Intrinsic Motivation and Engagement

In my last post, I shared research about positive correlations between intrinsic motivation and creativity.  When identifying intrinsic and extrinsic motivations in the classroom, it helps to think about the locus of control.  If the teacher is directing students’ artwork, the motivators are primarily extrinsic – assigned skills and content, deadlines, and possibly grades. Art assignments where both content and media are tightly prescribed leave little room for creative input by the artist.  Most of the decisions have already been made by the teacher!  Choices enable students to take ownership of their work; more choices provide greater autonomy. Deci and Ryan (1985, p. 238) state that intrinsic motivation engages learners.  Self-directed learners are driven by intrinsic motivation.  They question, intuit, improvise, play, take risks, reflect, revise and defer as needed to meet their own goals.  These kinds of behaviors promote engagement.

How can art teachers provide greater opportunities for intrinsic motivation while still meeting district requirements and standards?  Look at the mastery objectives for the lesson or unit.  These are the learning goals and essential understandings for students (Saphier, Haley-Speca & Gower, 2008).  Activities and art projects are not the objectives; they are the means to reach objectives.  For example, if the mastery objective of a lesson on color theory is to understand how artists can utilize the color wheel, a likely activity is painting.  Students can practice color mixing, contrast color harmonies, and explore saturation.  If they are meeting lesson objectives, the specific subject matter of their painting does not need to be assigned.  By allowing students to choose their own content, they will be intrinsically motivated through personal relevancy. When inquiry into a particular theme is the mastery objective, let students select from varied media to meet this objective. This promotes differentiated learning, as each individual chooses how to best meet the same lesson objectives. 

Sometimes my mastery objective is for learners to acquire a specific skill and I control the work; my students are extrinsically motivated because the activity is required.  For self-directed learning, my overall mastery objectives are for learners to problem find and match their ideas with appropriate media, or to expand skills through materials exploration. The photos show two third grade students in the same class, on the same day.  The boy is cutting out characters that he has drawn and will play with later. The girl is in the beginning stages of a long-term architectural project that she planned over the summer. These examples illustrate short-term and long-term engagement in art activities that are intrinsically motivated.  When students self-direct, they are in control of decisions about their artwork and this autonomy leads to high engagement. 

Diane Jaquith
Burr Elementary School
Newton, MA
didij@aol.com

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References
-Deci, E. L. and Ryan, R. M. (1985). Intrinsic motivation and self-determination in human behavior.  New York: Plenum Press.
-Saphier, J., Haley-Speca, M., Gower, R. (2008).  The skillful teacher.  Acton, MA: Research for Better Teaching.