Effective Motivation Techniques
What are some examples of effective motivation techniques that career college instructors can use in their classes?
Tiana,
I love to use games and fun activities in my classes for the reason you state, reinforcement. Learning can and should be fun but also is a serious business because success in school creates a future for each student. So by having fun, playing games, getting tickets for the raffle all contribute to an exciting learning environment. Keep up the good work.
Gary
Gary Meers, Ed.D.
Peggy,
I'm sure they do. These stories are great motivators and they help the students to see the value of the content they are learning, plus they just fun to hear.
Gary
Gary Meers, Ed.D.
Lucinda,
Guest speakers and field trips are great motivational tools for students. I use them a lot in my classes for the reasons you state. They help to make the content real and show the students what their future holds for them as they go out into the real world and visit the sites and talk to individuals working in their area.
Gary
Gary Meers, Ed.D.
I use possitive reinforcement. When students do well on a test, go above and beyond, or simply help eachother, they are rewarded. We have "tickets" that they can recieve for a raffle at the end of the term. There are many cool pizes in it. This excites them and they seem to try to get tickets by doing well.
My students love to hear "battle" stories at the clinics and hospitals. It ignites their desire to keep learning their new trade.
Using field experiences and getting students into the field prior to the end of their course studies gets them motivated. Field trips are taken every term at our campus to get the students out their and for them to see for themselves what the end result will be for their dedication and time they put into their career college experience.
Travis,
I like your use of the word "career" because it truly is one. We as instructors have to be life long learners if we are to remain at the top of our game in terms of content and instructional delivery.
Gary
Gary Meers, Ed.D.
I feel that showing enthusiasm about the subject matter that is being taught goes a long way. After being in the field for many years and showing students that I am STILL learning new things can help motivate them by relieving some pressure that they may have. Reminding students that it is not just a job they are seeking, it is a career. An example being myself, after 11 years I am still progressing.
Kurtis,
Right you are. If we are not excited about our content or our field it is for sure our students won't be. We need to bring our A game to class each time we step through the door.
Gary
Gary Meers, Ed.D.
Eboni,
Is this a career portfolio type of PP or do you ask something else of them?
Gary
Gary Meers, Ed.D.
One of the most effective ways to motivate your students is to be motivated yourself! When you are passionate and excited about being in class and eager to share with them, the enthusiasm will transfer to your students.
Have the student to create a power point using their past experience.
Laurel,
Students like to share their life experiences as well as hear stories from their instructors about their field of study. These stories are motivators for all those that hear them.
Gary
Gary Meers, Ed.D.
I have seen the students interest when sharing life experiences
Rhoda,
Thank you for sharing this experience with us. You are helping to impact the lives of the next generation of professionals entering your field. This is such a great feeling to have as an educator. An even greater feeling is knowing you are helping them to help others through their service learning projects. Keep up the good work!
Gary
Gary Meers, Ed.D.
Gwendolyn,
All of these ideas are good methods to use. I really like the use of graduates as guest speakers. The students can see themselves in the graduates so they get excited about listening to them. In addition, they start to see the value of the content you are offering because the graduates talk about how they are using what they were taught to be successful.
Gary
Gary Meers, Ed.D.
I reacently became a Dental Assisting Instructor and have been the field 40 years. Iam always excited about teaching my students. I have an awesome class and had the privilege of taking my students to volunteer in a clinci that was offering free dentistry for a day to the underprivilrged.This was such a positive experience and they all came away with new a understanding of the profession they have chosen.This course has helped me understand how to keep that movitation going. Thank you
Some examples of effective motivation techniques that can be used in classes are having students and the instructor share their personal experiences, group discussions, inviting guest speakers and conducting mock interviews.
Liza,
So true about how students like to hear stories from the field. With your experience you have stories you will be able to share for a long time to come. The stories help to make the content real to them as well as giving them a peek into the future career area for which they are training.
Gary
Gary Meers, Ed.D.
