Motivation, or the lack thereof, can influence the actions one takes and potentially impact life decisions (Mayer, 2011). Which makes the topic of motivation an important one for professionals working in education. This reflection piece will begin by including a personal account of my motivational struggle in my academic experience. I will also discuss the Expectancy Value Motivational Theory. Then I will discuss Self-Efficacy Theory as it pertains to higher education. Finally, I will pull from the two theories and analyze where each theory connects with my personal struggle of academic motivation.
I decided to pursue my doctoral degree when I was in high school, although truth be told I had no idea as to what was involved in obtaining a doctorate. My full understanding of this life choice would not occur until I was halfway through my undergraduate degree. I took an early interest in the area of education. During the latter half of my first year in college, I decided to focus on Indigenous Education. Upon learning about the University of Southern California’s (USC) online doctoral program, Organizational Change and Leadership.
I decided that this was the program that would offer me the rigor and knowledge to further my career in education and administration. I considered stopping the program several times, or enrolling part-time (which I later discovered was not allowed).
The obstacles that contributed to my motivational struggle were: time with my son, work/school/ personal balance, and self-care. I evaluated my continuation in my doctoral program and considered many possible solutions. At the time, I enrolled in a gym membership that provided daycare, I wrote daily and weekly lists of class assignments and tasks, completed readings and assignments during my lunch break and during travel, and dedicated the majority of my weekends to spending uninterrupted time with son. Nonetheless, my motivation was waning.
Beginning in the 1980s, Jacquelynne Eccles began focusing her research on motivation which would eventually become Expectancy Value Motivational Theory (EVMT). The EVMT model developed by Eccles rests on two main questions: Can I do the task? Do I want to do the task? (2006). The Expectancy Value Motivational Theory considers three pertinent areas to consider: Intrinsic values, attainment value, perceived cost (2006). Intrinsic values translate to the satisfaction one feels during a task or anticipates feeling for the task. Attainment value, according to Eccles, considers the impact that one’s identity correlates to a particular task (2006). Perceived cost can encompass many items like monetary cost, anxiety, or time (2006).
Study into the area of self-efficacy began in the 1980s with Albert Bandura, but was further researched by Frank Pajares (2006). Pajares’ research on Self-Efficacy Theory states that self-efficacy is the “judgements that individuals hold about their capabilities to learn or to perform courses of action at designated levels” (2006). Self-efficacy, according to Pajares, is based heavily on motivation, personal accomplishment, and overall well-being (2006). Another highlighted influence of self-efficacy was the observation of others with high levels of self-efficacy. The modeling of self-efficacy is an important aspect of learning and growing in a particular area (2006).
There are various overlaps as it pertains to my personal struggle with motivation in my doctoral program and the Expectancy Value Motivation Theory by Eccles and Self-Efficacy Theory by Pajares. The beginning part of my journey to getting my doctorate, EVMT connects very closely with my intrinsic values. I sought this program and degree to challenge myself academically and become an expert in my area of interest. Self-Efficacy Theory asserts that if levels are high it can direct behavior towards achieving a specific goal. Reflecting on my experience in the program and my motivation levels during that time, I leaned on EVMT and the mention of perceived cost. The biggest factor being loss of time with my son, along with high levels of anxiety and stress impacting my overall well-being. Based on the Self-Efficacy Theory, I understand that my decision to stay in the program either increased or decreased my levels of self-efficacy significantly. Reflecting on my levels of motivation and self-efficacy, I knew that I needed to continue to evaluate the success of my previously mentioned solutions to ensure contentment for staying or leaving the program. Reading the research on motivation and self-efficacy helped with my struggle during that time, in addition, to supporting a lot of the work I do with Native American/ Alaskan Native/ Native Hawaiian students in higher education.
References
Eccles, J. (2006). Expectancy value motivational theory. Retrieved from http://www.education.com/reference/article/expectancy-value-motivational-theory/
Mayer, R.E. (2011). Applying the science of learning. Boston, MA: Pearson Education.
Pajares, F. (2006). Self-efficacy theory. Retrieved from http://www.education.com/reference/article/self-efficacy-theory/
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