Background

The MUSIC Model of Motivation was developed by Dr. Brett D. Jones (2009, 2018) as a research-based framework to explain key factors in the motivational climate that influence individuals’ motivation to engage in activities, such as courses and class assignments. Although researchers around the world had identified many principles and theories of motivation, there was a need for an updated model specifically designed for instructors that could be linked to practical strategies and measurable outcomes. The MUSIC model addresses this need by synthesizing the most important research ideas into a multidimensional framework that is understandable to teachers, professors, and instructional designers.

What would the MUSIC model be without a song about the model? Check out the M.U.S.I.C. song by Rob Chaseman.

Uses

The MUSIC Model can be used to: (1) intentionally design instruction to motivate others by creating a positive motivational climate, (2) diagnose problems hindering motivation, and (3) research factors associated with motivating others.

Teachers can use the MUSIC model to (a) design instruction, (b) diagnose problems by identifying their strengths/weaknesses in motivating students, and (c) select strategies that increase students’ motivation and create a positive motivational climate that is inclusive and equitable.

Researchers can use the MUSIC model to explain the relationships among factors in the motivational climate that influence motivation, engagement, and achievement.

More Information

Information about the MUSIC Model of Motivation is available at these sources.

• Brief overviews: read the Overview section below and view this video.
• More explanation: read the Motivating Students by Design book (free download here or buy hardcopy here) and the publications listed in the Research Lab section of this website.
• Strategies to motivate students: read the Strategies page, view this video for some general strategies, view this video for online classes, and read the Motivating Students by Design book (free download here or buy hardcopy here) more detailed explanations.

Overview of the MUSIC Model of Motivation

“Motivation is the extent to which one intends to engage in an activity” (Jones, 2018, p. 5). In the MUSIC model, people’s motivations to engage in activities are affected by five perceptions (eMpowerment, Usefulness, Success, Interest, and Caring), which work together synergistically to create a motivating climate. MUSIC is an acronym for these five perceptions. These five MUSIC perceptions work together to create a motivational climate, which has been defined as “the aspects of the psychological environment that affect students’ motivation and engagement within a course” (Jones et al., 2022, p. 1).

The MUSIC model includes five key principles that instructors need to consider when designing instruction as shown in the figure below (Jones, 2009, 2018).

Here’s a more complete representation of the MUSIC Model of Motivation from Jones (2018, p. 13, Figure 2.6) as it relates to students in a course.

More recently, Jones and colleagues have used this slightly different representation of the MUSIC Model of Motivation that aligns with the Jones (2018, p. 13, Figure 2.6) model and retains all of its relationships and features.

Here’s the basic design cycle from Jones (2018, p. 18, Figure 3.1) that can be used to design instruction:

Teachers can assess students’ MUSIC perceptions by reflecting on their teaching experiences, surveying students, talking to students, and/or soliciting feedback from their peers. The MUSIC Model of Academic Motivation Inventory (Jones, 2012/2024) can be used to survey students to assess their perceptions of eMpowerment, Usefulness, Success, Interest, and Caring within a course or class activity. This inventory is available for free on the Questionnaires page of this website.

The MUSIC model is being used around the world. Here are the locations that I know about at this time. If you are using the MUSIC model in a country not highlighted on this map, please email me to let me know and I will update the map (brettjones@vt.edu)!