3 Powerful Techniques to Build Student Intrinsic Motivation

By Yan Weng (CEO & Cofounder of Funclass | Harvard M.Ed | 7 years of online education experience)

Ever found yourself struggling with the challenge of keeping your students engaged in your virtual classroom? In effect, student engagement is highly related to learning motivation, which is further divided into extrinsic and intrinsic motivation. In this blog, we will explore the distinction between two types of motivation and why it makes sense to prioritize intrinsic motivation in your classroom. Then, we'll break down the components that constitute intrinsic motivation and provide you with three powerful strategies to build your students' internal drive.

Difference between extrinsic and intrinsic motivation

The distinction between extrinsic and intrinsic motivation is evident - extrinsic motivation is driven by external rewards, such as money, grades, or praise, whereas intrinsic motivation is the internal drive that leads individuals to pursue activities for personal satisfaction or interest. For example, imagine two kids playing chess - one student might participate in chess tournaments to win prizes, recognition, or trophies, and the other student has a genuine love for the complexities of the game, finding joy in the strategic thinking, problem-solving, and intellectual challenges that chess presents.

intrinsic motivation proves to be a more robust and lasting source compared to its extrinsic counterpart. Why? Because it's all about personal fulfillment and genuine interest, creating a commitment to learning that stands strong even without external rewards or pressures. Picture this: if a student relies heavily on external motivators, once those rewards fade away, so does the interest in the activity. Now, the real head-scratcher is this: how do we spark and keep alive that internal motivation in students for an enduring love of learning?

Components of intrinsic motivation

According to the self-determination theory, intrinsic motivation largely depends on three basic psychological needs of all human beings—autonomy, competence, and relatedness.

Autonomy involves the sense of having choices and willingly endorsing one's behavior. The opposite experience is feeling compelled or controlled in one’s behavior. Think about how often your students are forced by their parents to sign up for your course. Have you provided them with any choice in what they want to learn?

Competence encompasses the experience of mastery and effectiveness in one's activities. Consider your students' proficiency in their learning performance; do your less engaged students often exhibit lower levels of competence?

Lastly, relatedness speaks to the innate need for connection and a sense of belonging with others. Do your online classes foster enough opportunities for your learners to connect and collaborate with each other, as it plays a pivotal role in satisfying this crucial psychological need?

How to build your students’ intrinsic motivation

Based on these three elements of intrinsic motivation, now let's dive into some effective strategies to truly captivate your students and ignite their innate passion for learning.

Promote student autonomy

Provide your students with a variety of learning materials aligned with your teaching objectives and let them choose what they are most interested in learning. When students have the freedom to explore what they're passionate about, it satisfies their sense of autonomy. This not only boosts their ownership of the learning but also naturally propels them to delve deeper into the subject.

Build student competence

Build your students’ competence with timely and constructive positive feedback on their learning efforts and improvement. Acknowledging progress, no matter how small, nurtures students’ growth mindset and a sense of achievement.

Funclass provides teachers with exciting rewards to celebrate students' positive learning behaviors—whether it's active participation in class discussions or answering questions correctly in quizzes. This instant acknowledgment not only elevates students' perception of their own competence but also serves as a powerful motivator, propelling their enthusiasm for learning.

Cultivate social relatedness

Foster a sense of social connectedness in your class through activities like breakout rooms, team projects, and in-class collaboration on shared documents. By integrating these activities, you can not only enhance the interpersonal dynamics of your class but also create an inclusive atmosphere that emphasizes the value of collaborative learning.

At Funclass, students can further enhance social relatedness by fighting virtual monsters collectively through quiz challenges. They can also have the opportunity to commend their peers' learning performance by awarding each other badges, contributing to the development of student competence, and fostering a supportive classroom community.

Understanding and addressing the root causes of student disengagement are crucial in online teaching. By promoting autonomy, building competence through positive feedback, and cultivating social relatedness, each teacher can create an environment that fosters enduring learning motivation. Funclass is here to support you with a wide range of interactive tools to maximize your students’ engagement. Sign up to our waitlist today and see how it will transform your online classes!