Intrinsic versus extrinsic motivation in schools: A reconciliation

This article explores the nature of the relationship between intrinsic and extrinsic motivation in schools, and in particular examines critically the assertion that these processes are necessarily antagonistic. The weight of evidence suggests that rewards in the form of school grades and the focus o f many students on doing well, gradewise, need not necessarily interfere wi th learning for its own sake. Educational implications of these findings ar e considered. One such implication is that focusing on students' interests can be a valuable motivational strategy.