Motivational Theory

Motivational Theory is a branch of educational psychology used to energize and direct student behavior through motivation. It points students in the right direction and attempts to keep them going in that direction. Because students are not always internally motivated, they sometimes need situated motivation, which is found in environmental conditions that the teacher creates.

There are two kinds of motivation: ' Intrinsic motivation occurs when an individual is internally motivated to do something because it either brings them pleasure, they think it is important, or they feel that what they are learning is morally significant. ' Extrinsic motivation comes into play when a student is compelled to do something or act a certain way because of factors external to themselves (like money or good grades).