Jak motywować studentów? : próba udzielenia odpowiedzi w świetle teorii autodeterminacji Richarda Ryana i Edwarda Deci’ego

Abstract

The article addresses the claim that efficient motivating means that lecturers adjust their actions to student’s motivation. A key to student motivation, or in other words, controlling their behavior, lies in proper diagnosis of a type of motivation or regulation that prevails in the process of learning and studying. The author introduces the notion of self-determination continuum formulated by Richard Ryan and Edward Deci, by means of which we are able to diagnose whether students are motivated to study. It consists of six motivational constructs observed in students, namely, amotivation, external regulation, introjection, identification, integration and intrinsic motivation (immanent one). Immanent motivation refers to those who study because it is inherently interesting and patterns of teachers’ behavior, in other words, ways and styles of teaching. These styles comprise the so called teacher’s roles. Those patterns of behavior can be brought to role patterns by means of which lecturers are able to adjust themselves to a type of their students’ motivation. The author presents the following styles: lessaiz-faire (or indifference) that matches intrinsic motivation; a reliable counselor that matches integration; a consultant whose behavior goes well with identification; an informant whose role refers to introjection; and an expert who takes account of student’s motivation based on external regulation. Amotivation is the most undesirable condition, for it requires that a student is offered help, which paves the way for his/her reflection on the sense of studying a certain subject.