I think as an instructor I do have responsibility to help motivate my students but if they are not willing to motivate themselves there are cases where that is all you can do and they have to take hold of what you have offered them. If not I never give up on them but I tell myself that I have done what I can and hope they will eventually respond to my teaching. I always want what is best for my students but sometimes they get in a rut and you have to let them dig themselves out.
I think the student-teacher balance of motivation is the same it is in all relationships. Sometimes one person gives 60% and the other only 40%. There are some students who have a huge pool of intrinsic motivation to draw from, and they need very little external motivation from me. More frequently, however, students tend to need more motivation from their instructors because they have very little of their own, or that amount varies from time to time depending on the particular class and their personal lives. The more immature the student is the more external motivation and hand-holding he needs.And I believe the less control he has over his personal life the less motivation he has regarding his academic life.
I agreed. Part of the teaching process isn' t only for the teaacher to send an information across but to create a enviorment for students to feel motivated and secure on what they choose to do for the rest of their life.
Monte, well stated. We as educators provide the scaffolding, coaching, support but the learning must take place when the student is ready and willing.
James Jackson
I agree! I can't have more invested than the student does in learning. I agree that we need to provide organization etc but a well motivated student finds things on their own and really takes in the material. I have often said I can't do the program for you.
nancy, there is a sharing of responsibility but early in the process the majority of responsibility does fall to the instructor. Each situation is different so the real critical factor is building that professional relationship with your students and knowing their motivational triggers.
James Jackson
I agree that it is part of my responsibility to motivate the students and keep their interest in the subject at a peak level.
I like to think it is all my responsibility to motivate students to learn in my classroom. Students inspire me to teach and I want to give back using all of my efforts.
Christopher, well stated. Motivation is difficult enough without adding a boring instructor into the mix. Know your students and know what they need to become interested in you and your learning objectives.
James Jackson
Marshall, I agree that in a perfect world 100% may fall upon the student. If your institution is recruiting students that are all mature adults and you are testing them for any learning disorders and are only admitting the top recruits. Within the career and community college sectors of Higher Education, it is rare that the student population is made up of mature adults that are ready to take on responsibility for their education. Maturity is not a factor of age and you are as likely to have a 35 year old adolescent as you are to have a 22 year old adult. Our goal as members of the faculty is to build professional relationships with our students, understand their strengths and weaknesses and do what we can to teach to their strengths and assist them through their weak areas. As they matriculate through the curriculum, you will know your institution has accomplished something special when you admit adolescent minds and graduate mature adults ready to take on more responsibility for their own lives. We can agree to simply disagree on this topic as I do see your point and find merit in your meaning.
James Jackson
I agree that much of a students motivation comes from how the instructor delivers the information with enthusiasm. I truely believe a teacher can make or break a subject. I remember thinking history was so boring than I had a teacher with passion who brought it to life! I'll never think or feel the same about the subject. I really feel that it's not in having the most book smarts on the subject either but that you bring in the real world situations and can create the connection with your students, your students to eachother, and all to the subject.
I believe much of the student motivation lies with how the educator carries themselves. I find more often then not adult learners love to hear real world situations that pertain to the course but not always the instructor’s personal experiences. This can easily translate to a students that their instructor is full of themselves. They have the expectation of getting the best information provided by a professional who is passionate about their area of expertise which directly translates to motivation. How can we expect our students to be motivated if the course content is delivered with lack of enthusiasm? I believe in the long run the students are responsible for their own motivation but it is our duty as educators to provide an avenue for their motivation to thrive.
Is it possible that 100% lies with professors and 100% lies with students.
We each have our own separate responsibilities that, I wonder, add to student motivation. Since students feel more secure and motivated in classes were the professor is interested in his topic, and interested in his job, then I should take 100% of the responsibly to motivate my students by caring about my work.
Ultimately, the students are also responsible for themselves to get the tasks done.
Therefore, I wonder if we are both responsible equally.
Wilfredo, exciting dialog. I am interested in what others have to say about this topic. Greatly appreciate your feedback and look forward to a continual discussion on this important topic.
James Jackson
In my opinion, motivating the students always lies on the teacher and I think that adult students are no exception, instead the teacher changes the way of motivating them and the methods employed. These methods should be according to adulthood. If we assume that adults only need from us (educators) the information that we provide we would only be informants, and not teachers. This weakens the learning process and motivation towards it. Remember that most adult learners come with the expectation that they are going to be taught by a highly motivated teacher, who’s well prepared in the subjects he teaches, and that has a personal position inside and outside the classroom according with what is expected socially from a teacher. In the course highlights it is said that security and autonomy are the key factors that develop the adult student motivation during the learning process and shows various techniques and tactics that show the teacher's lead role in the maintenance and growth of the motivation of the student to the issues if the wearer or the creation and development of motivation if not carried. Then it is essential that teachers take greater responsibility in developing the motivation of the students even if they are adults. I agree with you when you said “We as educators are then faced with the task of assessing our students and determining how much assistance each will need. Some may require the 60/40 split you suggest while others may need more assistance to the tone of 80/20 and others may need very little support outside of the delivering the curriculum. I agree with you that in what you’re saying refers specifically to the 60% that I placed as the teacher's responsibility in the motivation of the adult student when analyzed as the general function of the educator.
When you said " “ be open to these ideas and focus more on building professional relationships and learning how each of your students can best make use of your skills and knowledge " you are showing that this flexibility in the application of what you said ratifies the predominant role of the teacher in student motivation during the learning process.
wilfredo
Wilfredo, I am not sure it is a matter of who need to assume the highest percentage of responsibility. Adult learners should assume 100% of the responsibility while we as educators provide the information they need. The real issue is what really defines an adult learner? There is also the issue of the institution and their mission with respect to the level of maturity of the student they allow within their doors. ALL institutions control what students they allow through their doors, if the institution is focused on resource deprived students then the issue of adult education tends to be not so much the focus as it is about assisting students to reach a level of maturity they can begin to assume more and more of the responsibilities associated with being an adult. In most community and career colleges, we as educators are just as likely to encounter 45 year old adolescents as we are to encounter 25 year old adults. Adult learning is not a chronological categorization as it is one of maturity. We as educators are then faced with the task of assessing our students and determining how much assistance each will need. Some may require the 60/40 split you suggest while others may need more assistance to the tone of 80/20 and others may need very little support outside of delivering the curriculum. Be open to these ideas and focus more on building professional relationships and learning how each of your students can best make use of your skills and knowledge.
James Jackson
