Is there a way to help students improve their intrinsic motivation?
It seems some students struggle with this. How can we help if this is not their nature?
Stephanie, well stated. The more you learn about your students the better you will be able to find topics and conversations that can motivate and fully engage their interest in the subject matter you are teaching.
James Jackson
I think it is important to find out what drives the student and relate it to what they are learning. Sometimes it takes time for the light bulb to come on and the intrinsic motivation to happen especially when they are stuck in bad habits or a failure cycle. I think what helps is to not give up on the them.
Sochand, you raise a critical point. The more students associate their degree leading to a career and the career leading to autonomy and security the more intrinsic they become.
James Jackson
I think a good way to help improve their intrinsic motivation is to work on the student's autonomy and security,
especially after having read the replies concerning the financial aspect of taking the course, as well as parents expecting much of their adult 'children'.
I think if students feel the ownership of certain aspects of the course (in some ways these are extrinsic rewards given by the instructor) and see encouraging and successful feedback (by seeing the security elements implemented by the instructor through encouragement and supportive responses) they become more independent and might even see a 'fun' element in their actions.
I also highly agree with getting to know the student's background and using that as their knowledge base to build up from there.
I also noticed that having a good relationship with the student can be a good motivator as well which might spark interest in the subject matter eventually (intrinsic).
Heather, outstanding exercise. Outside speakers bring a real and tangible perspective to the student. They are no longer just relying on faith that their instructor is leading them in the right direction but now they have direct evidence of where their education can lead them. Thanks for sharing.
James Jackson
Heather, very well stated. Instructors that take the time to better understand core issues to the lack of academic success can drive towards success through dialog and discussion. This is not to say to be the "buddy", be scholarly and professional at all times but lead with an intelligent heart as Dr. Joe Pace would say from The Pacific Institute.
James Jackson
Andrew, every school is different but be careful in your thinking that the monetary aspect of education is inspiring. For some students their parents are flipping the bill or their financial aid is able to cover their costs and they have no out of pocket expenses. If your institution is collecting actual funds from each student then your methodology could be very motivating.
James Jackson
Angela, goals are great and maintaining confidentiality of student grades is essential in the time of student privacy. For those students that may not achieve their goals, do you offer any other incentives or methods of engagement?
James Jackson
I have been bringing guest speakers into my clinical classroom for the past few years. Before their formal presentations begin, I ask my speakers to share what their educational journeys were like as 'students in healthcare' and then to describe what it is like to be employed in their present healthcare settings. The frankness by which they share their stories creates a 'comfortable community' within the classroom and invites students to share their challenges, fears, concerns and motivations. It is interesting to see what motivates students! For example, some have a fire within them to accomplish something that no one has ever done within their family and others speak of the economic advantages of pursuing a different occupation. Without realizing it, I was actually participating in a discussion about intrinsic and extrinsic motivators! This type of activity can be quite 'introspective' for students and perhaps help them see what actually 'drives' them and how they can balance and put into proper perspective both types of motivators in their personal and professional lives. Heather Marcincin
It seems to me that there are two elements that need to be considered when it comes to helping students improve their intrinsic motivation: 1. Removing obstacles that hinder their motivation and 2. Jump-starting their intrinsic motivation through extrinsic motivation.
Two of the main obstacles that hinder learning were at the foundation of the lesson, Security and Autonomy. Students that seem to have low intrinsic motivation may be lacking in their sense of security. If they do not believe that they have the ability to be successful in the class then they may choose to defend themselves from the feeling of failure by not even trying. To give it your all and still fail can confirm your deep belief that you are 'not good enough' whereas not trying and failing at least gives you an excuse. On the other-hand, if Optimal Challenge has not been achieved, autonomy could be where the trouble lies. Either the course content doesn't provide enough challenge or it is not interactive enough to where they feel they can share and dialog about their own experience and knowledge.
Once the environment is set with a healthy balance of security and autonomy, jump-starting motivation extrinsically can help a student on their way to being a more successful and intrinsically motivated being. There is a symbiotic relationship between productivity, self-esteem, and motivation. If one of them is negatively or positively impacted, the other two tend to follow suit. Therefore, if your extrinsic motivators are tailored to increase productivity or self-esteem, their intrinsic motivation will soon follow.
Another element that should also be considered is that every person has a multi-dimensional life. Students face challenges beyond your course in their personal and professional lives. I believe that whenever assisting an ‘un-motivated’ students it should start with a one-on-one conversation with the student to try to diagnose the core issue that is hindering them from being successful. It may have nothing to do with your class and everything to do with other life circumstances or challenges. Properly identifying the problem is crucial to discovering the correct solution.
When I come across a student that has low intrinsic motivation I find out what they are interested in and find a way to make the connection between what they are learning and what they are interested in. It doesn’t seem like much but it does work. If all else fails I tell them “you spend a lot of money to be here so your return on your investment is up to you†that usually will get them thinking.
I would outwardly set a goal for everyone in the classroom and every week do a student hightlight of just one student who has reached the goal. Being that I would only highlight one student each week, then students will not know what others made or whether or not they reached their goal. This way I could confidentially offer tips to the students, who are struggling so that they could reach their goal.
I've noticed when returning papers that students who received a bad grade do not like to share what they made. I would also place students graded papers in a folder and hand it back to them, therefore, they have the option whether or not to share what they made with others.
Rod, behavior can be changed through constant discussion and repetition. The more consistent message that can be delivered through the entire curriculum versus just individual courses the more impact an institution can have on changing student beliefs and behaviors. Another great resource is the use of appropriate guest speakers. Bring in speakers that can speak to their motivations and demonstrate the importance of the intrinsic more than the extrinsic. I look forward to what others have to say about this topic.
James Jackson
I think I know what you mean. Sometimes students tell us they are only here to get a better job, better pay, better life, etc. They often list extrinsic motivators as their reasons for attending school. The student I'm thinking of doesn't have a great attitude for learning, and they seem to see education as the means to the end, not as the vastly enlightening center for discussion and insight that we instructors often perceive.
Despite recognizing what you mean by the phrase "not in their nature," I think we need to be careful here. I believe it is in their nature to be intrinsically motivated, just not about school, and we have to teach them what 'intrinsic motivation' means. For this, start with something simple, like what the student plans to do for fun sometime this week. If they play basketball, why? Or going to club, why? These choices probably have at least a few intrinsic motivators.
Then the challenge is to translate these types of motivations into the context of the students' education, which given our current systems of public education, it's not very surprising we aren't producting autonomous, intrinsically motivated students. Without getting on that soap box, we need to redefine education for them in a way that, in the terms of this course, gives them more autonomy and security to contribute to their own education. We need to give them more power when many of them are used to being powerless in an educational setting. This is very new for some students and can be a bit of a culture shock.
