The ARCS Model for Learner Motivation

Coffeebeans is clamoring for our attention. She’s got something to say about Perceptual Arousal, which is one of the techniques to gain the learner’s attention. We are listening, Ms. Coffeebeans!

John Keller’s ARCS model establishes 4 parameters for motivating the learner.

A: Attention
R: Relevance
C: Confidence
S: Satisfaction

According to Keller, the above four should be established for the learner, in order to ensure that the learner remains motivated throughout the learning experience.

A: Attention
According to this model, the learner’s attention can be gained either by exciting the learner’s senses, making the learner curious, and/or varying your methods of presenting the content.

R: Relevance
The content should be relevant to the audience’s learning need (so the objectives should match) and the content-presentation should be relevant to the audience’s schema (thus, the examples and the illustrations should relate to the audience’s prior experiences.)

C: Confidence
The learner should be given an opportunity to practice the learning and the learning should be reinforced through constructive feedback.

S: Satisfaction
At the end of the learning experience, the learner should know that the learning objective was met.

Important:
You should scope the learning experience in the right way to really benefit from ARCS. The best way to use ARCS to motivate your learner is to think of your training program or your course as a sum of numerous learning experiences and then apply ARCS to each of them.

Reflection Activity:

• Reflect upon your past experiences with teaching or learning. Identify the four parameters of ARCS in your learning experience, and review its impact on the motivation of your audience.
• Read the Story “When Life comes a full Circle,” and identify the application of ARCS in it.