student motivation
always make youself approachable to the students so they will gain positive attitudes and results
Terry - One of the greatest advantages we have as learning facilitators in an online environment is that the great majority of our students are very motivated. We’re mostly interacting with adults who are past the traditional college age and who have a clear understanding of the value of a higher education. Bringing that motivation into the center of our interaction can be a great help in handling a variety of student stressors.
How specifically can we do this? By linking everything we do to concrete goals that the student understands. I teach information technology and in every topic we cover, I encourage my students to ask themselves: “Why should I care?” If we can help them answer that question the stressors become secondary issues. Let’s look at some comments:
Student: “I am a single mom with 3 children and work full time – why should I do that excel spreadsheet?”
Instructor: Because in your future job there is a 90% chance that you will use Excel to perform your tasks; because being computer literate today means knowing Excel, Word, Powerpoint and Access.
Student: “The discussions in this course are a waste of time. I plan to be a programmer and I don’t understand how talking about all this computer stuff helps me.”
Instructor: In all professions that require a college degree you have to be able to communicate your thoughts effectively. Practicing this skill in a safe environment (the classroom) will give you the chance to acquire a skill that lends credibility to your expertise.
Student: “The software for this course is too expensive. I don’t have the money for it”
Instructor: Every penny you put into your education is one of the best investments you will ever make. There are many studies on the internet that show the earnings of a high school vs. college graduate. Here’s one of the many: http://www.earnmydegree.com/online-education/learning-center/education-value.html
Hi Randy,
Right you are. Through the introductions you have started the development of both respect and rapport. From there you can build the content and experience base for your students.
Gary
The development of rapport and respect starts early in the beginning. I like to tell everyone about myself and then I ask the students to talk about themselves and how they got interested in coming to school to learn more. It helps to make a connection and breaks down the barrier I think.
Always understand that they all learn in different ways be supportive of each student set goals and be approchable to every student sneds a message to all the students.
Hi Mark,
You make a key point about relating to students. The development of rapport and respect is critical for all students. Those that are more withdrawn or not as forth coming need additional contact so they can see themselves in the class and the success that is available to them.
Gary
Not all students are comfortable approaching you. There are many who would prefer to remain in quiet anonymity. It's your job to seek them out, creating other comfortable platforms. Otherwise, your help to them is no more than whatever is in your lecture or textbook.
At the beginning of each new term I ask students to write a short paragraph about themselves, their goals and any concerns or questions the might have. I find this to be a very successful tool in putting students at ease and letting them know that I am approachable.
You need to understand why the students are in a vocational schol .A student that is just out of high school has a different motovation than a person that has lost his job and his ability to make a living this contrast makes it important that you understand the varried resasons for returning to school as well as skill levels
