Dana,
Yeah, it's important to remember the WIIFM principle ("what's in it for me"). When we can get students to see that our instruction is directly related to their future success or readiness for the workplace, they are more likely to tune in, pay attention, and be willing to participate in order to be better prepared. Abstract theories or non-useful information is more difficult to embrace when students can't see why they need to learn it.
Barry Westling
