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ARCS Model

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Motivation in the Elementary Math Class: Implementing the ARCS Model of Instruction Student motivation has been acknowledged by scholars as a key component linked to academic success and a continuing challenge for educators (Keller, 2010 & Murray, 2011). In fact, Linder, Smart and Cribbs (2015) cite motivation as being essential for student success in mathematical tasks. “Motivation refers broadly to what people desire, what they choose to do, and what they commit to do” (Keller, 2010, p.). It is debated whether students must have intrinsic motivation intuitively or whether teachers are able to inspire motivation through lesson development and implementation. This inquiry led John Keller to investigate how humans behaved in relation to …show more content…

One theory of motivation, Maslow’s theory, is based in the belief that humans are motivated by needs which have been unsatisfied and that in order for certain needs to be met, other lower needs must be met first (Moffett, Frizzell, Brownlee-Williams & Thompson, 2014). Furthermore, Maslow believed that “before one is motivated by cognitive or self-actualization needs, one should have taken care of basic deficiency needs like physiological, security, belonging, and esteem” (Moffett, Frizzell, Brownlee-Williams & Thompson, 2014, p. 429). Even though motivation is overwhelming identified as an indicator of classroom success in the elementary setting, it has not been widely studied specifically in elementary school settings (Greene, 1982). However, according to Keller (2010), human motivation in general has been studied abundantly, contributing to a growing amount of research which may be applied in many settings. Motivational theory, which at one time was only addressed by Maslow’s hierarchy of needs, has evolved and developed as a result of research on the subject and also grounds Keller’s work in developing the ARCS motivational design (Cohen, 1982). Brown, McCord, Matusovich, and Kajfez (2015) note that motivation is linked to a learner’s perceived expectancy in relation to upcoming tasks, the intrinsic and extrinsic potential rewards, and the learner’s levels of self-regulation. In addition, Keller (2010) found

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