I like to ask each student what their career goals are. Then we discuss how the class can help them achieve the goal. Not all students can see how some of the classes they have to take relate to their goal especially when it is a combined degree. I always have students that feel what I teach doesn't apply to their goals, when I show them through my experience that it does they are more motivated to learn the material.
I motivate my students to want to be in class by learning from "fun" activities. I believe that a chosen career is selected because the person will enjoy that career, so why not make the class enjoyable.
Hi Jennifer,
By offering instruction that enables students to see relevancy and make applications to their career area you are connecting the dots between their schooling and their future. This is what teaching is all about.
Gary
I have found that students are motivated when they see how the course material is benefiting them in their lives outside of school. If they see the value it provides in the workplace and in their personal relationships, they are even more eager to complete the course readings and assignments. I share my own industry experience and that reinforces that I am providing them with real world knowledge and not simply reiterating textbook material.
I believe students are also motivated by meaningful feedback. If a student receives a grade of “B” with a couple of sentences that say “good job but you are lacking a few details” they might find their motivation is diminished. Students benefit from substantive feedback that provides details on what was done well and what specific concepts were overlooked or underdeveloped. When they see that I took the time to provide meaningful feedback they often let me know that they appreciate the opportunity to do even better on their next assignments.
The more I tie the concepts to real world situations the more I see students engaged in the learning process. Students are further motivated when they realize they may have even experienced these concepts at work without even realizing it. They love to see that this is more than “just lecture”, but instead can be a great training session for problem solving in their own work situations.
Hi Angela,
You are right about a lot of students acting confident when they really aren't. I let them ease into the procedures of the class so they can "save face" while developing true self confidence based upon skill development.
Gary
I find that a lot of students that seem overly confident are just acting - they are looking for encouragement and validation just as much as the shy or needy type student. I try to be a cheerleader for all students and get excited for them when they are successful at certain skills.
I sometimes use Survey Monkey to give the students an anonymous, on-line opportunity to express their thoughts after three or four weeks of class (out of 15 weeks). I'm always sure to ask them what is going well and what they suggest we do more of. All of the questions - usually four or five total - require free-form comments. They are not rating scales, which I have found not to be very helpful.
Craig,
You said, "At the end of the course, I have the students write a paper describing how the materials they learned in the course contribute to their personal "business plans" for the future."
This is a great self-reflexive assignment that not only gets the students to see the value of their educational experience in your class, but it also gives them insight in how to apply it in their future career plans. That's a great idea.
Thank you for sharing it.
Alexandria
John,
Those are great ideas. I teach online classes, so I wonder if an online field trip is feasible. Have you ever done one? Suggestions?
Alexandria
I try to continually tie classroom performance and participation to success in working in the "real world".
I stress the need to have solid communications and quantitative skills, since both of these abilites are needed in most all occupations.
At the end of the course, I have the students write a paper describing how the materials they learned in the course contribute to their personal "business plans" for the future.
Games
Simulations
Debates
Internet Research
Field Trips
Speakers from their fields of interest
contests in class
Story telling
More presentations from students
Videos
Group work activities
Yes I find that if you can include the students in self motivation or peer motivation the overall class motivation increases. It is one thing for the instructor to speak about their love of a field but students seem to get more out of it if their peers also discuss their opinions or views.
Graham,
That's an excellent point. I teach Composition and literature at a business college and my students frequently ask what either class has to do with their own goals as say a Vet Tech or a CNA, for instance. I point out to them that the ability to clearly communicate you ideas, correspond with colleagues, and document your work is essential in nearly any field. These are all skills that are developed and refined in a Composition class. The knoweldge of human nature you can glean from a literature class can also be extremely helpful in any field where you're interacting with colleagues and/or clients, but I'm always open for other ways to help students see the reason to complete these classes. Any suggestions are definitely welcome.
Thank you.
Alexandria
Hi Margie,
These are great courses to teach and so needed by students. Your seeking of feedback and input will greatly aid you as you develop the Strategies course. This method will enable you to be much more effective much quicker rather than having to run through the course a half dozen times before you get to the point of feeling you really are hitting the needs of your students. Great job.
Gary
My passion for the topics is the core of the strategy. I currently instruct Interpersonal Relations and Strategies for Student Success. In the Interpersonal class, I tell them flat out that "This course can change your life." I explain that not only can their professional life be greatly enhanced by what they learn, but that they can improve their personal relationships as well. I use the same strategy in the Strategies class, letting them know that they can either "get through" their program, or they can flourish, blossom and improve the quality of what they get out of their education. This is a new course and I regret not doing a survey up front that polled their comfort level with each of the topics. I am not always sure if I am delivering value to ALL of the students. Much of the material seems rudimentary to me, but based on my experience last quarter in Interpersonal is a much needed primer. I have done and will continue to poll the group on their comfort level with each topic as we work through the material. I am also in the process of doing informal evals to identify problem areas and strengths of the course.
Hi Margie,
What is the most impacting strategy you use to get your students to see the relevance of your gen ed courses?
Gary
I teach Gen. Ed., required courses. I continue to work to identify strategies for increasing motivation in students who are only taking the class because it is required. These are some of the basics in my approach.
1.) My attitude sets the tone for the course. I am passionate about the courses I teach and the value that they can bring to the students. Seeing my passion, they either think I’m a nut or get that maybe there is value here for them.
2.) Setting clear expectations and accountability is another good starting point. When students can see their progress and check things off the list they can see their basic progress through the course.
3.) I find that taking large projects and setting intermediate deadlines (with points awarded) for the steps of accomplishing a large task yields better outcomes than expecting students to look at the big picture, break it into small steps AND stay motivated through the process. This models a process that may be useful in their careers, if not their lives.
4.) Empowering students to bring their own experience to the class or examples from the world around them illustrates the value of the work they are doing, which is very motivating for some students.
5.) Asking them the question, “Why should we care about this?” with the introduction of each topic, is another way of engaging them the material and motivating them to take as much as possible away from the material.
This forum subject has been very motivating for me as an instructor because you have all shared a wealth of strategies that all appear to work very well when it comes to motivating students.
In regards to adult students, my experience has been that students are more motivated to be active participant if their own experience is validated and they are all acknowledged as valuable contributors to the class. This is all a part of ensuring that the learning environment is conducive and safe.
Sharon thanks for sharing your example. It's great that you made the topic relevant for your students.
Jeremiah,what techniques do you use to assess a students' learning style?
