Lisa, I use examples to motivate students too - I have 3 members from my own family that successfully went through our system with some challenges and now some great careers. These students seem to want to know "real" things. pj
Hi Lisa,
By sharing your own educational journey as well as how you managed your personal life while being a student can be a real motivator for students. This is bringing the "human factor" into the classroom. They get to see you both as an instructor as well as a personal whether it be in an in-site or online class.
Gary
I motivate my students by sharing with them where I came from and where I am today. Sometimes just sharing your story with them helps them to see that if you can do it (especially when you did not get started until you were in your 30's and while raising 3 kids at the time) then they can do it too. I discuss obstacles we had to overcome, things we had to give up temporarily, etc...but finally made it to the finish line. I teach many new online students and let them know that I am with them when they start their educational journey and will be there when they make it to the end. :) Lisa
Brad, I appreciate your strategies and feel these have also worked for me in the past. Not only have they worked for my students, but I feel that when I was a student, these were some of the best learning experiences ever and the most enjoyable!
Creating an environment where everyone's input is expected and appreciated as well as showing value for viewpoints helps me to get students involved and excited. The eye contact and feedback that I provide to them on comments and input I believe helps keep them motivated as well. I like to show them my sense of humor as well as my passion for the topic being discussed.
What I found what motivates the students is teaching them as if they where on their actual externship. I encourage them to ask a lot of questions and do their best.
On of the best ways that I have motivated and excited my students is by taking them out of the classroom and into a completely different educational setting. For example, I have taken students to museums. This helps students to be exposed the things we have discussed in class. Plus, students are in a new environment which leads to new ways of learning and experiencing, this motivates and captures their attention.
I definitely agree with everyone. Relaying your past experiences in your field can definitely motivate and educate students to a certain extent. Once the students begin getting their hands-on training that's when they become excited because they get to experience what it will be like once they are out in the working medical world.
Show them the progress they have made and a clear path toward their final goals.
Hi George,
Good point. This is so important for those students that may be on the bubble of dropping out. A few kind and supportive words and you may have gotten them to rethink their decision to quit school.
Gary
Hi David,
Thank you for your comments about what it takes to be an effective instructor. Your last sentence says it all. Interested instructors that make the class interesting have interested students.
Gary
I bring a lot of passion and energy for the field. From day one in the course, I believe it is important to demonstrate how the particular class will have an impact on helping them become who they want to be within the field. During the first week of class I like to establish some general goals for them within the field and get an idea of what they want to do with the degree. From there I can show real world examples of the importance of the particular class of certain areas of the field. I think this really helps keep students interested and motivated.
Ayberk, I wrote about relevance too; I think that it is a key element to keeping students motivated in the online learning environment (OLL).
Here are some strategies that I have found effective:
- create a variety of learning events
- make the content relevant to their chosen major or profession
- be excited about your own content; it's contagious
- provide timely feedback; satisfaction in their effort will perpetuate motivation
- have a presence in your course; they need to feel you are close by guiding and helping
I think the best way that can get people excited about a course is showing them the end result of that course. If students see that the course can prepare them for something they want to achieve, they will be motivated to work towards the goal. In addition, they will have a good understanding of the course expectations along with the outcomes.
I work hard to engage my students through force of personality and increasing their enjoyment of being in the classroom. While I am quite rigorous in adhearing to my educational standards, it has also been my experience that people learn better when they enjoy the learning process. I also find that engaged students tend to learn the marteral more effectively and that student engagement is increased when they enjoy the process. Since students have various learning styles, their engagement can be increased by using a variety of approaches and activities in the classroom. I also fine that teachers who are interesting tend to have studentes who are interested, and interested students tend to be more effective learners.
I find that if I actually enjoy my subject but, more importantly, enjoy being in the classroom with these spcific students, the students are more engaged and, with increased engagement, learn more. In my experience, people generally learn more when they look forward to the eperience. Conversely, they tend to not learn when they want to avoid exposure to the experience.
I teach an IT course, so I talk about the opportunities available for my students in the industry. I particularly point towards government IT jobs which require high level of security clearance awarded only to US citizens. I find this keeps them motivated. It helps them realize that there is light at the end of the tunnel.
I also relate personal experiences, and the fact that I got my permanent job because of my bachelors, and this teaching job only because of my masters.
Hi Kay,
Good strategies for keeping your online students engaged in the different parts of the course. In your teaching experience have you found something that really helps to get the attention of a student and get him/her involved in the course? I know a lot of online instructors are dealing with this same issue.
Gary
In online classes we often have discussion forums like this one and I can ask studnets to share personal experiences.
