Abstract
Online learning is accepted as an effective educational learning process that can respond to rapidly and constantly changing learner needs. Increasing the quality of online learning is an important point to be addressed. Within this context, motivation in online learning that affects what learners will learn, how they will learn, and when they will learn is one of the most important components because the motivation of learners has a very important place in terms of achieving desired goals in the learning and teaching process. It is not easy to continuously motivate learners in online learning process over a long period. Creating the motivation of everyone involved in the learning and teaching process is very important in terms of the efficiency and quality of the process. Within the context of a theoretical framework, “motivation,” “motivation process,” “types of motivation,” “internal motivation,” “extrinsic motivation,” “the importance of motivation in education,” and “motivation in online learning” were addressed in the present study.
TopIntroduction
Similar to e-learning concepts, online learning can be expressed as the realization of learning by using networks regardless of time and place. Carliner (2004) expresses online learning as accessing all kinds of resources that support learning and learning through a computer and network technology.
According to Watson, Murin, Vashaw, Gemin, and Rapp, (2013) online learning is a kind of learning, where faculty and students are geographically separated, a web-based education management software is used to provide a structured learning environment, and instructor-led training. It can take place simultaneously (communication where participants can interact in real time, such as online video) or separately (time separated communication such as e-mail, online discussion forums). It can be accessed from multiple settings (from school or outside of school).
In other words, online learning is a learning environment that removes barriers such as socio-economic status and enables individuals the opportunity to benefit from the superiority of lifelong education, where communication can be established with other learners and teachers simultaneously or asynchronously through the online learning environment, the internet or a computer network, and where interaction can be established in two ways with the visual and auditory abilities provided by computer technology.
Oblinger and Oblinger (2005) state that online learning should be completely synchronous, that is, with the teacher and the learner being in different places at the same time. Horton (2006) stated that online learning can be in four different types: instructor-led, student-led, synchronous and asynchronous. Instructor-led online learning is defined as a tutor conducting a lesson with a group of students online as in a normal lesson; Student-led online learning can be defined as online learning environments in which students can progress at their own pace. While synchronous online learning requires the instructor and the learner to be online at the same time and engage in educational activities at the same time, asynchronous online learning provides an environment where the instructors and learners can be online at different times or the learner can learn at his own pace without a tutorial. Today, learning management systems (LMS), which we can call an online learning tool and environment, can include all types of time and space as a standard (Horton, 2006).
Key Terms in this Chapter
Extrinsic Motivation: It involves engaging in a behavior in order to earn external rewards or avoid punishment.
Motivation: The motive, emotion that drives a person towards a specific purpose.
Intrinsic Motivation: It refers to behavior that is driven by internal rewards.
Online Learning: It is a kind of learning that allows learners to easily access rich learning resources and actively participate in learning activities without time and space limits.