Motivation and contemporary socio-constructivist instructional perspectives

• Published in: Educational psychologist Vol. 32; no. 3; pp. 175 - 193
• Main Author: Hickey, Daniel T.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Mahwah, N.J. [etc.] Lawrence Erlbaum Associates, Inc 01-06-1997; L. Erlbaum Associates, Publishers [etc.]
• ISSN: 0046-1520; 1532-6985
• DOI: 10.1207/s15326985ep3203_3

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 conflict 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 h w 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.