How to Write a Profile on Children Through the Development of Motivation

Both extrinsic and intrinsic desires motivate a child to succeed.

Parents and educators, as well as others who work with children to help them grow and develop into responsible, capable adults are concerned with methods to motivate children. Measuring the development of a child's motivation is useful not only for the particular child, but also as a learning tool for instructors who desire to improve their ability to effect positive change with children. Writing a profile of the development of motivation of a child or a group of children begins with the design of a measurement tool.

Instructions

1. Select motivational characteristics that will be measured. A profile answers questions about an individual. The motivational profile looks at factors such as intrinsic and extrinsic drives. Extrinsic motivation involves rewards and punishments. Intrinsic motivation involves a sense of curiosity, desire for competence and autonomy, values, goals and feelings of self-efficacy, among others.

2. Develop the measurement tool. An effective self-report instrument measures for each factor on a continuum from low to high with as many degrees in between as desired by the evaluator. For instance, a question might state: "How important is it to you to make good grades?" Answer choices might be: "Not Important, Somewhat Important, Very Important."

3. Administer the evaluation tool to the child or children under study. Explain the questionnaire and allow ample time for the child or children to answer each question.

4. Chart each child for each of the factors measured.

5. Wait a predetermined period of time, and administer the same assessment tool. The length of time between measurements is influenced by the variable being tested. Possible variables are teaching methods or tactics designed to improve motivation or normal maturation over time.

6. Chart the answers to the second assessment on the same chart, and compare the results.

7. Write a profile of the child through the development of motivation by stating the intervention used - teaching method, normal maturation or other intervention - and reporting the change, if any, of the child's motivation as indicated through assessment by the specified instrument. Discuss each factor measured on the intrinsic and extrinsic motivation scales.

References

• Purdue University: Development and Motivation
• Pearson: Motivation
• Iowa State University; Department of Human Development and Family Studies; "Influences of Motivational Beliefs in Young Children: A Longitudinal Study"; Susan Hegland and Karen Colbert