The Relationship Between Motivation and Instructional Design

The relationship between motivation and instructional design is to include sets of strategies in systematic design activities to enhance learning motivation. According to Keller (1984), it is a rationalization in that we know that no matter how motivated learners are when they begin a course, it is not too difficult to bore them, if not kill their interest totally. Conversely, it is possible to stimulate or even inspire the students' desire to achieve. He also stated that motivation can be controlled by the appropriate application of rules and reinforcements. In his Development and Use of the ARCS Model of Instructional Design, he tried to confirm his assumption by examining these two specific questions. First, is it possible to synthesize the many concepts and theories of human motivation into a simple, meaningful model, or schema, that would be useful to a practitioner? Secondly, is it possible to develop a systematic, as opposed to the intuitive approach to designing motivating instruction? The ARCS Model has been developed and field-tested to explore these questions. Of course, the answer to both questions is yes.

The ARCS model includes a systematic design process to stimulate the motivation to learn. It is based upon expectancy-value theory (Tolman,1932; Lewin,1938). The expectancy-value theory assumes that people are motivated to engage in an activity if it is perceived to be linked to the satisfaction of personal needs, and if there is a positive expectancy for success.

The ARCS model defines four major categories, Attention, Relevance, Confidence, and Satisfaction, that has to be met for people to become and remain motivated. First, the model says that attention is a prerequisite for learning. However, in teaching, the real challenge is how to continue the attention of learners. The strategy to extend learners' attention is to use inquiry and participation. For example, using creativity techniques, problems solving activities, games, and role-playing in teaching. The second strategy is to make learning relevant. If students feel that what they are learning now is related to their current and future work, they will be more motivated. Examples such as to satisfy the need for affiliation and the need for achievement are good application techniques. The third strategy is to enhance learners' confidence because confidence can influence a student's persistence and sense of accomplishment. Some more detailed strategies include giving students clearly stated, appealing learning goals, providing self-evaluation tools, organizing materials on an increasing level of difficulty, attributing student success to effort, and allowing students opportunities to become increasingly independent in learning…etc. The last category or strategy is to make people feel good about their accomplishments and having a feeling of satisfaction. Some of these strategies are giving praise for successful progress, giving unexpected rewards, praising positive outcomes, avoiding negative influences and providing frequent reinforcements

             The ARCS model lists many practical techniques for instructors to enhance student confidence in learning. The model also shows that the motivation for learning can be enhanced through instructional skills. It mainly uses strategies to increase learners’ attention, relevance, confidence, and satisfaction. More importantly, these techniques can be systematically designed and incorporated into the learning process.

Reference

Keller, J. M. (n.d.). Development and use of the ARCS model of instructional design. Retrieved from https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/BF02905780