In "Drive," his landmark book about why people do what they do, Daniel Pink describes the integral link between learning and motivation. It seems that the more you have of one trait, the more likely you are to have the other. Understanding how this works is important for any educator, whether you are teaching in a public school or training new hires at a Fortune 500 corporation.
Learning and Confidence
According to classroom teacher Beverlee Brick, learning is a key component of confidence. As a student becomes more aware of how much he knows and what he can do, his belief in his abilities naturally rises. The opposite of this is equally true. The less aware any student is of his ability, the less he believes he can learn.
Confidence and Motivation
Pink reports that confidence is one of the key components of personal motivation. Put simply, the more you believe you are capable of doing something, the more likely you are to want to do it. People dislike failure so much that only dysfunctional people voluntarily take on tasks at which they know they will fail, and fear of failure is one of the most common reasons for not taking on a challenge.
Upward Spiral
According to both Pink and Brick, learning and motivation interact in a spiral. The more a student learns, the more confident that student becomes. The more confident the student is, the more motivated he is to learn more. That motivation improves his learning rate, which again boosts confidence, which leads to even stronger motivation to learn. Brick further warns that this spiral can also work in reverse, with low perceived success reducing motivation and leading to further degradation of learning.
Improving Learning
Self-help and education guru Tony Robbins recommends "learning by success" as a chief way of improving learning, and thus motivation. According to Robbins, teachers should begin by reviewing skills at the edge of what a student already knows. This creates a sense of, and expectation of, success in the student: instant confidence. From the beginning, students feel confident and motivated, meaning they are more likely to succeed as lessons grow progressively more challenging.
Disguised Repetition
Black belt martial arts instructor and personal fitness coach Ben Cohn recommends disguised repetition as a way of improving both motivation and learning. Disguised repetition is practicing skills in different contexts, giving students many chances to experience the lesson without it feeling repetitive. The result is a student who feels like she has mastered a skill with disproportionately little practice. This leads to even higher level of confidence, accelerating the learning-motivation upward spiral.
References
- "Drive: The Surprising Truth About What Motivates Us"; Daniel Pink; 2008
- Beverlee Brick: Elementary School Teacher; Hillsboro, Ore.
- Ben Cohn; Fitness Coach; Hillsboro, Ore.
- "Unlimited Power"; Tony Robbins; 1998
