Journal on Excellence in College Teaching, Volume 22, Number 4

Some professors spend hours designing courses to promote student learning. But sometimes, despite professors' efforts, students do not seem motivated to participate in the assigned activities, including reading a relevant article or the textbook, participating in class discussions, or even attending class. Why students do not always engage in their learning as we wish they would has many possible explanations, but understanding students' extrinsic and intrinsic motivations and addressing them can better prepare us to meet students where they are.