Effective Motivation Techniques
What are some examples of effective motivation techniques that career college instructors can use in their classes?
As a career college instructor I have used video clips, small group and large group projects, and students mentors as motivation techniques.
The video clips often added new dimensions to my lecture and rekindled student enthusiasm. Small group and large group projects helps both pacing and motivation for students who may have felt they were not involved or using their experiences in the class.
Student mentors builds student motivation through reinforcement and increased self esteem as those mentoring refine their new skills.
Hi Angelica,
Students really like hearing stories from their instructors. The stories help to make "real" what they are learning. Share and discuss these examples and make them a part of your ongoing teaching. I know you are going to have much teaching success.
Gary
using real life experiances used in my medical field helps student's motivation
Letting students share life experiences with one another (related to subject at hand).
Effective motivation techniques consist of leading by example, awarding success, being enthusiastic and excited about subject matter, in addition to staying abreast or on top of industry changes.
Hi Jennifer,
I have found the same thing. Students like to hear stories about how things did or did not go in their field. By them hearing the stories they get to reinforce what they are learning and get excited about entering the field themselves.
Gary
I agree with you. I allow my students to bring in their own personal experiences in my Psychology class. It really helps them facilitate their own learning by applying what they have just learned to their own lives.
I have found that students love to hear about real life experiences in the field they have chosen. They love when I tell stories of things I have seen and done at the hospital. It seems to give them some excitement that they may experience similar things when they graduate and join the field.
Hi George,
Good strategies for reaching the different students you have in course. You are letting them know you understand them and that you have been where they are. They forget that we are all former students ourselves so we have an understanding of what they are going through as students.
Gary
Hi,Gary
I have found that "The tale out of school" opens descussion very fast. Small hurtles that I had to overcome at a young age with a young family seeem to be relitive to most of my class. Relating the sixtees to the present(most of my students where not even thought of then)and showing them the way to sucess is the same and if I was able to suceed they would as well. They seem to realize that I was young once with all the emotions hormones that they have. I become reachable sort to speak
Hi Mary Jane,
By having them share their life experiences you are helping them to see both the application and relevancy of what you are offering in the course. They get to connect their life experiences with course content and thus the value of their learning greatly increases.
Gary
Hi Mary Jane,
Good way to end a class. The students verbalize their ROI from that day. If they can verbalize the return on their investment that day and each day the class meets they will see the progress they are making in the course.
Gary
Also, allow the students to share their experiences. Some students have more "real world" experiences than others and the younger students can learn from the discussion.
At the end of the class period for each student to give one item they have learned this session.Each student must tell a different item. This challenges both the instructor and the students.
One of my most effective motivating techniques is to give each student a 3 by 5 index card and ask them to summarize the lesson. Another technique I use is to go around the classroom and each student must tell one item they learned this class period and the student's cannot say the same item. This keeps both the instructor and the students both on their toes.Teaching is lots of fun and seeing the students grow is rewarding.
Hi Kathy,
This is a good strategy. Thanks for sharing it with us. This way the students will know the correct way to code as well as having the content reinforced in their minds. This will help them to store the correct information in their working memories.
Gary
You can turn it to a thinking game and put the students in group to solve the problems.
In medical billing and coding if a student gives me a wrong answer, I ask how they got to that answer and if I can identify their thought process as being good I let them know about that. They are asking themselves the correct questions as they are trying to find a code, then I can show them where they went off track.
Hi Irina,
This is a good example of how students respond to case studies and real life examples. The more application and relevancy they can see the greater their engagement is going to be.
Gary
