Parents often find themselves in the stressful situation of micromanaging their child’s schedule. This could be taking away TV privileges until they finish their homework, setting a limit on video game time each day, or telling their children when to practice their instrument everyday. These interventions are often contentious and mostly ineffective over time. In order to avoid these stressful confrontations, finding a way to motivate the child to complete what’s asked of them without the parent’s intervention is key.
Before examining different methods of motivating children, it is important to first appreciate human nature with respect to motivation in general. The main two types of motivation are intrinsic and extrinsic motivation (Li). Intrinsic motivation (as its name implies) is the internal drive to accomplish a task because an individual enjoys it, whereas extrinsic motivation is the drive to finish a task due to an outcome unrelated to the task itself (Li). Of the two, intrinsic motivation is preferred as it results in better “engagement of the task” (Li). Simply put, if a child enjoys a task they are more likely to put a stronger and more fulfilling effort into completing it.
This concept is not new to most parents, who regularly try different strategies to manage behaviors and increase their child’s motivation. Simple transactions like a piece of candy after finishing a homework assignment, or a more complex system like a chore chart where stickers are earned after consistent completion of chores are common examples, and for good reason. According to a study conducted by Samuel Abramovic, a reward system based on badges successfully motivated students to work on math. Students with lower overall performances in math were less likely to avoid math homework when rewarded with badges and more likely to enjoy working on math as well (Abramovic 10). This case study lends credence to the idea that building towards a reward motivates students both extrinsically and intrinsically. Students that worked on their math homework out of a desire to earn a badge, while only being motivated out of a desire for the badge, still completed their math homework. But importantly, evidence showed that intrinsic motivation grew over time, which made it more likely students improved their long term performance in math. In short, badges are powerful motivators for students.
My Music Bridge takes the concept outlined in this study and applies it to practicing an instrument. We’ve implemented a customizable badge based system that rewards students for consistent practice. Students input how many times and for how long they want to practice for the week, and if they accomplish these goals they are awarded with a daily, weekly, and eventually monthly badge. By giving students something to build toward, we offer a tangible reward for practice that gives the student extrinsic motivation to sit down and play. This system will open the door for more enjoyment of practice itself, and therefore higher intrinsic motivation as well. We’re far from the first app to take this approach. Fitness apps use similar habit forming tools like badges or trophies to great success. Why not apply the same concept to music as well, and give My Music Bridge a try today.
Works Cited
Abramovich, Samuel, et al. “Are Badges Useful in Education?: It Depends upon the Type of Badge and Expertise of Learner.” Educational Technology Research and Development, vol. 61, no. 2, 2013, pp. 217–232., doi:10.1007/s11423-013-9289-2.
Li, Pamela. “What Motivates Your Child (7 Science-Proven Steps To Motivate Kids).” Parenting For Brain, Parenting For Brain, 10 Mar. 2021
