculty / specialization you follow?

Yes *

No *

Bring arguments........................

2. What was the determining factor in choosing faculty / specialization?

a) Family

b) Teachers

c) Decision own

d) school psychologist

e) Others....................................................................................

3. What expectations you had when you chose college?

4. Do you think that the chosen faculty meets these expectations?

a) Yes

b) Somewhat

c) No

d) Do not know

5.1 believe that what I leam in college is useful:

a) only in exams and tests

b) the future exams (license)

c) for a future profession

d) for life in general

6. How motivated are you to deepen knowledge?

a) very motivated

b) less motivated

c) not at all motivated

7. What motivates you to leam? Circle the five variants that suit you most.

a) learning satisfaction

b) academic success

c) respect and gratitude of parents

d) responsibility

e) to become something in life

f) To gain skills and / or develop skills already acquired

g) overcoming

h) take examinations

i) severity / high demands on teacher assessment

j) The teacher inspires respect me, being a role model for me

k) I like to study, I awakens curiosity allows me to launch new hypotheses (ideas)

l) The teacher makes an accurate assessment

m) my parents urges me to leam, I leam forced by them

n) Obtaining a diploma

8. What do you think prevents you leam better?

a) I will

b) So as I can

c) I have no time

d) I do not care what they do at university

e) I do not want

f) Not to be considered a nerd

g) For my family it does not matter

h) I do not understand anything of what is taught

i) The teacher does not appreciate me / valorises

j) Do not know effective learning techniques

k) It is of not used to what I wanted to do later

l) I do not know / I do not answer

9. If you have failed at school to what extent you propose:

a) to leam more

b) to remain the same as before

c) a level that you can perform with their own possibilities

d) to be helped by colleagues

e) to seek help from family

f) ask your teacher

g) to ask your faculty leadership, alleging the quality of teacher performance

h) you indifferent situation

i) other objectives, namely

10. But when you succeed, how much you propose:

a) to get even better results

b) to get the same results as before

c) to help your fellow weaker

d) to participate in competitions, contests, symposiums student

e) to overcome the main results of colleagues who compete

f) to gain popularity and respect of colleagues

g) other objectives (which)

11. What do you think should be done for students to participate more actively in the learning process?

a) the information taught to be useful and attractive set

b) the atmosphere during the hours to be pleasant and stimulating learning

c) theoretical knowledge to be applied within hours of seminar / laboratory visits, study tours, designed to

d) teachers ask them to think, to judge, to assert ideas and take account of their ideas

e) be rewarded with praise, positive feedback, encouragement, awards

f) be rewarded with gifts, money and other benefits received

g) more... What?

12. The general annual average in the previous academic year was:

13. How do you appreciate the learning motivation on a scale from 1 to 10? Make one choice only.

Specialization

Grade

Sex: (Male or female)

Age

Thank you for your collaboration!

4.4. Analysis and Interpretation of Data Obtained

Analyzing the answers of the subjects in the study, we found that:

In item 1 "are satisfied (a) of choice on the faculty / specialization they follow" considers that 98% of subjects selected faculty are satisfied and only 2% are not satisfied with the choice.

In item 2, the responses show that 88% of college students have chosen their own initiative, 10% of subjects were determined by family and 2% others.

In item 3 on expectations taken when selecting your college, subjects had different answers: development of skills already acquired in high school at higher level, accumulating as much knowledge and apply them in future profession, professionalism of teachers and environment pleasant learning useful knowledge gained in life in general, specializing in the field.

In item 4, 27 students chosen faculty believes that meets these expectations, 12 students chose the answer "somewhat" and only 3 students do not know if it responds or not.

In item 5, "I think that what I leam in college is useful" subjects consider that what they are taught uses: for a future profession (25 of 42) "for further examinations" (10 of 42) "semester exams "(5 of 42), and only 2" for life".

In item 6, "How motivated are you to deepen knowledge" answers show that 90% of students are highly motivated to deepen knowledge and only 10% are less motivated.

In item 7, respondents estimated that the top five reasons why learners are to become something in life, responsibility, to gain skills and / or develop skills already acquired, overcome and I like to study. The least important reasons are: to pass the exam, severity / high demands on teacher assessment, the parents insisted I leam, I am forced to leam.

In item 8, "What do you think prevents you leam better?". The most cited reason is lack of time, followed by I will not know effective learning techniques. The fewest responses were obtained from I do not care what they do in university, my family does not matter, I do not understand anything of what is taught. None of the respondents consider valid the following answers: I do not use as I wanted to do it later, do not want, and do not want to be considered a nerd.

In item 9, "If you have failed at school to what extent you propose", 23 of the 42 subjects want to leam more, 12 prefer to seek help from teachers and only 7 of the respondents suggest a level that it can realize its possibilities.

In item 10, "But when you succeed, how much you propose" subjects responded as follows: 71% to obtain even better results, 14% to obtain the same results as before, 5% to participate in competitions, contests, student symposia, 2% to exceed the results of the main competing colleagues, 2% to gain popularity and respect of peers and 5% other replacement apparatus. No student wants to help their weaker peers in school.

In item 11, "What do you think should be done for students to participate more actively in the learning process", most important three measures that could be taken answers students consider to be: theoretical knowledge to be applied within hours seminar / laboratory visits, study tours, the project, the information taught to be useful and attractive set, teachers ask them to think, to judge, to assert ideas and take account of their ideas. The least important measures such as rewarding the praise, positive feedback, encouragement, and reward prizes through gifts, money and other benefits received.

Using data obtained from the questionnaire, we used Excel statistical function to determine Pearson correlation between motivation and outcomes (overall average in this case). The value obtained is 0.69, which indicates a close link between motivation and performance of students in the sample investigated.

Conclusions

Learning motivation is that which gives meaning and coherence acts of learning and living subjectively tension. There is a tension resulting from the confrontation of needs of the learner with how their content is difficult, requirements, circumstances and results of learning.

Whether interaction with the source of information is guided by a manifest intention to leam, as if actively participate in the lesson, or whether arising as a latent learning, implicit, without the express intention of learning, in all cases there is a motivation for learning a "why" of it.

Although for all students there is a common goal of learning activity consisting in acquiring certain knowledge, skills and abilities, the subjective sense of learning can be very different, depending on the nature of motivation.

The subjects of the study sample in the present study, overrides individual reasons (personal) - to become something in life, overcoming and cognitive - to gain skills and / or develop skills already acquired, I like to study. If young children outweigh extrinsic reasons, with the passage of time become dominant intrinsic reasons, it revealed by our study.

If we consider the reasons why students do not leam the most cited is the lack of time, many students were involved in other activities. Other students do not know effective learning techniques, which prevents them from obtaining higher school performance.

To improve motivation for learning, students consider the main solutions would be: applying theoretical knowledge within hour's seminar / laboratory visits, study tours, the project information taught to be useful and attractive set, teachers ask them to think, to judge, to assert ideas and take account of their ideas.

Research hypotheses are confirmed. The correlative analysis of data obtained from the questionnaire, illustrate that if students perceive the study as useful (60% of the studied subjects deemed useful for future profession), they will become more involved in the learning activity 90% of them are highly motivated to deepen knowledge. If the results are positive for learning activity, the students are motivated to leam and more (71% of students chose to leam more). Pearson coefficient calculated value of 0.69 shows a close link between learning motivation and educational outcomes achieved.

Just having effective learning techniques, and positive motivation, by intrinsic learning students can achieve a systematic, conscious self that will ensure academic success and then their future employability. It is therefore necessary to find ways to develop students a positive motivation for learning.

References

References

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[2] Dumitriu, Gh., (1995). Psihologia educafiei. Course, Bacau University

[3] Neacçu, I., (1978). Motivafie §i învâfare, Didactic and Pedagogic Publishing House, Bucharest

[4] Popescu - Neveanu, P., (1978), Dicfionar de psihologie, Albatros Publishing House, Bucharest

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[8] http://edweb.sdsu.edu/courses/edtec670/archives/cases-F02/edtec540/ ARCSModelHandout.pdf

[9] http://www.cmbrae.ro/upload/Raport_Studiu motivatia in invatare v 1 .pdf