The problem of intrinsic motivation

among students marginalized though

crucial

Jasmina Djordjevic
Higher education institution
Academic Studies of Law and Business Dr Lazar Vrkatic
Novi Sad
djordjevic.jasmina@gmail.com
Summary
Problem: The impact of intrinsic motivation on English
language teaching (ELT) and learning is marginalized if not
neglected completely.

Hypothesis: Effective use of Information Communication

Technology (ICT) in everyday teaching may influence the level of
intrinsic motivation to the extent that the level of student
performance may be improved considerably.

Aim: Investigate the scope of improvement of the intrinsic

motivation among III-year English language students after
exposing them to ten weeks of directed and structured
technology-enhanced classes.

Method: 1. Quantitative and qualitative empirical research,

2. Experiment incorporating technology- enhanced teaching/
learning activities in the regular teaching process
Introduction
1. Intrinsic motivation is a cognitive process and as such it is the
activator of goal-oriented behaviour based on the personal wish for
achievement (Gardner & Lambert, 1972; Ryan & Deci, 2000; Noels,
2001; Cheng & Drnyei, 2007)

2. Information Communication Technology (ICT) and Computer-

Assisted Language Learning (CALL) may boost intrinsic motivation
considerably (Liao, 1999; Gaer, 2005; Shey, 2001)

3. ICT and CALL in the modern classroom:

Abroad: Anderson, 2008; Beatty, 2010; Erben et al., 2008; Mariott
et al., 2009; Thomas, 2009

4. Serbia: Bajet & Lazarevi, 2007; Mandi, 2003, 2006; Dovedan et

al., 2002; Mandi, 2003; Mandi & Risti, 2006; Milanovi &
Milosavljevi, 2006; Mii Ili, 2007; Risti, 2006; Seljan et al., 2004
Background of the research
The experiment is the result of the online
teacher training course Building Teaching
Skills Through the Interactive Web which
was conducted with the University of
Oregon, the Linguistics Department, the
American English Institute (UO AEI) in
the period between 1 October and 7
December 2012
Why CALL?
(Hoogeveen, 1995: 350)

If deployed correctly:

1. Multimedia have a positive effect on audio-visual skills of

students;
2.The level of concentration and attention is elevated;
3.The psycho-physiological state of students is generally
improved;
4.Learner autonomy is furthered considerably;
5. Students can develop and improve language, communicative
and social competences.
The research
Method Quantitative and qualitative research based on the
implementation of ten weeks of technology-enhanced
classes created with the sole purpose of boosting the
intrinsic motivation of the participants
Sample and -III-year students at the Department of English, at the
Higher education institution Academic Studies of Law and
setting Business Dr Lazar Vrkatic in Novi Sad, Serbia
-The research was conducted as part of the obligatory course
in Legal English (LE) which is
- An obligatory three-semester English for Special Purposes
(ESP) course, conducted during IV, V and VI semester

Instrument A ten-week experiment based on specially designed

technology-enhanced classes implemented in the form
of blended learning
 The issue and problem that started
the research
Motivation is only extrinsic.
Students need a passing mark to complete the semester
and move on to the next.
The final number of ECTS (credits) is all that counts.
Few students really care about their mark and are
ambitious enough to try as hard as possible.
Reluctant to do anything beyond the tasks predicted by
the programme if there is no gain from an activity in
the sense of accumulating points to reach and achieve the
final mark in an easier way, they are not going to do it.
The booster (incentive)
The usual ratio:
40 pts (pre-exam) + 60 pts (exam)

Experiment:
a total of 30 pts
4 activities x 5 pts
+ 1 activity (week 4 & 5) x 10 pts
 The procedure of the experiment
5 assignments to be completed in a period of 6 weeks (only 1
assignment planned for 2 weeks).
Assignments posted weekly on the class wiki
Interesting Legal English to be completed by Monday
morning the following week.
Step-by-step explanations, relevant links, clear instructions
Assignments completed online but follow-up writing
supposed to be submitted by email and then corrected and
evaluated.
Individual feedback
Microsoft Office
PowerPoint 97-2003 Slide
Results and discussion
Out of 22 students, 18 participated in the
experiment

First responses:
liked the assignments, appreciated the
opportunity, embraced the idea gladly, loved the
intimate feedback

Obvious improvement:
changed their attitude to LE, their achievement
in the written pre-exam activities improved,
their performance in the oral exam considerably
better
1st measuring mid-term
Course Total No. Missed the Failed 6 7 8 9 10
of students test the test
LE I 2011 22 6 7 4 0 2 2 0
LE II 2012 22 6 6 1 5 1 1 1
2nd measuring end of semester
No. of
student Points based on weekly activities Mark
1 2 3 4 &5 6 Total LEI LEII

1. 4.5 5.0 4.9 10.0 5.0 29.40 9 10

2. 4.6 4.8 4.5 - - 13.90 7 7
3. 4.0 4.7 4.5 8.0 4.2 25.40 6 6
4 4.9 4.9 5.0 - - 14.80 8 8
5 4.8 4.5 4.9 8.0 4.5 26.70 9 7
6 4.5 4.8 4.9 10.0 4.9 29.10 6 8
7 4.8 4.8 4.9 9.80 5.0 29.30 9 9
8 4.7 4.8 - - - 9.50 6 7
9 4.7 4.8 4.9 9.2 5.0 28.60 7 8
10 4.3 - - - - 4.30 / /
11 4.5 4.0 4.5 9.2 4.5 26.70 8 7
12 - - - - - - / /
13 4.7 4.7 4.6 8.0 4.9 26.90 6 7
14 4.9 4.8 4.9 - - 14.60 / /
15 4.8 5.0 4.8 10.0 5.0 29.60 10 10
16 4.5 2.0 4.0 9.00 4.5 24.00 6 6
 Conclusion
1. The primary aim: improve the intrinsic motivation
of III-year English language students in an ESP
course otherwise boring and difficult to understand
by means of technology-enhanced classes
2. Already half-way through: motivation boosted,
atittude positive, obvious improvement in
performance
3. Students asked for similar activities in the next
semester
 Thank you!
Jasmina Djordjevic
Higher education institution
Academic Studies of Law and Business Dr Lazar Vrkatic
Novi Sad
djordjevic.jasmina@gmail.com