Michele,
Feedback and instructor support contribute so much to student retention. The more our students see that they are being successful the harder they will work on continuing their success. We need to make reinforcement specific so they know where they are improving and what they need to work on.
Gary
Dr. Gary Meers
Reinforcement can be used to motivate students by giving positive remarks on student's efforts that are given during class discussions or even a written acknowledgement of "Great Points Made" on a paper they have written tells them that you noticed their hard work and are acknowledging it in a positive manner. This type of positive feedback is often enough to keep students motivated and encouraged to stay focused on their studies.
i provide down time and bonus points, extra assignments to reinforce a concept.
To reinforce is a powerfull way of getting a message through and/or getting a lesson plan together. Always tell students that they are doing a good job and offer a reward once in a while for doing a superb job.
Krista,
Right you are about reinforcement. It is powerful in increasing student motivation. Success generates success so the more we can help student achieve success the greater their engagement is going to be.
Gary
Dr. Gary Meers
Reinforcement encourages students to keep going. If they are positively reinforced, they will feel good about themselves which will give them the confidence to believe they can make it to the end of the program.
Luis,
Passion is an important part of being a successful instructor. When your students know you are passionate about your field they are more focused on learning the content.
Gary
Dr. Gary Meers
Reinforcement can be used to motivate a students learning and continued success. A student who is currently successful in your class could benefit from positive reinforcement. If they have the knowledge that they are on the right track and are doing things well they should be reinforced for that instead of left wondering. For the student who is not doing well you can still use reinforcement to help them get better. You will have to give constructive criticism but be sure to highlight what the student has done well. If you do not show them that they are doing something right they will only see the negative and may possibly give up.
I like this as well. I'll give this a shot next term.
Reinforcement may be used to motivate students, and faculty may demonstrate this by providing timely feedback on all completed assignments. Once assignments are submitted, students are anxious to learn of the outcomes. Also, interactive discussion board assignments are very useful in allowing the students to interact with each other, and the instructor act as a facilitator to provide constructive remarks.
Passion for the subject as well as respect and communication with the student.
Reinforcement builds confidence. Reinforcement of "why" something is important and showing them "how" the skill or knowledge is applied to real life demonstrates purpose (for learning the content) and meaning (relavant application) which should motivate the students.
Deborah,
I like it! This is a great way to get the students to revisit what has been taught and then review it with you as they are leaving. This greatly increases the ROI of the course content.
Gary
Dr. Gary Meers
One way that I reinforce /motivate students is to do what we call "ticket out of class". Prior to leaving class, students must give me 1-2 things that they learned in that class time. It shows students that their time was not wasted and shows them that they are capable of learning the materail and that they did learn something that day. It seems simplistic, but it works. Students fequently say, "Wow, I didn't realize I learned so much today." It also helps to reveiw what was taught in the class for that day.
reinforcement allows the student to apply the knowledge they have learned and will reinforce by "doing" and "experiencing" instead of just reading or hearing about it
Kenny,
Good point about how you support your students even when they make a mistake. A part of the learning process is making a mistake and then having the instructor help you correct the mistake, learn from it, and then move on. This is the only time the students will have the "safety net" of an expert (the instructor) available to help them with their growth.
Gary
Dr. Gary Meers
I make the students aware that everyone will make a mistake and when a mistake is made, the best thing to do is admit it, and then learn from it. I will make a point to admit when I have messed up something in class, just so they can see that I am human just like they are. When you come off as perfect, the students do not perform as well because they are afraid to mess up something.
Reinforcement is a hands-on review, utilizing student experience to drive home key concepts or points.
Positive reinforcement is a huge motivator to students because it provides feedback about their progress and recognizes and acknowledges the learning progress they have made. Reinforcement comes from giving students feedback quickly following assignments and exams so they know where they stand. It motivates students to continue to strive to accomplish learning the required skills they will need for their careers. It acknowledges their accomplishments and guides their path in terms of areas that may require improvement. It support sequential learning and assimilation of subject matter.
Reinforcement is sometimes individualized. Some class activities (class games) help, giving someone an opportunity to "shine." Sometimes it makes others try to beat them.
