The Research On Learning Motivation Of The Participator In An Online Learning Community

Motivation makes humans to learn. It can stimulate learners to have strong desire for knowledge, and high enthusiasm in learning. How to motivate learners to learn? This is an issue in all ages in educational psychology. Early from the Freud's instinct theory, Maslow's need theory, to Skinner's reinforcement theory, Locke's goal theory, Weiner's attribution theory, Atkinson's achievement motivation theory, and Bandura's self-efficacy theory, the theories of motivation are emerging in an endless stream. Different researchers have constructed series models of motivation, such as the Keller's ARCS motivation design model, Wlodkowoski's TC motivation model, Ames's TARGET motivation design model and so on.Online learning community refers to a team which the participants enjoying the common interests and the same goal. They often communicate with each other, exchange information, and sharing learning resources. A dependency relationship comes among them. At the same time, the participants have a certain degree of identity, psychological sense of belonging to the community, and the sense of responsibility. How to motivate participants ? This is very important for developing a learning community toward to an expected direction. Based on the analysis of existing resources, accessing to relevant literature, observation and experience of selected cases, according to the network survey, network interviews, and the study solve the following problems mainly:1. The development of term communityThe term "Community" first came from the Sociology. Initially it opposed to "society". Tonnies use community to stress the close relationships among people, the spirit of common sense, sense of belonging to the community, and sense of identity. During the process of spreading, influenced by different countries and different regions of the state constraints, the different path for researchers study, and the translation of the term's meaning has changed several times. Nowadays, in the information society, concept of community has been far different from the original one. The sense of community is the individual to seek independence and ownership in both directions tension.2. Research on the online Learning Community and Learning MotivationThe theoretical research of online Learning Community focused on the exploration strategy and the building of its composition mode. Deeper research put emphasis on the interaction between members, as well as the research on motivation, etc. Survey on motivation include the following aspects: the motivation theories, the motivation design models, the Learning Motivation Strategies, motivation of adult learning, and the learning motivation of Practice.3. The theoretical basis for this article and its related guidanceThe theory of Social constructivism provide theoretical basis for individual growth and community development. In the light of it, learners and the Society are interrelated and inseparable. The Practice Community of Anthropology Situated Learning Theory provides reference for the partcipants'legitimate peripheral participation. There are also new to the role of veteran and experts. With participating in depth, the role of the participator shifts. Base on the theory of group dynamics, the group is in a constant interaction and mutual adaptation process. Group goals, norms not only affect participators'development, also affect the group performance. Consider how to stimulate participate motivation in the learning community,we should make effective use the simulation of the community itself.4. The application of the motivation modelIn the light of TC Model, stimulating and maintaining the participators'motivation in the online learning community can be divided into three stages,the spontaneous phase, active participation phase, and work together phase. At the same time, base on four motivation conditions of the motivational framework for culturally responsive teaching, it can be considered that in the online learning community, sense of belonging to the establishment seems as the opening of main motivation. Active participation is the guarantee of maintaining the motivation of participator. Meaning construction and strong sense of learning which are achieved by the exchanges, dialogue, consultation between participator, are the main source of motivation. Positive interaction among the participators, such as timely feedback, plays a great role for the development of the community.5. The strategies which are used to stimulate and maintain the participator's learning motivation Based on the above theoretical analysis,a series of strategies can be used to stimulate and maintain the participator's learning motivation ,such as preparing resource for learning,multidimensional sharing,relevant learning models,posing a problem,providing variety,ensuring successful learning,making a sense of conclusion and responsibility.6. The survey and analysis about learning motivationCombing with the four motive conditions of the motivational framework for cultural responsive teaching,a motivation questionnaire is used to do some empirical research on motivation of members in the case .T test and variance analysis are used. It is concluded that sex, visit frequency and duration of registration, occupation factors make great impact on learning motivation. Then, an online interview was used to obtain more information about the participants'motivation, and conclude that strengthening responsibility to community, inviting experts, promoting wisdom of the generation are important for the community's development.