motivation
I've had experience with both inherently intrinsically motivated students and extrinsically motivated students. I try to encourage the reward one feels from the learning itself but I do understand that grades may take over for some students. Nonetheless, I still try to encourage the benefits from the learning process. Collaboration within student groups has been shown to have resulted in intrinsic motivation (Rhee, Parent, & Basu, 2013).
Reference
Rhee J(1), Parent D, Basu A. (2013). The influence of personality and ability on undergraduate teamwork and team performance.
Springerplus. 2(1):16. Epub 2013 Jan 19.
Ed,
What a great post. You are right, students must want to learn; it shouldn't be about the grade. Online learning can almost make it individualized learning with all the tools at our disposal; but we still must communicate. It still requires the human connection.
Dr. Kelly Wilkinson
Learning has to come from within, although external forces can be positive or negative stimulators. The learner must be receptive to new knowledge -- or else nothing will be gained. The goal is for a teacher (external) to stimulate a student's internal desire to learn. That is done by making the topic as interesting as possible while concurrently providing a student with both positive and constructive feedback.
Sodang,
Why is such an important part of the learning; and it is ok to ask. Most of our students don't want the busy work in the course, they want work with meaning. We have a right to make the connection to knowledge/skills and real world.
Dr. Kelly Wilkinson
I try to encourage student to learn for the knowledge of the course, but I also tell the students why the information is important...like needing the knowledge in the workforce or for a certification
Kim,
Yikes, that is so tough. This really hits home with me as I was called a "dummy" by my high school math teacher. It crushed me. I carried that phobia all through high school. It wasn't until college that I realized I had an analytical side to me. What helped me and what will help other is success. Success breeds success. Walk them through a problem and let them succeed. It may have to be very simplistic at first but you can show them. I also think you must show them different ways of learning. I find many of them are just doing the same thing over and over and although they are trying hard (effort is there). It doesn't work. Changing their prep or their study habits may go a long way in changing the thought pattern toward math. BTW, I took extra courses in STatsticis ( I know it isn't really math) in my Ph.D program because I "got" it.
Dr. Kelly Wilkinson
Hi Kelly,
How do you motivate a student that fear the subject such as math? I try to relax the student and tell them to read the word problem and look for what they have and then look for what you need. But I'm meeting more students that are afraid of math. Do you have any suggestions how to motivate a student that's afraid?
Kim
Jean,
I really make everyone accountable. Also, students need to learn how to evaluate each other. They will do it in the real world.
Dr. Kelly Wilkinson
Yes, I have avoided group projects online because of the accountability factor. It is hard enough in a residential class where stronger group members take over and complete the work.
Having each member evaluate each member sounds interesting.
I look forward to trying it in the near future.
Tina,
Do you have accountability built in your groups? I find when you give options to groups to control members that don't seem to drop off if they can be voted "off the island" I also have students to evaluate each other using a web survey tool. They have to evaluate each person and if one person is consistently low on more than one other group member, I will lower their project a letter grade. This information is given to the students before EVERY group project.
Dr. Kelly Wilkinson
Kelly,
I am amazed when instructors mention that they have success with group projects. Overall, they have been nightmares! Yes...for me and the students. I think much of the problem is that some of the students read instructions, listen to the requirements in the chats, etc., and then there are other students who are not engaged in the reading or the chats and end up hindering the group process, hence a disaster!
Heidi,
I am with you sister! Thank you for the citation. I needed that for an article I am writing. Thanks!
Dr. Kelly Wilkinson
Thank you for your great post responses and examples!!! An example from my encouragement (for intrinsic motivation) is basically emphasizing the true satisfaction of taking time to really read through the lessons --- helping my students to see real life application from their readings. Gormley, Colella, and Shell (2012) noted that online learning encourages "… self-regulation, intrinsic motivation, and independence. Building an online classroom environment that fosters the development of these behaviors for students is key to their success." (p. 177).
Reference
Gormley DK1, Colella C, Shell DL. (2012). Motivating online learners using attention, relevance, confidence, satisfaction Motivational Theory and distributed scaffolding. Nurse Educ. 37(4):177-80. doi: 10.1097/NNE.0b013e31825a8786.
Dale,
I also make students create a writing development journal. They have to take the feedback I provide them on their paper and tell me three things they will correct and/or improve on the next paper. I used that journal to grade the next paper. This is all done in the LMS.
Dr. Kelly Wilkinson
Dale,
When working in groups the group can hold each other accountable and that can come through as I have my groups evaluate each other and reserve the right to lower a individual's grade based on group evaluations. This does work.
Dr. Kelly Wilkinson
Dr. Wilkinson,
I love the idea! I am curious to see how it works. I hope you will keep us in the loop.
Heidi,
Do you have an example of what you do that works? You mentioned student groups, but I am not sure I follow?
Heidi,
What a great post, thank you for sharing. I am trying something new this fall. I am not going to call grading, grading. I am calling it evaluation. I am hoping by saying this students will read the feedback rather than fixate on grade.
Dr. Kelly Wilkinson
