@YMR8rDvA : I think that in order for students to maintain their motivation, they have to be reminded of "Whats in it for them". At the beginning of each course, the class discusses why they are here, what they want from their education, and where they want to be in the future. Many will say, "I want spending money" or "I want a new place to live" or "I want a car". Then we discuss long range goals (owning a house, traveling, retirement, etc.). We discuss that in order to get there, we have to start on succeeding one class at a time. Sometimes, students will lose their motivation along the way. We also discuss how intrinsic motivation is the best kind to have - others will often let us down if we look to them to motivate us. Sometime we need to be reminded of what we want and where we are going along our journey. Perhaps our motivations change and we decide school is NOT what we are excited to do. Then I propose: what is your plan B? How long will it take? How much money will it cost? Will you be able to realistically achieve your goals that way?
