Self Efficacy
In this section, I will discuss the interdependence of incentives as motivators, self-determination, and self-regulation and self-efficacy. In order for students to develop self-efficacy, they need a system that will motivate them intrinsically and extrinsically to identify their own goals and reach academic achievement. This will foster a sense of determination for a desired result (joy of history, grades, points, etc.) With the appropriate support system, students can build healthier and efficient parameters for self-regulation that will give them the freedom, reflection, and active role in their own learning process.
Incentives
It is ​very important to recognize that our classrooms contain internal and external incentives that attract student-engagement and motivation. Intrinsic and extrinsic motivators, in my opinion, are necessary and unavoidable; while I may instill a passion for learning history, students will also be motivated by grades. To increase self-efficacy, students may be invited to pay closer attention to what motivates them in the class. As their teacher, I recognize that students may place more of an emphasis on their grades rather than their love for history. Nonetheless, I utilized extrinsic motivators to engage students and allow them to set goals that best fit their academic aspirations. It is important to notice that extrinsic motivations should not undermine intrinsic incentives, but rather each motivator should be examined in their appropriate context (Bauer & Landers 2015) to better understand the dynamic of self-efficacy.
In a survey, where students were asked to lay out a response"what supported their learning process?" a student wrote the following:
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"Points really motivated me, and the idea of learning something new helped in my learning process as well"
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I noticed that this student found intrinsic and extrinsic motivators that helped her succeed in our self-paced course. While I may not know the extent to which points or learning something new aided her learning process, having established an incremental point system that may reward students based on their determination to reach a particular level in exchange for a grade, made an impact in this student's progress.
To another student, she saw the point system as an indicator of her effort and progress in the class. In that same context, another student responded:
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"The fact that the grade was completely based on the amount of effort I put forward"
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This student showed an interest in grades as the element that fostered support in her learning process. Within the gamified course, the student saw her effort (self-regulation ) as the freedom to obtain a desired grade, thus developing her self-efficacy. What is not clear to me is if her dedication to her effort is an internal desire that motivated her to learn in exchange for a grade, or is the grade the ultimate cause for her determination to earn a grade. My main take away is that extrinsic and intrinsic incentives creates environment where students need to establish self-determination and self efficacy to reach any internal or external goal.
Self-Determination
Where does a student start to produce initiatives for taking ownership in their learning? I have placed a heavy emphasis on establishing multiple pathways for motivations in my course because my goal as an educator is to instill skills and aspirations for learning so that students can become more independent. Setting intrinsic and extrinsic motivators so that students can set their personal goals in learning is intended to show the learner the possibilities for progress and growth when they apply determination to meet those goals. This aligns with a theory called "Self Determination Theory," which I believe may develop the agency of students as they set their own determination to meet their personal goals. As Deci & Ryan (2000) expand, "SDT aims to specify factors that nurture the innate human potentials entailed in growth, integration, and well-being, and to explore the processes and conditions that foster the healthy development and effective functioning of individuals, groups, and communities." (p.74) To foster the development of effective functioning in individuals and groups within my class, students were encouraged to personalize their pace as they engaged with the curriculum. This would allow students to focus on the motivators they saw to be effective, rather than to move at the pace dictated by the class or instructor. In two surveys, each completed at the end of the Fall and Winter term, students were asked to rate their level of motivation with learning at their own pace. The idea is to see how determined students would be to complete assignments and assessments according to individual or group quests.
The results of the surveys were to see the levels of motivation when students were entrusted to dictate their own pace in the course. The reason why I wanted to survey students in their motivation in this area was to see if setting a self-determined paced was a positive experience. In this graph, I can see that most students had high levels of motivation in managing their own dates, creating goals to reach levels, and completing quests by investing the times they saw were necessary. Whether it was points, grades, or love for history, students were compelled to set their own determination to engage in the course. At that point, students could internalize extrinsic motivations, as Deci & Ryan (2000) further claim, "According to SDT, these different [extrinsic and intrinsic] motivations reflect differing degrees to which the value and regulation of the requested behavior have been internalized and integrated. Internalization refers to people's "taking in" a value or regulation, and integration refers to the further transformation of that regulation into their own so that, subsequently, it will emanate from their sense of self." (p.71) Therefore, setting the proper motivation that will engage students to regulate a positive pace is to allow them to take ownership of their learning, thus developing their determination so that may internalize the value of the course.
Self-Regulation
Along with setting motivators that engage students, self-regulation needs to have a proper support system that highlights the learning goals of the course and the resources to achieve them. As an instructor, I saw my role in helping students develop and monitor their self-regulation in healthy and sustainable ways. I intended to guide students through the course and support their sense of agency through self-regulation. Knowing that students were in different places in their ability to develop their self-regulation, I wanted to support students by providing means of support. Hence, I used technology to design a course where students had the ability to reach out to the instructor and classmates as support systems to aid their self-regulation and self-determination. Therefore, I asked students the following question in a survey to explore what means of support helped their self-regulation: "You have been learning at your own pace, which requires lots of organization, autonomy, and determination to complete quests, what type of support did you find helpful? (i.e., Microsoft Teams, Gradecraft, Instructor)" Some responses highlight how students found avenues of support to help them in their self-regulation:
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"I think interacting with some of my classmates through teams was very helpful and the meetings with my Instructor also were beneficial for me because he made sure that I was on track with the work and not falling behind."
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"I found teams very helpful, because I could ask questions directly to my teacher. This sort of method for asking questions worked very well for me. It motivated me to ask any questions I had, which has been very helpful with my success in this course.
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"I thought teams was helpful! It's nice being able to see what opinions my classmates have and build my own writing off what I agree or disagree on with theirs."
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"I really liked having the teams collaborate because I could really easily ask my teacher and peers if I had any questions."
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"The teams channel gave me the opportunity to know what others were thinking when answering the question and also it is a lot easier to contact the teacher"
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"I found all the support really helpful. Gradecraft and teams really motivated me to complete quests and other assignments."
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The responses of my students having the opportunity to complete quests on their own or in collaboration are positive signals that students found ways to develop their organization, goal setting, and reflection. Whether it was meeting with their instructor, contacting classmates, or relying on the self, students took advantage of a support system that motivated them to reach out for help, check for their own understanding, ask for feedback, and track their progress through the course.
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