27
Malone, T.W., & Lepper, M.R. (1987). Making learning fun: A taxonomy of intrinsic motivations for learning. In R.E. Snow & M.J Farr (Eds.), Aptitude, learning, and instruction volume 3: Conative and affective process analyses (pp. 223-253). Hillsdale, NJ: Lawrence Erlbaum Associates, Publishers.
Background
Malone and Lepper (1987) had a focus with instructional design built entirely on intrinsic motivation, using a definition from Bruner of “one that finds both its source and its reward in its own exercise,” and making a learning environment fun (p. 223). Their argument was centered on the fact that intrinsic motivation is inherently necessary for learner engagement with activities. As such, they introduced a taxonomy with two parts for designing intrinsically motivating educational environments: individual motivations and interpersonal motivations. This taxonomy relies on elements of competition, challenge, curiosity, control, fantasy, and work with peers to engage the learner on various levels to keep them engaged through the entire learning process.
Key Points
- Learning is most likely to happen when it is both intrinsically motivating and endogenous.
- Intrinsic: Engaging in learning for its own sake rather than to receive an external reward or gain
- Endogenous: Authentic, integral relationship between content and motivation
- Four kinds of intrinsic motivations that are individual: Challenge, curiosity, control, and fantasy.
- Three types of interpersonal motivation: Cooperation, competition, and recognition.
- Intrinsic motivation is inherently individual but encouraging interpersonal relationship and student interactions with the use of categories can help gauge the effectiveness of different motivation-based environments.
- This taxonomy is most effective when the environments involve as many motivations as possible rather than picking and choosing.
- Feedback in this taxonomy should be frequent, clear, constructive, and encouraging for the learner to be as efficient as possible (p. 232).
- Instructors need to be very thorough when choosing what they are using in the classroom with their learners and clearly defining tools (“used as a means to achieve some external goal”) versus toys (“used with no external goal”) for optimal student success (p. 234).
- Clearly defined goals are necessary for success with intrinsic motivation.
- Allow the learner to have a certain amount of control in their learning environment for an empowering learning experience and increased intrinsic motivation.
Design Principles and Examples
Malone and Lepper (1987) introduced a taxonomy with two parts that work together for intrinsic motivation in educational environments: individual motivation and interpersonal motivation. Figure 1 :Individual motivations in intrinsically motivating educational environments. (Tropf, 2019, para. 3-4) shows the individual motivations. Activities and engagements should provide the following within the four elements:
- Challenge
-