Integrating Kinesthetic Motivation in Teaching Values Education

Abstract

INTRODUCTION

Millennial learners have peculiar characteristics that are associated with the fidgeting and phubbing generation. Some studies have shown that there is a growing population of learners who are kinesthetic in nature. Classroom management, delivery of instruction, and performance expectations are often affected by student behaviors that are usually associated with kinesthetic learners. This action research would like to find answers on the effectiveness of integrating kinesthetic activities as instructional motivation for enhanced students' engagement and improved level of performance in Edukasyon sa Pagpapakatao (EsP).

METHODS

The study followed a quantitative experimental design with a total sample size of 166 learners, 91 in the control and 75 in the experimental groups. The experimental group was subjected to kinesthetic motivation while conventional instruction was used in the control group. Demographic profile and learning style preferences were collected using the Multiple Intelligences Survey Form. Summative test scores were recorded as indicators of performance at the end of the 2 modules. The data were analyzed using the computed t-scores as evaluated against the t-distribution critical value table.

RESULTS

The kinesthetic activities integrated as motivation in teaching EsP in Grade 7 had a significant effect on the performance of learners (p=0.007876). The study revealed that kinesthetic motivational activities were significantly effective among male learners particularly those who were 12-13 years of age (p = 0.000438); learners who were identified to have kinesthetic learning style preference (p = 0.004191); and those who are multimodal learners (p = 0.000496). On the contrary, the following variables have shown acceptance of the null hypothesis: all female learners (p=0.337749); male students who were older than 13 years old (p=0.414246); and all learners identified with other unimodal learning style preferences (logical, spatial, linguistic, musical, intrapersonal, interpersonal, naturalist and existentialist.)

DISCUSSIONS

This study has strengthened the idea that diversity in learners' age, gender and learning style preference also requires diversified motivational activities that would best fit their nature, capability, and interest. It supplies information that can alter educators' traditional view on implementing motivational activities as part of the Management of Learning (MOL) either in classroom instruction setting or in any educational forum.