1 alkiyumi motivasi intrinsik & kreativiti

8/13/2019 1 Alkiyumi Motivasi Intrinsik & Kreativiti

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International Conference on Thinking (2009 Malaysia)

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Instructional strategies of intrinsic motivation and curiosity for developing

creative thinking

Alkiyumi Mohammed Talib, Universiti Sains Malaysia,[email protected]

Abstract

The personality approach is a vital method of studying and enhancing creative potential. In response,

present paper identifies instructional strategies that may be used by teachers to enhance intrinsic

motivation and curiosity for developing creative thinking. The proposed strategies have been coined

from the nature of the intrinsic motivation and curiosity, and their relationship with creative thinking

abilities. I review theories, models and latest researches that tried to relate these two traits withcreativity. However, the challenge of how could we enhance these two personality traits among

students through the learning process is still vigorous. These specified strategies may practically

participate in solving this problem.

Keywords: strategies, creativity, intrinsic motivation, curiosity, instruction

1.0 IntroductionEducation has always been a key public agenda items because the economy of any country requires

changes in educational policies to match the changes in the economic growth. Integration of

creativity in education field is away to help educators in their future journey. Therefore, theeducational policies must be directed toward cultivating persons who will be able to cope with the

future; those people who possess considerable creative potential. Creative thinking is largely

concerned with the production of changes. Therefore, students must be informed that constant

changes are vital to the society, and taught how to create the future (Fatt, 2000).

Creative thinking is a mental process that leads to solutions, ideas, conceptualization, artistic forms,

and theories of products that are unique and novel(Reber, 1985, p. 203). It is an important topic to

study whether in the science or arts field, in the society as a whole or into the personal lives. This

importance has been gained because of its connotation that focuses on producing something new and

valuable. Creative thinking is classified as a high order thinking skills. Indeed, it involves high level

of cognitive process that leads to generate creative problem solving and multiple solutions. In thisway, true creativity has incalculable values both for individuals and societies (Alder, 2002).

Torrance and Kathy (1990) coined concept of academic creativity as a discipline of thinking and

learning creatively, and producing information through the subjects. All the living domains require

new ways of thinking in order to adapt and exploit the constant changes. In Education, they have

been much discussion of how we improve creative capacities among students. In their serious trials

of answering cornerstones issue of from where creativity does come, Psychologists have appreciated

that individuals traits are vital element to understand the creative behavior. Personality approach

influences creative production by a way of impacts on cognitive styles and skills.


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2.0 Literature Review

2.1 Intrinsic Motivation and Creative Thinking

Theorists and researches in the motivation field have identified two classes of motivation, intrinsic

and extrinsic motivation. Extrinsic motivation is the force that stimuli individual to achieve, these

forces are processed outside individuals such as, rewards, punishment, evaluation, competition. On

other hand, intrinsic motivation occurs inside individual regarding of his desire and willingness to

achieve the task, whether it has some external payoffs or not. The two classes of motivation are

important to enhance students learning achievement, Lahey (2007).

Experimental evidences indicate that creative production requires high level of IM. The interestingevidences that are derived from the theories and empirical works indicate that creative persons

engage into the task when they feel it is satisfying and enjoyable. Rogers and Dyamond (1954)

assumed that creativity is motivated by peoples self actualization tendencies. In addition, they

acclaimed that creativity is develop and flourish in environment where motivation comes from the

inner of individuals which drive them to fulfill their potential.

Torrance (in Sternberg, 1988), found that people who were doing what they loved were more

creative in their pursuits. Csikszentmihalyi (1990), during their work on problem solving have

identified three components that influence individuals to search for creative solutions. Gardner

(1993) concluded his various researches on this topic that IM is a personal characteristic that

contributes to creativity. Moreover, Sternberg and Lubart (1995) developed an investment theory increativity (buy low and sale high), they adopted six resources of creativity, and IM is one of them.

Sheldon (1995) has found that high subjects in creative personality scale and problem solving are

greater in orientation motivation and self-concept and autonomy. Torrance, stressed that creative

power in itself is a reward and it exceeds any other powers. Deci and Ryan (1985), consequently of

their researches had observed that children with IM are inclined to seek situations that interest them

and require the use of their creativity.

In order to reach their creative potential, primarily, students must be intrinsically motivated at the

task then they can engage in the creative activities for enjoyment rather than for other external goals.

Hennessy (2003) have identified five sure fire killers of IM and creativity: expected rewards,

expected evaluation, surveillance, time limits, and competition.

2.2 Curiosity and Creative Thinking

Psychologists identified curiosity as the inner drive that motivates people to learn and investigate. It

drives people to search information about an object, or idea through exploration. For example,

Beetlestone (1998) assumed that learners try to find their own innate drive which leads them to

deliver their curiosity toward an effective way of satisfaction. On the other hand, Kashdan (2002)


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considered curiosity as a selfregulatory mechanism that facilitates intrinsic goal effort,

perseverance, personal growth, and creativity under right conditions.

Curiosity is the human evolutionary drive to adapt and survive. The curious persons are naturally

motivated to discover new ways of problem solving to adapt successfully and continually (Reio,

Wisewll, Thongsukmag, 2006). Csikszentmihalyi (1996), in his discussion of flow process, he has

declared that the cultivation of curiosity and interest is the first step in creative production because

curiosity evokes skepticism of given information, and whet exploration to search of different

perspectives especially novel and coined perspectives and it incite the mind to reformulate a problem

to do progress when it will be solved.

Undoubtedly, ambiguity problems or difficult situations need alternative and novel solutions which

are driven by curiosity. In his primary theory of curiosity, Berlyne (1960) identified several stimulusprosperities that elicit curiosity such as, complexity, incongruity, novelty, surprising and uncertainty.

Wentworth and Witryol (in Bornstein, Davidson, Keyes, Moore & Lawrence, 2003) in their

comparative hierarchy between complexity, uncertainty, and novelty, argued that incontestably

novelty has been the most frequently employed as a component of theoretical and operational

definitions of curiosity in the individual differences studies. Creative thinkers emerge their curiosity

within searching for different solutions of the problems. A creative person is eager to find plausible

solutions to the problems. Furthermore, in creative thinking, curiosity about what will happen next is

an important ingredient in motivation. Although, psychologists regard curiosity as the inner

personality trait, they have various perspectives of how this trait affects creativity process. Voss and

Keller (1983) have articulated that curiosity and exploration are essential traits that impact

individual flexibility to change environmental conditions. Litman and Spielberg (2003) haveidentified curiosity as a desire to acquire new knowledge and new sensory experience that motivate

exploratory behavior.

3.0 Methodology

Generally, present paper based on deductive reasoning which is involves essentially arriving at

specific conclusions based on general principles, observations, or experiences (Gay, Mills &

Airasian, 2006.p4). The analysis approach is used to discern the patterns and formulate principles

that might future action. Basically, this paper review the compelling theories, models and long-term

studies to formulate the specific instructional strategies of intrinsic motivation and curiosity for

developing creative potential of children through learning process.

Amabile (1990) model of the relationship between intrinsic motivation versus extrinsic motivation

and creativity, Hennessey (2000) model of self-determination and creativity which based on Deci

and Ryan self-determination theory(1985), and flow theory of Csikszentmihalyi (1996) are the basic

resources of the identified strategies. In addition, the researcher tracked the conducted studies by

either the theorists and their colleagues or other researchers. The literature review and theories

principles in addition with the studies findings are conducive to investigate and identify the specific

instructional strategies.


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It should be noted that the determined strategies are differentiated according of learning environmentdiverse and characteristics of the learners and such facilities. Therefore, there are alternative

suggested strategies for either intrinsic motivation or curiosity.

4.0 Findings

4.1 Instructional Strategies of Intrinsic Motivation

In terms of the learning process, the students learn smoother and faster when the energy comes from

their inner, and when students learn because they want to, if so, the learning process will last for

ever. Students' proclivities of IM are essential such as, feeling that academic experience challenge

their skills, and if they predict that their effort will be payoff.Practically, IM is vital in solving ill-structured problem that are presented to adolescent (Mackinnon, 1999). Brian, Ellen, and James

(1993) have added conditions to cultivate IM such as, task ought to include clear goals, provide

reasonable challenge that urge persons engaging their own skills and abilities, and offer immediate

feedback to progress. The independence atmosphere that is given for task holders to give them

confident conditions is important in this way, moreover, the task holders must be provided by

reasonable information and resources to help them do well.

Gregory (1990) revealed that general feeling of self worth was related to perception of the physical

appearance and athletic ability instead of scholastic competencies. He had recommended that

students self image must be enhanced by using challenging obtainable goals and objectives

encouraging self and directed learning. Needs for autonomy, competence, and self mastery are threeconditions of developing IM. Psychologists have developed different techniques for enhancing IM

among students. For instance, Vaicunas (1998) coined five principles for fostering IM in children:

1- Home environment must be novel and varied;

2- Children must be exposed to frequent experiences in order to affect their environment;

3- Learning environment must be responsive to children actions;

4- Teachers and parents must respond positively toward students curiously questions in such cases;

5-Praise children using appropriate reward that gives them a feeling of competence.

Following are some suggested instructional strategies for enhancing curiosity in students through

learning process. There are five strategies, each one includes sub-strategies

Challenge Strategies:challenge refers to the direct effect on the amount of persistence directed

toward a task. The sub-strategies are:

- Provide opportunities for students to find the problems through the content, situation,

devices, etc al. in this way, the problem means something missing, ambiguity, needs transfer

from current position to the desired position. In general, this situation needs development.

Decidedly, when the student discovers problems, he\she is automatically stimulated to find

the solutions. This method is a kind of the effective learning motivation, because student


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cannot stop on the discovered problem, instead he\she is going further to find appropriate

solutions, practically he \she will practice divergent thinking to find and try many solutionsfor the problem.

- Supply the content discussion with students by increasing levels of difficulty or ill-defined

problems. There are two types of problems; well defined (need routine solutions) and ill-

defined problem which requires creative solutions. While a student encounter difficult

problems, his challenge is increased regularly and the challenge stimulates the student to

solve such problems. The creative thinking processing with difficult problems instead of

simple problems which need traditional solution, hence, the problems that provided by

teachers must be, ambiguity, need persistence to solve it, and the solutions are unknown yet.

This situation stimulates the students to be a pioneer in discovering the solutions.

Incontestably, the student will think creatively to find the solutions.

- Provide problem that related with students in the real world. Hence, students feel that this

problem is an own problem and he\she must solve it. This extraordinary feeling that force

student to find information about the problem and try alternative solutions for it. Practically,

this situation makes student to perceive the problem, and construct awareness about the

importance of solving it. Moreover, he\she has a sense that solving the real problems will

reflect on his life and the community continues development.

- Use remote analogies as approach of dealing with problem, whether familiar or strange

(Keller, 1987). When the two situations are analogous to each other, the solver could retrieve

the base analogy by the target problem. Think of this problem; destroying the tumor of thepatient stomach, contradictory high intensity of the ray will destroy the stomach tissue, and

low intensity wont effect. In both cases the patient will die. How could the doctor solve this

problem and avoiding two dangerous situations? In these cases, the students have a challenge

and think persistently to find adequate solutions without harming of the pertinent aspects.

Relevance Strategies: refers to the goal directed activities that relate to the personal goals or

motives. The sub-strategies are

- Find out the learners interests and relate them with instruction. Wise teachers are

knowledgeable of what the learners are enjoying in a kind of context, situations, and

activities. Consequently, he constructs some ill-defined problems through to be solvedcreatively.

- Ask learners to determine their own goals. The students should participate to determine the

instructional aims. The determined goals mean that are interested, enjoyable to study by

majority of students. This method offers positive opportunities to the students to expand their

interest to be studied. The most interested goals will be out of the content restrictions,

because students seek something different that offer them opportunities to generate their own

ideas.


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Positive self-image

Negative self-

image

Intrinsic

motivationExtrinsic

motivation

Creativeproduction

Creativeproduction

-Provide opportunities for responsibility, authority and interpersonal influences. The studentought to feel that he\she is responsible of what they are learning; in addition, acquired

learning has influenced on their personality immediately or in the future. This sense

motivates them intrinsically to learn, and create something new.

- Enhance the positive self-image and self-esteem of the students to encounter challenge and

make them less sensitive of criticism (Song & Grabowski, 2006). There are many studies had

proven that positive self-image immunizes the persons from the external constraints.

Consequently, it drives them to think divergently better than the person who feels that he has

negative image of his self.

Conducive undermine

Self Determination: refers to that the optimal level of students learning is resulting from interest in

learning and confidence in their own capabilities, and due feeling good about oneself. The sub-

strategies are:

- Students should feel independent in the learning environment. Through learning process

when the student feels free to ask questions, generate such ideas, dramatically he releases the

learning constraints and his interest toward learning process is aroused. This climate offers

chances to generate novel and creative ideas. Particularly, the creativeness grows through

free environment in contrast with restricted situations.

- Encourage students to believe of their abilities and drive them to achieve their learning goals

through frequent steps (Deci, & Ryan, 2008). The confidence in the abilities and skills to do

some tasks, drives the students interests, and let them intrinsically motivated. Furthermore,

this feeling enable them to avoid such criticism. Decidedly, this state means that I trust my

abilities to overcome the problems and achieve well. There are many studies have

investigated the positive relationship between confidence in abilities and creativity.


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- Have students learn new skills under low risk conditions, but practice performance of well-

learned tasks under realistic conditions. As far as the condition is real and concrete, thestudents must enjoy it and interested in it, in contrast with the abstract condition. In fact, the

reality of the task and students skills motivate them to be interested and achieve well in that

specific task.

Autonomy strategies: refers to that the students feel free in their learning without external

reinforcements. The sub-strategies are:

- Provide open-ended problem. This kind of situations make students feel that partial problem

are unlimited, the final solution is not yet, and the problem can be dealt with from such

trends. This situation let students intrinsically motivated to find such solutions, provide

different ideas, and try several suggestions. As well as the problem is open-ended, the

thinking is unlimited (divergent thinking).- Dont criticize the solution immediately because if the student is intrinsically motivated to

do the task, and then you deny his ideas or criticize them immediately, this motivation is

decreased because the critics stifle their creativity.

- Brainstorming: this strategy is developed by Osborn in 1953. Briefly, the teacher divides the

students into groups and gives them open-ended problems to solve. Each group has a leader

to register the ideas and make sense of following the disciplines. The students are free to

generate any ideas without criticism. Eventually, the teacher gathers the ideas and decides

the most effective ones as novel and appropriate solutions. (Osborn, 1963).

-Quantity seeking, for each problem teacher seeks many possible solutions to the problem,he\she must welcomes any ideas. The quantity is desired. This situation enforces student to

give more ideas. Ultimately, they can judge them to choose the best solutions.

4.2 Instructional Strategies of Curiosity

As educationalists or parents we have to create the environment in which students are able to

experience the problematic nature of information use and evaluation. Teachers can observe this

ability when students ask questions like: what is that? What does this do? How does it work? And

why do that? (Oberst, 2002).

To promote childrens curiosity, teachers have to present to them funny activities such as computergames, fantasy play, or puzzles. These kinds of activities children are engaged in to enjoy the

challenge. Teachers must recognize the two types of curiosity, sensory and cognitive. Sensory

curiosity is promoted by audio, music and animation. Cognitive curiosity motivates students to

understand what they dont already know, and avoid inconsistencies in the learners knowledge

(Matheson & Spranger, 2001).Teaching is successful if it fosters individual curiosity toward the

searching of divisive information which leads students to understand the world and enhances

individuals creativity to put the information into use.


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Following are some suggested instructional strategies that enhance curiosity:

- Through the learning process, wise teachers discuss the knowledge that attribute as

ambiguity, novelty, and complexity. These features force students to process the solutions in

a variety ways, and let them imagine the pertinent information because they feel eager to

know the solutions. They can discuss the problem in depth, and each step in that discourse

arise their curiosity of exploration. In this process the students feel free to going deeply in

the discussion and suggest alternative solutions. Ultimately, his curiosity to explore the final

solutions leads him to some solutions or products.

Situation state Outcomes

- The good teachers provide the information to their students as incongruity knowledge. Thus,

students seek to solve this situation and reach the optimal solution. The incongruity

knowledge offer great opportunity to arouse students curiosity to reconcile with such

information. Consequently, he probes deeply in the information and question, gathers

information, and provides multiple solutions.

- The most important thing that teacher must provide the information which need novel

solutions. The traditional and routine solutions are available through the curriculum; incontrast when the students feel that the needed solutions are novel, unknown, and origin,

dramatically his curiosity is aroused to investigate such solutions especially when he feels

free to generate whatever the solutions are.

- To evoke the perceptual curiosity, good teachers provide novel events that change

dramatically. For example, sky raining, sunrise and sunset, wind, human movies, facial

expressions. These events motivate students to ask various questions, let them curious to

know the hidden reasons behind the event, the causes of the changes, its unitary, and the

changes between places and within human kinds. These probe questions lead to investigate

something new, novel, and creative.

For example, let your students imagine this situation and suggest the possible results.Imaginethat facial expressions are the same for all persons.

- The students curiosity is evoked through the interested situations. The students are

interested if the situation is realistic and reflect of the living aspects, environment and

students personalities, contemporary, understandable by all of the students. My interested

thing means that thing I need to know any thing of it. This state lets students feel curious to

seek missing information to satisfy their curiosity. Decidedly, this process leads to explore

something new.

AmbiguityComplex Curiosity Creativeproduction


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-The students curiosity is evoked through the interested situations. The students areinterested if the situation is realistic and reflect of the living aspects, environment and

students personalities, contemporary, understandable by all of the students. My interested

thing means that thing I need to know any thing of it. This state lets students feel curious to

seek missing information to satisfy their curiosity. Decidedly, this process leads to explore

something new. Roman and Kay (2007) have described the good teacher like therapist. Good

teacher attempts to discover the roadblocks of learning through instilling curiosity. Good

teacher establishes the learning context as a therapist establishes save environment of

therapeutic relationship.

- Organizing rich discussion is salient way to provoke intellectual or scientific curiosity. Rich

discussion needs variety of documented and reliable resources that provide validinformation, while the students gather deep information; the curiosity state is increased,

aroused new knowledgeable horizons are intellectual expanded (Roman, & Kay, 2007).

When students discover something new, they automatically stimulate to search for others.

Imagine that students encounter this problem. How the plane engine is processing

through the take-off. Or what enforce the group birds to immigrate between the seasons.

There are unlimited of investigated information.

- As far as the experience is real; the students curiosity is stimulated much well than abstract

experiences. Therefore, teachers must transfer the abstract knowledge to be concrete. For

example, they may bring some natural materials to the classroom or visit places, using

visible techniques (films, videos, magazine.etc al). This procedure offers salient opportunityfor students to observe and discover.

- For bored and disengaged students, teachers in different periods pose new questions or may

provide concrete experiences to propel students to see the familiar in a new way. Teachers

also may avoid the abstract and going to be closer and closer with the students environment.

- Ultimately, the teachers must appreciate that there are individual differences between

students in their styles of curiosity. Some explore using only their minds, others use more

physical ways, touching, smelling, tasting, and climbing.

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