Enhancing Student Motivation: what factors are important and what actions can be taken

Transcription

1 Enhancing Student Motivation: what factors are important and what actions can be taken Rima Afifi, PhD, MPH Faculty of Health Sciences American University of Beirut April 26/

2 Introductions and Expectations

3 Agenda for two days

4 Student Motivation: Definition A student s willingness, need, desire, and compulsion to participate in, and be successful in, the learning process (Bomia et al., 1997, p.1) How do you know a student is motivated? How do you know a student is unmotivated? Is it all or none?

5 Intrinsic versus Extrinsic Motivation Model for intrinsic motivation Is it interesting? Is it stimulating? Challenge, curiosity Do I have some control over it? Yes to all three student engages Need to keep it interesting, stimulating, and control -- opportunity for

6 Why should we care about student motivation?

7 Lack of Motivation: whose fault is it? Students are not necessarily unmotivated or unwilling learners; they are simply uninvolved in the depersonalization of the traditional classroom. Motivation is influenced by many factors

8 Individual work Think about a classroom situation (in high school or university) when you were motivated to learn. Describe it on paper: what was the topic, how many students were in class, what were the characteristics of the instructor, what were the factors that made you motivated to learn? Now think of a classroom situation when you were unmotivated to learn. You were bored, could care less, were thinking about what you were going to do when the class ended, and were counting the seconds till the class ended. Describe it on paper (take us there): what was the topic, how many students were in class, what were the characteristics of the instructor, what were the factors that made you motivated to learn?

9 Group work Group members share the results of previous exercise and come up with 1. a set of factors that influence motivation and 2. another than results in de-motivation.

10 BREAK

11 What factors influence student motivation? Be enthusiastic about the subject Help students achieve their goals Hold high but realistic expectations of students Start with early opportunities for success Gradually increase difficulty through the semester Tell students what they need to do to succeed in the course Avoid creating competition Capitalize on students existing needs /work on their strengths and interests Need to know students to know their different motivations and needs get to know your students Explain how the course will help them achieve their goals Active learning Vary teaching methods! Link back To course To previous experience Perception of usefulness of subject matter Most student respond well to a well organized course taught by an enthusiastic instructor that cares about students.

12 Scenario In a geography classroom, Ms. Betty assigned a group project to her students. The goal of this assignment was for students to learn the geographic location and some key information about east Asian countries. After Ms. Betty described the group assignment, students formed five teams of three students each. Each team chose one of the Asian nations and wrote a fiveminute news release about it. The students were to act as anchors of a news show to introduce their country to the audience. The goal of the news report was to help students learn general information about the featured country. In the initial phase of this assignment, Ms. Betty gave the students the opportunity to choose their team partners, create their project timeline, design their content outline, and assign duties to each team member. She told the students to take responsibility for their own products and she would assist as facilitator and coach. However, Ms. Betty still spent time reviewing the groups' plans for potential problems. She also provided some television news clips for students and provided guidelines for writing a good news report.

13 Ms. Betty also discussed the project with each group before they started. She asked questions to determine their goals, such as: What do you expect to learn from this assignment? Why did you choose this country? What personal skills do you want to contribute to this project? Once Ms. Betty understood her students goals and expectations of the project, she made sure that their progress matched their original plan as she met with them weekly throughout the process. During their weekly appointments students reported on their progress. Ms Betty provided feedback as needed and helped the students find ways of applying their skills and talents to the project. Finally, Ms. Betty asked each student to write a short paper to report his/her reflections about the project. She wanted the students to focus on any gaps between their original expectations and the final results as well as to find out what the students learned from the project. She used these notes to revise her instructional strategies for the next semester.

14 6 C s of motivation Choice Challenge Control Collaboration Constructing meaning Consequences

15 Generation Y values Technology Diversity Autonomy Positive reinforcement

16 Basic principles of motivation Success is more motivating than failure Both intrinsic versus extrinsic motivation can be important Motivation is affected by the organization of material and relating it to previous material Motivation is more likely with Quick wins Motivation is influenced by having students define goals Not all students are motivated by the same values, needs, desires, or wants.

17 Day 2 Homework: bring syllabus of a course you teach to class tomorrow where you would like to improve student motivation

18 Tips for increasing student motivation in your class

19 The first day of class Grab the opportunity to turn anxiety into excitement! Write welcome on the board Introduce yourself Be enthusiastic why do you like the topic, what made you interested in it? Identify why they might like this course Use ice breakers / Involve students in an activity start as you want to continue by having them involved! Give them choice Set expectations

20 Checklist for first day Am I Energized about class? Is the classroom arranged the right way for the activities? Is my name and contact info on board? Are icebreaker planned? Do I have a way to learn names of students? Do I have a way of gathering information about students? Is the syllabus complete? Are expectations clear to students? Is there an opportunity for students to ask questions? Will students want to come back after this first day?

21 Throughout the semester Remember to vary your teaching methods Get to know your students and related examples to their lives Involve students in their own learning participatory teaching Practice using assignment during class learn by doing Give frequent early feedback Ensure opportunities for student success by assigning tasks that are not to easy or not too difficult Gradually increase difficulty level as confidence of students increases. Give assignments to prepare them for class Make the classroom a safe place to take risks treat attempts to learn with support and encouragement Use Classroom Assessment Techniques (CATs) Use of technology moodle discussions etc Use visual aids

22 Classroom Assessment Techniques (CATs) One-minute paper Muddiest point Memory matrix Application cards

23 Teasers and Motivational statements Novelty Utility Applicability Anticipation Surprise Challenge Feedback Closure

24 Motivating students to read Positive reinforcement Assign readings ahead of time Ask them to turn in one or two comments/questions about the readings Have them jot down notes from the readings and have them use them for exams Negative reinforcement leads to reading Those who don t read have a written assignment Those how don t read are asked to leave the class Prepare exam questions from un-discussed readings

25 Individual work Think of the course you teach, what are some strategies that you could implement to improve student motivation.

26 Dyad work: Thinking together Work in groups of two. Person 1 explains his/her course to the other, explains how students have generally responded to the course. Explains what strategies they have thought could be added to improve the course re student motivation. Person 2 then provides any additional thoughts on strategies. Then the same process for person 2.

27 Wrap-up Any unclear points? THANK YOU

28 References guidebk/teachtip/teachtip.htm ivating.html pdf nteractions/motivating.htm