Over the past 25 years, the role of motivation in sport has increasingly received attention in scientific research. A model that is central to this research, is Ryan and Deci’s (2000b) Self–determination Theory (SDT), which is based on the assumption that human behaviour is motivated by the extent to which it satisfies the needs for autonomy, competence and relatedness. Surprisingly little research has been done to date on the relation between self–determination and performance among South African rugby players. An improved understanding of the role of motivation in performance among university rugby players, as well as the role of bursary awards, can generate better knowledge and may help to identify, manage and motivate players better at an early stage. The goal of this study was to explore the relation between self–determination and performance among a group of university rugby players. The first objective was to establish whether there are performance differences between players who are intrinsically motivated (IM), extrinsically motivated (EM) and amotivated. A second objective was to establish whether players who receive bursaries are more intrinsically motivated, extrinsically motivated or amotivated, and how this relates to their performance. Participants were an availability sample of 51 u/19 and u/21 university rugby players of the North–West University Rugby Institute who completed the Behavioural Regulation in Sport Questionnaire (BRSQ) (Lonsdale et al., 2008) and who were assessed in terms of performance by themselves, the principal researcher, a sport scientist and the coach. Data was analysed by means of the Spearman ranking correlation coefficient, cluster analyses, the t–test and Chi Square test, to determine the differences in terms of performance between the intrinsically motivated, extrinsically motivated and amotivated participants, and also between bursary holders and non–bursary holders. Because an availability sample was used, the meaningfulness of results according to effect sizes and their guiding values were determined for practical meaningfulness, rather than focusing on statistical inference and p values. Firstly, it was found that IM correlates positively and practically meaningful with autonomous EM and that it correlates negatively (small to practically visible) with controlled EM and amotivation. Autonomous and controlled EM correlate negatively, and with a small effect. These correlations in general fit appropriately in with Ryan and Deci’s (2000b) self–determination continuum. It was found that IM, autonomous EM and bursary awards correlate positively with performance, in contrast with controlled EM and amotivation. It was indicated that both IM and autonomous EM could possibly contribute to a feeling of agency and subsequently to better performance. However, it is important to note that no cause–effect deductions can be made, and that the results cannot necessarily be generalised to other rugby players. The contribution of this study is that it indicates that all forms of EM are not necessarily bad for performance, and that autonomous EM and discerning bursary awards can appropriately motivate rugby players towards performance. The exact nature and mechanism according to which autonomous EM influences performance should, however, be investigated by means of larger random samples in future research. / Thesis (M.A. (Research Psychology))--North-West University, Potchefstroom Campus, 2011.

Over the past 25 years, the role of motivation in sport has increasingly received attention in scientific research. A model that is central to this research, is Ryan and Deci’s (2000b) Self–determination Theory (SDT), which is based on the assumption that human behaviour is motivated by the extent to which it satisfies the needs for autonomy, competence and relatedness. Surprisingly little research has been done to date on the relation between self–determination and performance among South African rugby players. An improved understanding of the role of motivation in performance among university rugby players, as well as the role of bursary awards, can generate better knowledge and may help to identify, manage and motivate players better at an early stage. The goal of this study was to explore the relation between self–determination and performance among a group of university rugby players. The first objective was to establish whether there are performance differences between players who are intrinsically motivated (IM), extrinsically motivated (EM) and amotivated. A second objective was to establish whether players who receive bursaries are more intrinsically motivated, extrinsically motivated or amotivated, and how this relates to their performance. Participants were an availability sample of 51 u/19 and u/21 university rugby players of the North–West University Rugby Institute who completed the Behavioural Regulation in Sport Questionnaire (BRSQ) (Lonsdale et al., 2008) and who were assessed in terms of performance by themselves, the principal researcher, a sport scientist and the coach. Data was analysed by means of the Spearman ranking correlation coefficient, cluster analyses, the t–test and Chi Square test, to determine the differences in terms of performance between the intrinsically motivated, extrinsically motivated and amotivated participants, and also between bursary holders and non–bursary holders. Because an availability sample was used, the meaningfulness of results according to effect sizes and their guiding values were determined for practical meaningfulness, rather than focusing on statistical inference and p values. Firstly, it was found that IM correlates positively and practically meaningful with autonomous EM and that it correlates negatively (small to practically visible) with controlled EM and amotivation. Autonomous and controlled EM correlate negatively, and with a small effect. These correlations in general fit appropriately in with Ryan and Deci’s (2000b) self–determination continuum. It was found that IM, autonomous EM and bursary awards correlate positively with performance, in contrast with controlled EM and amotivation. It was indicated that both IM and autonomous EM could possibly contribute to a feeling of agency and subsequently to better performance. However, it is important to note that no cause–effect deductions can be made, and that the results cannot necessarily be generalised to other rugby players. The contribution of this study is that it indicates that all forms of EM are not necessarily bad for performance, and that autonomous EM and discerning bursary awards can appropriately motivate rugby players towards performance. The exact nature and mechanism according to which autonomous EM influences performance should, however, be investigated by means of larger random samples in future research. / Thesis (M.A. (Research Psychology))--North-West University, Potchefstroom Campus, 2011.

The Sediba project originated when investigations showed that there were many teachers in the North-West Province that did not possess sufficient subject knowledge to teach physical sciences and mathematics. In spite of many in-service training opportunities for teachers, the achievements of learners are still not satisfactory. From interviews with teachers in the Sediba Mathematics Programme the problem of unmotivated learners became apparent. From the literature it appeared that the motivation of teachers has an effect on the motivation of their learners. This study was undertaken as a result of those findings to determine whether the Sediba Mathematics Programme has an effect on the intrinsic motivation of the teachers in the programme. To understand the nature of motivation better, the motivation theories of Maslow, Herzberg, Adams and Vroom were investigated. This investigation made valuable contributions to the study and gave insight into the behaviour patterns of the teachers in certain situations. By means of the literature study a profile of a motivated mathematics teacher could be compiled. It was found that self-concept, self-efficacy, task value and the effect that change has on teachers, could be regarded as determinants of intrinsic motivation. Aided by a questionnaire, an empirical study was done to test the degree to which these determinants were present in the teachers. To bring about triangulation this was followed up by conducting interviews with a sample of the teachers. Furthermore, a mathematics competence test was done. Several models of in-service training were further investigated and the Sediba Mathematics Programme was evaluated on the basis of a set of essential elements for an ideal programme. It was found that the Sediba Programme fulfilled these requirements to a large degree. The empirical investigation, the mathematics competence test and the interviews that were held with teachers delivered the following results. It was found that the Sediba Mathematics Programme did have an effect on the intrinsic motivation of the teachers in the programme. The subject knowledge of the teachers improved significantly after only one year of study. The teachers' self-concept and self-efficacy improved, they regarded their task as important and endeavoured to implement change meaningfully in spite of existing uncertainties. Negative conditions such as overcrowded class-rooms, no/little aids, lack of safety and discipline at many schools that made it difficult for teachers to deliver quality teaching, could affect motivation negatively. Keywords for indexing: motivation, mathematics teacher, professional development, Sediba-program, in-service training and motivation, intrinsic motivation, extrinsic motivation, in-service training for mathematics teachers. / Thesis (M.Ed.)--North-West University, Potchefstroom Campus, 2008.

The present study assesses the effects of reward allotment for a highly motivating game through the examination of students’ variations in response to different schedules of reinforcement. Fifty-four Chinese children from preschool to grade three participated by playing a number-matching game on Sifteo cubes. Two types of reward allotment—a 25%-chance-of-winning reinforcement schedule, and an escalating 25-75% reinforcement schedule—were examined in the number-matching game. Overall, the results proved that both reinforcement schedules effectively sustained children’s motivation in playing the game. In this experimental study I hypothesized that if the findings could be replicated in an extremely simple game that does not have the manifold array of additional motivators found in commercial successful video games, we could have a powerful motivating element to be used in educational games, given that digital games are potentially beneficial in helping students to develop 21st-century skills such as collaborative and problem-solving skills.

The present study assesses the effects of reward allotment for a highly motivating game through the examination of students’ variations in response to different schedules of reinforcement. Fifty-four Chinese children from preschool to grade three participated by playing a number-matching game on Sifteo cubes. Two types of reward allotment—a 25%-chance-of-winning reinforcement schedule, and an escalating 25-75% reinforcement schedule—were examined in the number-matching game. Overall, the results proved that both reinforcement schedules effectively sustained children’s motivation in playing the game. In this experimental study I hypothesized that if the findings could be replicated in an extremely simple game that does not have the manifold array of additional motivators found in commercial successful video games, we could have a powerful motivating element to be used in educational games, given that digital games are potentially beneficial in helping students to develop 21st-century skills such as collaborative and problem-solving skills.

This research inquires into whether the motivation of students learning English for Academic Purposes (EAP) at the upper-intermediate level improves when thematic instruction is employed in the classroom. This is the first time that a theme-based integrated skills approach was implemented at the Department of Basic English (DBE), METU at the intermediate and upper-intermediate levels. With the outcome of the needs analysis carried out by the administration, it was realized that students at the preparatory school needed to use integrated skills as reflected in &lsquo / real life&rsquo / . Moreover, thematic instruction was seen to be a requisite in the new curriculum since content is a key motivating principle. Hence, since one of the main concerns was the motivation of students attending courses at the preparatory school, there was a need to examine whether using this mode of instruction at the upper-intermediate level was able to ameliorate student motivation. For this research, firstly a pilot study and then qualitative analysis using in-depth interviews developed on the basis of the pilot study was employed. Therefore, using a triangulation of different kinds of data on related questions, interviews were carried out with 14 students on three separate occasions at the end of each span from the upper-intermediate group, two administrators and six upper-intermediate instructors. From the point of view of the students it appeared that generally content encouraged learning and improved English proficiency if the themes/topics were found to be of interest. However, the degree of impact of the themes and topics on student motivation largely depended on whether the student was intrinsically motivated or not. If the student was intrinsically motivated, content had a nominal affect on motivating them. The study showed that if the themes are linear and have a parochial focus on topics, too much time is spent on a theme, a redundancy of lexical items are taught, unnecessary details are included, and difficult and academic language used, these led to student demotivation in respect of content. Thus, indicating a greater variety of content was needed.

Motivation is longstanding, one known as extremely important in the study of human behavior. The study of this variable points to the fact that it is not possible to speak of a general motivation that works for all situations, but we have consider the context in witch it is analysed. That being said, one can speak of motivation for education, athletic motivation, politics, among others. Thus, the academic motivation is one of the concepts that influences the learning and hence the academic performance of students, so the growing interest of the teachers, especially the teachers who are focused at the growth of its students, make them reach the objectives set out in the annual planning.This dissertation analyzes the motivation focused on the school learning environment in order to study the existence of a possible relationship between motivation (intrinsic or extrinsic) and academic performance in students of the early years of elementary school of the School Teaching Primary Father Gabriel Bolzan.For the methodological procedures, there was a descriptive study. To collect data, we used a scale adapted from Martinelli (2010), whose objective is to verify the relationship of student motivation and school performance. A questionnaire administered to 91 students in the early years of elementary school to respond to the research purposes was used. Also held a meeting with the teachers to present the research objectives and its confidentiality. Participated in the survey, students whose parents signed the consent form. Data analysis was performed with SPSS software help (PASW Statistics version 17.0). Descriptive statistics of respondents procedures were used to analyze the level of intrinsic and extrinsic motivation and the performance level of students. The results showed that there is a relationship between motivation and school performance, concluding that intrinsically motivated students perform better than extrinsically motivated students. We consider therefore that the implementation strategies in the classroom to promote intrinsic motivation will be more beneficial to the academic success of students in the early years of elementary school of the School Teaching Primary Padre Gabriel Bolzan. / A motivação é de longa data, uma variável reconhecida como de suma importância no estudo do comportamento humano. O estudo desta variável aponta para o fato de que não é possível falar de uma motivação geral, que funcione para todas as situações, mas que se deve levar em conta o contexto a ser analisado. Nesse sentido, pode-se falar em motivação para a educação, motivação atlética, política, entre outras. Assim, a motivação acadêmica é um dos conceitos que exerce influência na aprendizagem e, consequentemente, no desempenho escolar dos alunos, por isso o crescente interesse dos profissionais da educação, principalmente dos professores, que visam o crescimento de seus alunos, fazendo-os alcançar os objetivos estabelecidos no planejamento anual. Esta dissertação analisa a motivação voltada ao contexto da aprendizagem escolar com o objetivo de estudar a existência de uma possível relação entre motivação (intrínseca ou extrínseca) e o desempenho escolar em alunos dos anos iniciais do Ensino Fundamental da Escola Municipal Ensino Fundamental Padre Gabriel Bolzan. Para os procedimentos metodológicos, realizou-se um estudo descritivo e exploratório. Para a coleta de dados utilizou-se uma escala adaptada de Martinelli (2010), cujo objetivo é verificar a relação da motivação dos estudantes e seu desempenho escolar. Foi utilizado um questionário aplicado a 91 alunos dos anos iniciais do Ensino Fundamental que respondam aos propósitos da pesquisa. Realizou-se uma reunião com as professoras para apresentação dos objetivos da pesquisa e seu caráter confidencial. Participaram da pesquisa, os alunos cujos pais assinaram o termo de consentimento. A análise dos dados foi realizada com a ajuda do software SPSS (versão PASW Statistics 17.0). A análise dos resultados evidenciou que existe uma relação entre a motivação e o desempenho escolar, concluindo-se que os alunos intrinsecamente motivados apresentam melhor desempenho do que os alunos extrinsecamente motivados. Considera-se deste modo, que a implementação de estratégias na sala de aula que promovam a motivação intrínseca será mais benéfica para o sucesso escolar dos alunos dos anos iniciais do Ensino Fundamental da Escola Municipal Ensino Fundamental Padre Gabriel Bolzan.

Faculdade de Educação da Universidade de São Paulo. Entre os experimentos utilizados em centros e museus de Ciências sempre existem alguns que se destacam, por chamar e prender mais atenção dos visitantes que frequentam estes lugares, extremamente importantes para a promoção e o aumento dos níveis de alfabetização e de cultura científica. As características destes experimentos os transformam em vedetes dos locais destinados à educação não formal, por emitirem sons, luzes, cores ou causarem qualquer tipo de surpresa ou susto quando os visitantes interagem com os equipamentos citados. Dentro de projetos de divulgação científica itinerantes estes objetos também estão presentes, executando diversas funções nas exposições, que se dividem na maioria das vezes em mesas, montadas em locais que geralmente não têm acesso aos locais fixos de divulgação científica, localizados muitas vezes em grandes cidades. A estes equipamentos chamamos nesta pesquisa de experimentos surpreendentes por causarem sensações diversas nos visitantes. Esta pesquisa identificou estes tipos de experimentos e estudou a influência das suas características para a promoção da motivação, importante na mudança comportamental dos visitantes presentes nos centros e museus de Ciência e nas ações itinerantes de divulgação científica. Como resultados desta pesquisa pudemos observar que não apenas as características dos experimentos surpreendentes, mas também de outra categoria de experimentos, os desafiadores, teve grande influência na promoção e no aumento dos níveis de motivação intrínseca dos visitantes, mudando o comportamento perante os elementos da exposição, melhorando a qualidade da interação e estimulando o interesse e a curiosidade dos visitantes. / Among the experiments used in Science centers and Science museums always exist a few that stand out, for calling and holding more attention of visitors who frequent these places, extremely important to promote and increase the levels of scientific literacy and scientific culture. The characteristics of these experiments turn them into local starlets intended for non-formal education, to emit sounds, lights, colors or causing any kind of surprise or scare when visitors interact with the devices mentioned. Within projects itinerant of scientific communications these objects are also present, performing various functions in the exhibition, which fall mostly on tables, mounted in places that generally do not have access to fixed places of scientific communication, often located in large cities. To these equipment we call \"amazing experiments\" in this study to cause many sensations in visitors. This research identified these types of experiments and studied the influence of their characteristics to promote motivation, behavioral change important in visitors present in these centers and museums of science and in the actions of itinerant science. As a result of this research we found that not only some characteristics of the amazing experiments, but also some characteristics of another category of experiments, the challengers, had great influence in promoting and increasing levels of intrinsic motivation of visitors, changing behavior among the elements of exposure increasing the quality of interaction and stimulating interest and curiosity of visitors.

This study aims towards high performing students’ perspective on motivation and how they consistently obtain high grades in English classes. Different characteristics from Skolverket’s study that were common for high performing students along with Reeve’s self-determination theory was used as background research. Qualitative interviews were used to analyse the high performing students’ perception of how they are challenged in English classes and how they motivate themselves. The results show that high performance in English classes is not so much an innate ability, which some are born with, but rather a question of motivation and character.

To master English is a clear advantage in Swedish society and throughout compulsory school, the English subject is mandatory in each grade. Language learning is a lengthy and demanding task that requires effort and determination. Consequently, it is crucial to sustain motivation among the learners, which requires motivational and conscious teaching. There are a number of strategies that through research have indicated motivational capacity. In this empirical study, teachers’ and pupils’ perception of the motivational influence of different strategies were examined. The method was quantitative and surveys were used to collect data from the teachers (N=10) and the pupils (N=142). The results show that the teachers regard their own behavior and a stimulating, varied teaching as most important, whilst the pupils prioritize clear and understandable instructions and are concerned with a pleasant classroom climate, where humour is present and where it is safe to make mistakes. In addition, the results indicate that teachers, as well as pupils, are not particularly interested of a transmission of responsibility from the teachers to the pupils. / <p>Engelska</p>