Motivation: A qualitative inquiry

In this analytical paper, motivation is explored through two research questions. How is a student motivated within the classroom and school to put personal effort into learning? Does the level of student motivation in the classroom increase as it progresses upward through the six levels of Bloom\u27s Taxonomy? The first part of the literature review will present seven themes of motivation that were reoccurring throughout the literature. The themes are: the definition of motivation, motivation being tied to the belief that one can succeed, the value of instruction and expectancy for successful completion of learning, students\u27 interests, the computer at home as a motivator, and hands-on activities as a motivator. The second part of the literature review will examine the theory that students may be more highly motivated through lessons that are taught in the higher levels of Bloom\u27s Taxonomy. Through classroom observations, many discoveries were made. There were many individual motivational techniques being used in the classrooms, but one very effective motivational program that was being used was called the Tribes Program .. The Tribes Program is a cooperative learning strategy which motivates students to put their personal effort into learning. There are six aspects that are explained about the Tribes Program in Section III. During observations there were twenty-four lessons recorded and placed into the six levels of Bloom\u27s Taxonomy according to their levels of questioning. These lessons are analyzed and interpreted in order to determine if students may be more motivated in the higher levels of Bloom\u27s Taxonomy. If, as research suggests, motivation is the driving force that pushes students into learning, it is important to know how to motivate students and at what levels students are most motivated