Dataset Information

Assessing the motivation to learn in cattle.

ABSTRACT: Cognitive challenges may provide a form of enrichment to improve the welfare of captive animals. Primates, dolphins, and goats will voluntarily participate in learning tasks suggesting that these are rewarding, but little work has been conducted on livestock species. We investigated the motivation of 10 pairs of Holstein heifers to experience learning opportunities using a yoked design. All heifers were trained to perform an operant response (nose touch) on a variable interval schedule. Learning heifers then performed this response to access a discrimination learning task in which colour and texture of feed-bin lids signified a preferred reward (grain) vs. a non-preferred reward (straw). Control heifers received the same feed without a choice of bins or association of feed with lid type. Learning heifers approached the target to begin sessions faster (p?=?0.024) and tended to perform more operant responses (p?=?0.08), indicating stronger motivation. Treatments did not differ in the frequency with which heifers participated in voluntary training sessions. We conclude that heifers are motivated to participate in learning tasks, but that aspects of the experience other than discrimination learning were also rewarding. Cognitive challenges and other opportunities to exert control over the environment may improve animal welfare.

SUBMITTER: Meagher RK

PROVIDER: S-EPMC7176709 | biostudies-literature | 2020 Apr

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature

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Assessing the motivation to learn in cattle.

Meagher Rebecca K RK Strazhnik Emma E von Keyserlingk Marina A G MAG Weary Daniel M DM

Scientific reports 20200422 1

Cognitive challenges may provide a form of enrichment to improve the welfare of captive animals. Primates, dolphins, and goats will voluntarily participate in learning tasks suggesting that these are rewarding, but little work has been conducted on livestock species. We investigated the motivation of 10 pairs of Holstein heifers to experience learning opportunities using a yoked design. All heifers were trained to perform an operant response (nose touch) on a variable interval schedule. Learning ...[more]

PMID: 32321954

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Project description:ObjectiveTo succinctly summarise five contemporary theories about motivation to learn, articulate key intersections and distinctions among these theories, and identify important considerations for future research.ResultsMotivation has been defined as the process whereby goal-directed activities are initiated and sustained. In expectancy-value theory, motivation is a function of the expectation of success and perceived value. Attribution theory focuses on the causal attributions learners create to explain the results of an activity, and classifies these in terms of their locus, stability and controllability. Social- cognitive theory emphasises self-efficacy as the primary driver of motivated action, and also identifies cues that influence future self-efficacy and support self-regulated learning. Goal orientation theory suggests that learners tend to engage in tasks with concerns about mastering the content (mastery goal, arising from a 'growth' mindset regarding intelligence and learning) or about doing better than others or avoiding failure (performance goals, arising from a 'fixed' mindset). Finally, self-determination theory proposes that optimal performance results from actions motivated by intrinsic interests or by extrinsic values that have become integrated and internalised. Satisfying basic psychosocial needs of autonomy, competence and relatedness promotes such motivation. Looking across all five theories, we note recurrent themes of competence, value, attributions, and interactions between individuals and the learning context.ConclusionsTo avoid conceptual confusion, and perhaps more importantly to maximise the theory-building potential of their work, researchers must be careful (and precise) in how they define, operationalise and measure different motivational constructs. We suggest that motivation research continue to build theory and extend it to health professions domains, identify key outcomes and outcome measures, and test practical educational applications of the principles thus derived.

Project description:BackgroundIn recent years, point-of-care ultrasound (POCUS) has become an essential field of medical education. Bedside ultrasound has become a necessary skill for clinical physicians. Previous studies have already discussed the importance of advancements in ultrasound education. However, learning motivations for ultrasound education have seldom been analyzed in the literature. For medical students, learning ultrasound could have a relevance for their future career. The Existence, Relatedness and Growth (ERG) theory extended Maslow's hierarchy of needs through these three concepts. This theory has been widely used in the workplace to analyze employee job performance but has not yet been applied in medical education. In this study ERG theory was applied to analyze pre-clinical medical students' learning motivation toward ultrasound education.MethodThis mixed method study used online questionnaires consisting of open-ended questions as a data collection tool, and based on these results, both qualitative and quantitative analysis were conducted. Participants answered a series of neutral and open-ended questions regarding their motivations to learn ultrasonography. After data collection, a three-step analysis was conducted based on the grounded theory approach. Finally, the results of the thematic coding were used to complete additional quantitative analysis.ResultsThe study involved 140 pre-clinical medical students, and their responses fell into 13 specific categories. The analysis demonstrated that students' motivations toward ultrasound education were unbalanced across the three ERG domains (F = 41.257, p < .001). Pairwise comparisons showed that students mentioned existence motivation (MD = 39.3%; p < .001) and growth motivation (MD = 40.7%; p < .001) more frequently than relatedness motivation. However, there was no significant difference between existence motivation and growth motivation (MD = - 1.4%; p = .830).ConclusionThe results revealed that students placed a high value on existence and growth needs rather than relatedness based on the survey. In addition, the findings suggest that ERG theory can be a useful tool to conduct medical education motivation analysis.

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Assessing the motivation to learn in cattle.

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Assessing the motivation to learn in cattle.

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