Motivation: the inside story

In this article, we will look at the difference between extrinsic and intrinsic motivation, and why extrinsic motivation alone is not satisfactory for learning in the long run. It is suggested that although students may embark on learning for extrinsic reasons, a more intrinsic motivation can be developed in the classroom. A taxonomy of intrinsically motivating materials and tasks is proposed, based on the four categories interest, personalization, entertainment and challenge. See also the talk on this topic.