Objectives

To determine the causes of students' motivation in a previous work environment.

To apply various theories/models of motivation to student experiences.

Introduction

The overall purpose of this exercise is for students to consider a time in which they exhibited both high and low performance and to analyze those situations from a motivational perspective. Motivation involves the psychological processes that arouse and direct behavior. The exercise gives students an opportunity to apply any number of motivation theories that are presented in the course textbook. (Use your textbook for this exercise).

In the exercise, examine a time in your lives when you were performing at your best and what motivated you to do so.

Instructions -One group member will submit the work for the group. Students will complete the matrices individually and the group will answer the questions together.

You will need the matrix shown at the end of this exercise. Individually complete the matrix by first thinking of a situation in which you were highly motivated to complete either a work-related project or a school assignment. Describe the situation in the first column of the matrix. Next, complete the second column which identifies the factors that contributed to your motivation. Follow the same instructions for the last two columns that focus on a situation in which you had very low motivation.

In your group, share your completed matrices. Keep notes on the common factors that contributed to both high and low motivation.

Determine what the common factors were for both high and low motivation as well as what theories and models motivated the members of the group.

Answer the questions below as a group.

Questions for Discussion

What common factors contributed to high and low motivation for your group?

What factors uniquely affected some group members and not others?

What do the answers to the first two questions suggest about motivation?

What theories/models of motivation explain the motivation of your group members?