MOD 5 - Why Must I Learn This? (Educ 8845)

In my muscle sculpting class at the gym, while doing side-lying leg lifts on the resist-a-ball, I say, “Keep your hips stacked and at a 45 degree angle and keep your leg parallel to the floor . . . and this is why, ladies and gentleman, you took geometry in school – so that you could one day, take a fitness class and know what to do.”

One cannot help but wonder if Keller, while in school, often asked Driscoll’s (2005) reference to the age-old question, “Why must I learn this?” (p. 334) and hence created the ARCS model.

Application of ARCS in the workplace:

In my current corporate job, everyone is basically Digitally Native (30-years-old or younger), so we do not have technology resistance. But in 2003, when I worked in a private K-12 school, all teachers were asked to use the school’s technology platforms (email, intranet, posting homework, etc.) Most were slow to begin, if at all. To motivate them to begin using the tools, the school had to require a technology test in order for them to keep their jobs.

Using Keller’s ARCS Model:

Attention: While we tried to encourage them and show them how technology will help get their jobs done faster and provide more resources, that approach was not successful. The attention getter in this case was the test requirement.

Relevance: Everything on the test was designed to ensure they knew how to use the school’s email, the school’s intranet, the school’s gradebook system, and other such school-related tasks. The test items were very relevant to the success of their jobs and not just miscellaneous technology questions.

Confidence: We provided free courses to all teachers to come to the lab and learn and experiment. We did what we think a real test should be: We gave them the test ahead of time, so they could practice as much as they wanted with help of one of the technology instructors present.

Satisfaction: Teachers definitely had natural consequences (Driscoll, 2005) in that they learned real-world, real-job applications. They also received positive consequences of being able to keep their jobs!

This method did not employ a joke, curiosity, or an internal peak of interest to gain heir attention. It did not use a natural thirst or desire approach. However, it still followed Keller’s ACRS Model, and it was successful. Now, years later, they are grateful for being pushed and everyone uses all the systems as a natural part of their day.

And the people in my fitness class are grateful they took geometry so they can really tone their legs and glutes! But the problem with this ARCS model was the relevance and satisfaction stages came much later than they should have.



Driscoll, M. P. (2005). Psychology of learning for instruction (3rd ed.). Boston: Pearson Education, Inc.