Pupil Motivation

UFA Innovation Award

In conjunction with the Cornwall UFA partnership (and the UFA Innovation grants), it will develop
materials for study support that utilise Neuro Linguistic Programming (NLP), to support students in
developing a personal toolkit for managing and improving their own self-esteem, learning and
motivation. Brain Wave piloted the NLP Motivation Survey . . .

Topic Area: Educational NLP* Techniques and Approaches

Specific Study: Pupil Motivation

One of the best things about receiving this award was the freedom it gave to explore a specific area
of interest with colleagues. This obviously resulted in developing materials and approaches which
could be used in a variety of contexts. The team approach and shared values of learner
empowerment and enrichment enabled initiatives to be explored with honest, open, enthusiasm.

The ideas behind Educational NLP* were introduced during one of the Fellowship Training Days and
generated much interest. The Innovation Grant has allowed a group of UFA Fellows to explore the
techniques in more detail and start to integrate them into their own practice. Without the grant we
would not have been able to focus energies on one very specific area in the detail that we have, nor
capitalise on the interest that was generated. For example the Local Educational Authorities
statistician is very interested in using the data from the Motivational Survey in looking at pupil
performance and value added measures. The possibilities of linking hard and soft measures of
student performance are very exciting.

The development (and possible future enhancement) of the on-line survey means that this pilot has
been open to a wide range of users. The drive now is to explore the possibility of developing this
resource and make it even more interactive, and from the users point of view, more immediate.

As far as students are concerned, the pilot groups have benefited from the process. Although not
always fully seeing the relevance of the survey (simply because it was not always possible to set the
full context for the pilot groups), they have been able to question the way they approach learning and,
perhaps more importantly, consider how they could value and improve their own performance. The
materials that have been developed during the pilot phase have been used in both class and out of
hours contexts with equally positive results. The Innovation Award will allow the materials to be
shared with UFA Fellows in a form that is both practical and useable, even by those who have had no
specific training in Educational NLP* - the techniques used being built into the materials and
interactive presentation. Obviously were only scratching the surface here, there is much more on
offer, but the grant has allowed us to focus on one area in some detail and look carefully at the what
and how of learner motivation. At the very least it has made explicit, testable and replicable some
valuable approaches to teaching and learning.

In the context of motivation, the Innovation Grant was a resource that motivated me to pull together
the various thoughts and experiences I had had about Educational NLP*, present them to others and
benefit from their opinions, comments and criticisms. The UFA Fellows acting as critical friends
during the process has been invaluable. It is hoped that because of this the resulting materials will be
applicable in a wide range of contexts and for a range teaching styles.
The teaching and learning community best thrives and develops by the sharing of good practice. All
too often that sharing is limited to colleagues in the same department, in the same school. Sharing on
a local area level is often quite difficult and when in comes to considering sharing nationally the
prospect is quite daunting. What the UFA are doing well and are empowering their partners to do is
just this share practice at local and national levels. They provide the structure and support to do
this. The Innovation Grant is one of the major ways of making this sharing happen. Without it the
thoughts, material and strategies that are being shared within this project would not have been given
form and substance; they would not have been developed across schools in a variety of contexts and
they would not have been reproduced in a form that others could readily use. If just one of the ideas
explored in this project makes a difference in terms of learner empowerment then the grant has been
worthwhile. At the risk of sounding immodest, from the feedback that has been received we know that
much of the thinking behind Educational NLP* and the sharing of approaches has already made a
difference and weve only just begun.

Alan Jones
Project Mentor
August 2002
*Educational NLP-refers to the ideas and techniques developed by Richard Bandler and John
Grinder as NLPTM (NeuroLinguistic Programming) applied in an Educational Context. Educational
NLP is a term that I have coined for this project and for further developmental work in this area.

Synopsis

This questionnaire attempts to provide a way of measuring pupil motivational towards learning. It has
been developed from a set of questions used in an action research project at Pool School &
Community College, Cornwall, and is intended to form part of a set of tools and approaches which
will be developed through a UFA Innovation grant. The questionnaire focuses on eight distinct
measures of pupil attitude and self-belief. These being Motivation, Internal Motivation, External
Motivation, Internal Reference, External Reference, Interest/Value, Confidence and Competence.
These measures have been derived and adapted from existing research and so bring together a
range of ideas in order to produce a workable measure of learner motivation.

Overview

It has been said that everything we do is motivated by something - fear, hunger, the desire for
self-fulfilment. In very simple terms the need for survival (both personal and of the species)
motivates us as individuals in very obvious ways; ways wed sometimes prefer to ignore
perhaps. There are processes that operate a very basic level within the human animal.
Evolutionary Psychology, a relatively new area of study, seeks to match basic behaviours to
some evolutionary drive or motivation. Some very interesting work has been done on the
nature of sexual attraction, male and female roles and so on. What interests us as educators
is the degree to which a pupil participates in the learning process. Of course underlying this
is a curiosity about the reasons or goals that underlie involvement (or non-involvement) in
academic activities. Indeed whilst pupils may be equally motivated to perform a task or do
well, the sources of their motivation may differ considerably. As Lepper (1988) noted some
individuals are intrinsically motivated and undertake a particular activity for its own sake.
In terms of learning this means that they become involved for the enjoyment it provides, the
learning it permits, or the feelings of accomplishment it evokes. The converse of this being
those students who are extrinsically motivated, and perform in order to obtain some
reward or avoid some sort of punishment. Some writers have chosen to define the
motivation to learn as being outside of this simple duality. Marshall (1987) defined the
motivation to learn as the meanigfulness, value and benefits of academic tasks to the
learner which implies that they (the tasks) need not be intrinsically interesting. In the
questionnaire developed as part of this project it was important to consider the nature of
motivation as far as it concerned the individuals willingness to take an active role in
educational activities. It is from this concern that a conscious decision was taken to explore
the notions of internal motivation and external motivation (Mariani 1999 and others).

There is a growing body of evidence to suggest that students who are internally motivated tend to
employ strategies that demand more effort and that enable them to process information more deeply
(Lepper 1988). J. Condry and J. Chambers (1978) found that when students were confronted with
complex intellectual tasks, internally motivated pupils used more logical information-gathering and
decision-making strategies than did students who were extrinsically oriented.

According to Lepper (1988) students with an intrinsic orientation tend to prefer tasks that are
moderately challenging, whereas extrinsically oriented students gravitate toward tasks that are low
in degree of difficulty. Extrinsically oriented students are inclined to put forth the minimal amount of
effort necessary to get the maximal reward.

The implication here is that individuals with high internal motivation are the more persistent and
effective learners.

According to Brophy (1987), motivation to learn is a competence acquired "through general

experience and stimulated most directly through modeling, communication of expectations, and direct
instruction or socialization by significant others (especially parents and teachers)." Here Brophy notes
the importance of effective role-models, clear learning objectives and expectations as well as
teachers becoming what has been termed socializing agents of change. In conversations with
pupils it is clear that they respond more favourably to teachers who not only appear to walk their talk
but who also set clear guidelines. Much of this forming part, of what Hay-McBeer call, the classroom
climate

Banduras Self-efficacy Theory

Bandura (1993) suggests that the ability to learn new skills and information is influenced by feelings
of self-efficacy. Self-efficacy is composed of at least two components: beliefs about whether one is
capable of performing (or learning) some task; and beliefs about whether such performance will lead
to desirable outcomes.

The theory further suggests that the two most powerful sources of self-efficacy come from the
learners own previous experiences with similar tasks, and from observing others experiences. In
addition, verbal persuasion and physiological states can contribute to self-efficacy judgments.

The difference between self-efficacy and self-esteem is the notion that the former can differ greatly
between one task and another they reflect the individuals beliefs about performing a particular
task.

When students are given a sense of self-worth, competence, autonomy, and self-efficacy, they will be
more apt to accept the risks inherent in learning. Conversely, when students do not view themselves
as basically competent and able, their freedom to engage in academically challenging pursuits and
capacity to tolerate and cope with failure are greatly diminished.

Attribution Theory

Attribution Theory offers another insight motivation. According to the theory our beliefs about
the causes of our successes and failures influence our future motivation. We tend to attribute
success and failure to factors that vary along three dimensions: internal-external, stable-
unstable, and controllable-uncontrollable. (DeGrada & Minetti 1988; Stipek 1993; Comoldi
1995)
Internal factors are those within the individual, while external factors come from others or the
environment. Thus if a student performed very well in a maths test they might attribute their
performance internally to the fact that they studied for eleven hours, or externally to the thought that it
was a very easy test.

They might attribute their good performance to a stable factor, such as an aptitude for maths, or to an
unstable factor luck.

Further they might attribute it to a controllable factorthe amount of effort they expended, or to an
uncontrollable factor the examiner made a mistake in grading the test.

These attributions will have a major effect upon a students ability to perform; their level of
(general) motivation and their willingness to step outside of their own comfort zone.

The Questionnaire

In constructing the questionnaire it was decided to create eight distinct sub-measures of motivation
drawn from the ideas above. These sub-measures are:-

General Motivation questions related to a students approach to a learning task

Internal Motivation an attempt to discover attitudes to self-directed goals

External Motivation the extent to which the student feels they are driven by others

Internal Causality (Reasons) representing ownership of success

External Causality (Excuses) the degree to which the student disowns task outcomes

Interest/Value (Whats In It For Me) intrinsic value of education/learning

Competence attempting to explore student perception of self (efficacy)

Confidence attempting to explore students active participation in learning

It will be obvious to the reader that these eight measures seek to explore various elements that have
been identified by previous authors. It will also be obvious that important factors like self-belief
(often experienced as self-talk by the learner) are encompassed within the defined measures. What
has been omitted from this version of the questionnaire are certain elements of the attribution
theory; specifically the notion of stable-unstable pairings. The other pairings (namely
internal/external and controllable/uncontrollable) are reflected in the Causality and Motivation
measures. It is worth noting that the notion of an excuses person and a reasons person arose from
focus group discussions with pupils who had been part of the initial action research project. They (the
pupils) were able to see how an excuse need not be the same as a reason. In their words one
could easily be a cop out and not necessarily lead to dealing with the root cause of undesired
outcomes.

Responses to the questionnaire are defined according to a seven-point Likert Scale, seven points
being seen as of more value for later statistical analysis. Variables on the scale are ordinal variables.
Although integer values are used it does not follow that each step in the scale is in any sense equal.
Since standard analyses are based on the assumption that the residuals are normally distributed they
may not really work on a 5 point scale. In the case of T tests, the assumption is that the original
variable conforms to a normal distribution within each of the groups that are being compared. So
data coming from a 5-point Likert scale can never be normally distributed, because a variable that
has only 5 integer values simply can't be. A normally distributed variable has to be effectively a
continuous variable. Also the distribution of a normal variable is symmetrical, and that is unlikely form
a 5-point scale unless the mean is on the middle of the scale. (Hopkins 2001)

In terms of Integer Labeling for the sake of the respondent the associations are as follows:-

1 2 3 4 5 6 7
Not like Somewhat Like Exactly Like
me Me Me
Disagree No strong Agree
feelings
I never do I Sometimes do I always do
this this this

Respondents will need to be encouraged to think carefully about awarding the marks across the
seven-point scale. Habituation and lack of time spent considering personal responses will clearly
affect the measures.

Scoring

Measure Score Assumed

Range Mean
Motivation 5 35 20
Internal Motivation -3 27 12
External Motivation -3 27 12
Internal Causality 5 35 20
External Causality 5 35 20
Interest/Value -16 - 32 8
Competence -18 - 18 6
Confidence -11 - 19 4

There are some interesting hypotheses that can be stated prior to the publication and use of this
questionnaire and it will be these that will inform the next stage of the developmental process.

Hypothesis 1:

Pupils scoring over 50 on the measures Motivation, Internal Motivation & External Motivation, will be
those pupils who generally strive to achieve. School reports will show that they are able to apply
themselves in lessons, have developed good study skills and respond positively to new learning
challenges. They may well be the self-starters with regards school-work and will tend to prefer
working on their own. Comparisons between the Internal and External motivational scores will have a
bearing upon the learning environment that is created in lessons and fostered in the home.

Hypothesis 2:
Pupils scoring between 26 & 35 on the External Causality scale, and have a correspondingly low
Confidence (<3) and Competence (<5) score, will be those pupils for whom school is a chore. (The
suggestion is that these pupils will also score low on the Motivational sub-measures). They may have
difficulty in receiving feedback and thus find themselves being stuck when it comes to application of
learning. They may find it difficult to accept their role in creating and sustaining a learning
environment. They may not necessarily be considered to be a problem in terms of behaviour, but
may well be switched off and almost certainly underachieving.

Hypothesis 3:

Pupils with a score of over 28 on the Interest/Value measure will tend to be involved in many aspects
of school life, probably actively contributing to it. They will find a way to express their specific talents
within the curriculum although and will be the enthusiastic (not necessarily effective) learner.

Hypothesis 4:

There will be a strong positive correlation between academic achievement and high scores on the
Motivational, Interest/Value, Competence & Confidence scores.

Hypothesis 5:

Pupils scoring less than 8 on the Competence and Confidence sub-measures will have
corresponding low scores on the Motivational attributes. (Perhaps External Causality will be above
the mean). They will find transfer of skills and learning difficult and may well be identified within the
school as having low self-esteem or even as being disruptive; especially if the main motivating factor
is external.

Using the Questionnaire

Initially it has been designed as a tool to accompany a programme of educational coaching and
support. Each of the measures will form a point of discussion and debate within the context of
mentoring and raising achievement. It is hoped that the teachers who use this tool will have the
necessary skills to guide the pupil through the analysis of results and subsequent personal reflection.

In the longer term, once data as been collected and analysed, it will be possible to link these
measures to real-life descriptors, which in turn will enable it to be used as a self-diagnostic tool. In
terms of the eventual web-version of this questionnaire it is hoped that there will be meaningful on-
line support and a range of links so that the user can not only explore aspects of their learning, but
also seek to challenge some of their own limiting beliefs. It is envisaged that this will be part of a suit
of packages that will encourage the individual (student, teacher, parent) to become actively involved
in discovering their own learning potential.

It is hoped that, in terms of the educational coaching this questionnaire will promote, some link will be
explored between the identified measures, aspects of Self-Determination Theory, NLP, and Learning
& Thinking Styles.

Alan Jones April 2002

 www.educationalcoach.co.uk

References
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 Question Attribute
1 2 3 4 5 6 7
1 It is important to me to do well in school Internal Motivation
2 I understand my school work because I put a lot of effort in Internal Motivation
3 I often do extra work because I enjoy learning new things Internal Motivation
4 To get on in life you don't have to be good at school work Internal Motivation
5 I have some clear ideas about what I want to do when I leave school Internal Motivation
6 If I do badly inschool my parents will be angry (upset) External Motivation
7 I work hard because I like getting praised for my efforts External Motivation
8 I work much harder in the lessons when the teacher is strict External Motivation
9 I often feel that I have to do work when I don't want to External Motivation
10 I don't really care about what people think about my school work External Motivation
11 If I get a bad mark in a test it's because I haven't studied hard enough Internal Cause
12 I get good marks in the subjects I work hardest at Internal Cause
13 When I get told off in class it's mostly because I'm not doing as I am asked Internal Cause
14 I feel I get the marks I deserve Internal Cause
15 It's down to me to do well in school - I get out what I put in! Internal Cause
16 It's difficult to work in some lessons because the teacher can't control the class External Cause
17 When I get told off in class it's because my friends distract me External Cause
18 Teachers seem to pick on me and blame me for everything when the class is naughty External Cause
19 If I get a good mark in a test its because I've been lucky External Cause
20 If I don't understand my work it's because the teacher can't explain things well External Cause
21 I enjoy school very much Interest/Value
22 I think school is mosty boring Interest/Value
23 I enjoy most of my lessons Interest/Vaule
24 I think most of my lessons are boring Interest/Ivalue
25 School is important Value/Interest
26 What I learn in school will help me in later life Value/Interest
27 Most of my lessons in school have nothing to do with real life Value/Interest
28 I tend to listen to my teachers instructions Value/Interest
29 When I get stuck then first thing I do is ask for help Competence
30 I can generally see connections between different subjects in school Competence
31 I think I do pretty well compared to others in my class Competence
32 I am satisfied with my level of effort in school Competence
33 When I make a mistake I get upset and feel that I can't do it Competence
34 I find most school work difficult Competence
35 I hand my work in on time Motivation
36 I generally start a task as soon as I am given it Motivation
37 I find it easy to focus on my work Motivation
38 I like to work out problems on my own Motivation
39 I will often read books or watch TV programmes at home about the things I do in Motivation
school
40 I often answer questions in class Confidence
41 I have no problem in asking for help when I am really having difficulty Confidence
42 I often feel bad about my work Confidence
43 If given a choice I will tend to try something difficult or more challenging Confidence
44 I'm not as clever as most of the people in my class Confidence

Alan Jones: www.educationalcoach.co.uk

All rights reserved - developed as part of UFA Innovation Grant 2002

This material is copyright and for use only by those persons involved in the pilot stage
of development.