This article discussed the value of and differences between extrinsic and intrinsic motivation. It also gave suggestions as to how they can both be harnessed by a teacher. Over the years, teachers have mentioned that their biggest concern is the lack of motivation from students in the classroom. However, the majority of education journals are not addressing this issue in attempts to solve the problem. This might be credited to the fact that there is a dispute in the field as to which motivation type is the most effective or if there are negative effects of using one more than the other. This article breaks down the aspects of extrinsic and intrinsic motivation and describes the difference between the two. An example they used to illustrate these concepts was: If a child reads a book because they think reading is fun and they enjoy the content, then that child is considered to be intrinsically motivated. On the contrary, if a child reads because they are expecting a piece of candy from the teacher, then that child is motivated by extrinsic factors. Overall, the article made the argument that over an extended period of time, intrinsic motivation will carry a student farther in their academic career.

Also, the article discussed how teachers need to find a middle ground between the motivation types that emphasizes on competence, and self determination as a whole. Their suggestion to new teachers is to determine what the students most want to achieve with respect to self performance. Setting goals can be a good way to motivate the classroom. Teachers should also be aware that behavior is not always directly related to motivation. A student may appear to be on task when their mind is elsewhere. Behavior and choices are generally a mix of intrinsic and extrinsic motivation. Overall, teachers need to find a balance that works for each individual.