Chapter 10: Teaching Motivation Strategies Using the Music Model of Motivation as a Conceptual Framework

The study of motivation is important to teachers, instructional designers, and others because students who are motivated tend to learn more and perform at higher levels than students who are not as motivated (Schunk, Meece, & Pintrich, 2014). The importance of motivation in the field of educational psychology is evidenced by its prominent role in educational psychology journals, handbooks, and textbooks. Because most textbooks that broadly cover educational psychology devote at least one chapter to motivation, educational psychology-related courses often include learning objectives related to motivation. These types of courses are common at colleges and universities with teacher education programs because educational psychology topics are generally viewed as foundational courses and are often required for students to obtain a state K–12 teaching license in the United States. Motivation courses are also offered for graduate students interested in a variety of fields, such as educational psychology, learning sciences, psychology, and the K–12 content areas (e.g., mathematics, science, literacy, and social studies). Students enrolled in these courses may become instructors at community colleges, professors at universities, research scientists conducting basic or applied research in a university or research organization setting, instructional designers, or professionals within non-profit organizations.