Motivation and contemporary socio-constructivist instructional perspectives

Abstract

The perspective generally referred to as socio-constructivism is prominent in contemporary educational reform efforts. This article argues for expanded study of the motivational issues presented by new curricular approaches that follow from this perspective. The conflicts between the models of motivation that are most influential in education and socio-constructivist perspectives is explored, and newer models of motivation, including explicitly socio-constructivist ones, are described. A review of motivation's treatment in new curricular approaches further illustrates how socio-constructivist perspectives can expand and revise our understanding of classroom motivation. This review also illustrates how the expanded study of motivation might help demonstrate the value of new approaches, and yield important insights that can help advance them. Finally, this review shows how ubiquitous intrinsically motivating instructional principles may undermine the goals of new curricular approaches, suggesting expanded consideration of motivational issues within curricular and professional development efforts associated with those approaches.