This is your brain. This is your brain on...

I write a lot about motivation, and specifically the power of intrinsic motivation at work. Here is a great post from Creating Passionate Users called Most Classroom Learning Sucks.

While the examples come from schools, they also could be used to emphasize the kind of work environment that encourages people to do their best work.

Here are a couple choice quotes from the post:

"The important thing was that they took the time to discover what the kids were passionate about, and used that as a vehicle for motivation."

"One of the biggest mistakes adult learning programs and learners can make, in my opinion, is to use traditional school as the model. It doesn't work for kids, and it doesn't work for adults. Because it doesn't work for the brain. I know there are enormous challenges and pressures for delivering public school learning (that so many teachers don't have the option or power to change), but most adult education programs that follow the same poor model don't have those excuses."

I agree.

I should produce one of those "This is your brain. This is your brain on drugs." commercials. Here's what it would look like:

This is your brain.

This is your brain on extrinsic motivation.

Any questions?

Comments

[Tim Stanley]

I agree with your evaluation of classroom - school model for adult learners. Since I have been exposed to both classroom learning and self learning, I have come to the conclusion that an intrinsic drive to self learn is more effective. Just ask a new immigrate with no American Business School experience how or she is able to run a good restaurant with all the pressures of a small business. The new idea about internet education or on-line college may be more effective. Time will tell. Thanks for this article.