Intrinsic and Extrinsic Motivation within the Context of Creating a Stimulating Learning Environment

Abstract

The phenomenon of motivation is extremely important for the course and outcomes of teaching and can influence the action of other factors that are indispensable in the teaching process. For example, the general or specific abilities of an individual may be highly developed, but if the person is not motivated, these abilities will also be minimized, questioned or non-existent. However, it can be the other way around – good motivation can increase the development levelof certain abilities. Motivation always strives towards a goal that a person strives for, towards knowledge or willingness to put in effort for achieving a certain goal, regardless of obstacles, compulsions or other various challenges.The aim of this paper is focused on the analysis of the importance of intrinsic and extrinsic motivation, individual incentives for learning and their role in the process of creating a supportive learning environment. The essence of education and students’ personality development, along with other factors,is also the development of motivation for learning. Reforming the teaching-learning process towards greater activation of students’ internal strengths, that would occur freely, spontaneously and unobtrusively, is the task of dealing with motivation in the school context and it has a concrete social significance and contribution.