Defining motivation: perspectives from early childhood educators

Abstract

Motivation is suggested to be an important link to learning and achievement. However, it is unclear what previous researchers refer to as motivation because of the plethora of terms that are associated with motivation. The purpose of this study was to examine the definition of motivation in young children through the perspectives of Head Start early childhood educators. The Defining Motivation in Early Childhood survey was developed to examine motivation in terms of characteristics, indicators, origin, influence, and strategies that teachers use to promote it in a classroom setting. On the basis of factor analyses of the survey, as well as focus group interviews, a child's personal interest in a task or activity was suggested to be a defining belief of motivation in young children.