1

Writing Assignment #2: The ARCS Model

Department of Education, University of the People

Dr. Alex Kumi

EDUC 5280 – AY2022 – T1

09/15/2021
 2

Writing Assignment #2: The ARCS Model

Introduction

The ARCS model (Keller, 1983) is a motivational process model that includes a blend of

motivational concepts and theories that are grouped into four distinct categories: (1) attention, (2)

relevance, (3) confidence and (4) satisfaction. Each of these major categories can be further

broken down into smaller, more homogeneous subsets of concepts. These categories of

motivational concepts are categorized on the basis of their shared attributes. This essay will

explicate each of the four categories and will also evaluate the ARCS model as a whole.

Attention: What can I do to capture their interest?

Keller (1983) suggests that “attention” is an essential condition of good teaching and could

be obtained by what she describes as “perceptual arousal”. For Keller (1983), the learner's

attention can be gained by surprise, doubt or even theatrical disbelief.

Teachers can capture a learner’s attention with a variety of methods. For instance, a sense

of humor can go a long way in capturing students' attention. Although it should be used with

caution, humor in the form of short stories or light-hearted jokes can be a great attention-grabber

and can set the tone for a memorable lesson.

Teachers may also use startling facts or figures as a means of capturing student interest.

These pieces of information can enthrall students as they become curious why the stated facts

and figures are true. A variety of media (e.g. Youtube, a newspaper) that covers what’s

happening in the world can have a similar effect. On the other hand, simply presenting

information without also providing a real-world context can be disengaging

(Pappas, 2015). Offering alternative presentation forms helps vary instruction and keep the

presentation interesting.

Capturing students' attention is not just important for ensuring that students get good

grades. It is a prerequisite for meaningful learning of the subject matter at hand and prepares

students for the skills they will need later in life. Paying attention during lessons is much more

foundational than just paying attention. Attention skills Impact self-control, working memory and

cognitive flexibility which are known collectively as executive functional skills (Gagne, Briggs &

Wager, 1992). The importance of attention and executive function skills cannot be overstated.

One research study found that a child's attention skills at the age of four correlates strongly with

whether they graduate from college by age 25.

Relevance: How can I tie the instruction to the learners' experiences?

As mentioned above, tying a lesson back to a real-world context is a powerful

motivational strategy because, at bottom, a link to the real world gives students a reason for why

they should care. Students who have a reason to care about what they are learning

overwhelmingly are more engaged in the learning process (Keller, 2010).

Given the positive correlation between student motivation and school success,

instructional designers need to give students a reason to care about school as early as possible.

An instructor could, for example, offer presentations by the alumni of the school who may

present students with a model of success (Pappas, 2015). If students have concrete evidence that

those who went through the school’s program improved their lives, students will have a good

reason to view education as a useful first step in their personal success story.

Confidence: How can I assist in building a positive expectation for success?

Instructors should work to instill in their students a sense of confidence. A student who

feels they are unlikely to succeed, in the classroom or elsewhere, will have lower motivation and

consequently a weaker performance. Instructors who establish positive expectation for success

can encourage students to take “small steps” and celebrate the small victories they have in their

education (Keller, 2010). This will motivate them by helping them believe in themselves and that

will result in students’ self-growth.

Students who know that they have the ability to achieve the goals and objectives of the

lesson or unit of study will be more likely to actually go out and achieve those objectives. Thus, it

is vital that students know what is expected of them throughout the learning process and how

exactly they will be assessed at the end of the course of study. Knowledge of the learning

objectives is one of the easiest ways that students can build confidence in school.

Intelligent, constructive feedback is another significant determinant of students'

motivation, and can be a deciding factor in whether a student has deep, inner confidence, or

merely a cosmetic sense of superiority. It is important for students to know “where they stand” in

order to continue the course of study in the best possible direction. Without meaningful or

targeted feedback, students cannot really know how they are doing in their courses, and their

sense of how much they understand becomes distorted as a result of this lack of information.

Feedback is essential in order to encourage students to proceed with confidence to the next level

of their educational endeavor. Feedback may reinforce positive behavior and skills that are

necessary for them to succeed in their lives (Pappas, 2015).

Satisfaction: What will provide reinforcement to the learners' successes?

Finally, students will learn more if they are satisfied with the teacher’s instructional

methods, or even if they receive a “satisfaction” in the form of a reward. There is a direct link
 5

between satisfaction and level of satisfaction, either intrinsic or extrinsic (Keller, 2010). In both

cases, a reward is one of the most direct reasons why a student persevere in their studies despite

the struggles they may face. The learning process must present students with some kind of

reward, whether this may be a sense of accomplishment or good feelings from the teacher or

instructor. Both of these stimuli increase the students' level of satisfaction and will act as guides

throughout the learning process.

One of the greatest sources of satisfaction is the belief that what one is learning will make

one’s life better This kind of reward will foster inner satisfaction in students as they will find it

worthwhile to put in the time, money and effort for their studies.

Students should have confidence in the usefulness of the skills and materials they are

studying for their future. This can be achieved by encouraging students to put into practice their

newly acquired knowledge and skills in real world settings or by engaging them in real world

experiences or problem solving activities. This will foster inner satisfaction in students as they

will find worthwhile the time, money and effort they have put in their education.

Conclusion

By applying the principles specified in Keller's model, and by learning how to recognize

and classify various components of the model, an instructor can increase their capacity to deliver

compelling lessons. This process may not lead an instructor to automatically know how to solve

motivational problems, but now the instructor has a framework through which they may think

about these problems more clearly and with a greater sense of purpose.
 6

References

Gagne, R. M., Briggs, L. J., & Wager, W. W. (1992). Principles of instructional design. Retrieved

from https://www.hcs64.com/files/Principles%20of%20instructional%20design.pdf

Keller, J. M. (1983). Motivational design of instruction. In C. M. Reigeluth (Ed.), Instructional

design theories and models: An overview of their current status. Hillsdale, NJ: Erlbaum

Keller, J. M. (2010). Motivational design for learning and performance: The ARCS model

approach. New York: Springer.

Pappas, C (2015). Instructional Design Models And Theories: Keller’s ARCS Model Of

Motivation. Retrieved from: https://www.google.com/amp/s/elearningindustry.com/arcs-model-

of-motivation/amp
7
8
9