extrinsic motivators
when does praise become too much praise?
Russell, good for students to know their instructor loves the field they are teaching. Helps to give them a sense that they too will enjoy a career in that field. Thanks for sharing.
James Jackson
I love the field that im in , and i make sure the students know this . I rarely praise i more often then not give positive reinforcement , and when i do praise its just great job , i know you could do it type of thing .
Emely, I like to focus on positive reinforcement. Praise can be misunderstood but being positive and encouraging students to reach outside their comfort zones and work towards acquiring new knowledge is a scholarly activity. As students see you are excited about the subject matter then this tends to transfer to their perceptions on the subject.
James Jackson
I am a true believer that we (instructors)should maintain an "objective" balance when it comes to praising, as too much of it could have a detrimental effect on students. I have seen it before, where "overly" praised students' motivation declines when they become excessively confident and they just stop trying... all I am saying is that we have to be careful when prasing.!
Emely Cruz
sandra, do not confuse praise for positive feedback. I do not praise just to praise but I do find ways to provide positive feedback on a consistent basis. Students can easily identify false fronts so never be fake but students to respond well to leadership by example and instructors that remain positive and can use positive feedback as a teaching tool versus just pointing out the mistakes.
James Jackson
I feel it is important to maintain a balance. If I feel I'm being praised 'too much', it makes me defensive as I begin to look for ulterior motives. On the other hand, if my accomplishments are never recognized, I feel underappreciated. 'Everything in moderation.' Additionally, we could teach students to motivate themselves. In preparing them for the 'real world', students will benefit from knowing they may not always receive immediate gratification from others. Thusly, motivate from within.
