Richard,
This is a powerful motivator for most students. They start to see the value of the course content in relation to their career goals. The helps them to remain forward focused and dedicated to their career development.
Gary
Gary Meers, Ed.D.
I believe motivation is related & inspired by a person's desire to achieve a certain goal or point in life
Maria,
Right you are. Sometimes students come into class without a clear understanding of what their goals in life are. With some help from their instructor these goals can be identified and then worked on while they are in your class.
Gary
Gary Meers, Ed.D.
The most important element in student motivation in my experience is the belief that the objectives can be accomplished. All the other factors that are discussed seem secondary to me.
Enthusiasm, knowledge, expertise, clarity, passion: these are all contributing factors. But, when a student walks into the class for the first time, he or she is asking him- or herself one question: can I do this successfully? If the answer is yes, the student will stay motivated through a whole lot of work. If the answer is no, the student has created his or her own reality.
So, that moment that the student walks in the door is infinitely critical. I make every effort to communicate a can-do optimism from the start. If I seem like a human being (express empathy and passion immediately) the student can breathe a sigh of relief knowing that the first concern is alleviated. As I build a relationship with each student, I further contribute to their success because, again, the student knows he or she is supported as a person.
So, the first thing that I believe will set the tone for motivation in any particular class is the initial impression that a student gets that answers this question: can I do this? If they get a yes or even a maybe, I believe the student has set his or her own motivation factor. My job is to make sure that the answer is yes.
keep them dreaming about what is ahead for them
Robert,
Not sure what you mean by this. Can you expand on this point? Thanks.
Gary
Gary Meers, Ed.D.
I feel that the biggest motivator for the students is what brought them to the school in the first place- the goal of attaining the skills that will help them get a job in their career field.
Cassie,
Knowing what brought them gives you opportunity to engage them in a personal way as they develop their knowledge and skills in the course.
Gary
Gary Meers, Ed.D.
Being positive all the time, even if your world is crashing around you, don't let them know! Smile, greet each of them by name, let them know that you care. These are just a few ways I motivate my students.
Cynthia,
Good advice for all instructors to follow. We need to bring our A game to class every time it meets. To do less is a dis-service to our students.
Gary
Gary Meers, Ed.D.
Keep the instructions entwined with their real life experiences and the discussions are exciting and an open window to them and what motivates them.
Priscilla,
The sharing of examples and stories from the field helps to make the content have value and come alive for the students. So keep sharing and motivating your students so they see why they are in the class and how they are moving forward with their career development.
Gary
Gary Meers, Ed.D.
If the student starts to skip, what can be done to reach them and get them back on track.
Tim,
The first and most immediate step is to start communication with the student. Call, text, email, whatever will establish contact with the student. Then try to get a face to face with the student and explain that you are very concerned for the student and the developing pattern of skipping. Try to find out why the student is not attending class and see if you can find a mutual solution to the problem. This personal interest goes a long way in helping to get such a student back to attending class. If the reason(s) is so large that the student needs some time to get their life organized again, help them to step out of school in such a way that they know they are welcome to come back and start where they left off. I have done this with many students. Some came back and were ready to go, and of course others I never saw again, but at least I know I did everything I could to help that individual be successful and that gives me a measure of satisfaction.
Gary
Gary Meers, Ed.D.
As mentioned in this module, assessing initially what motivates students is important. I have found that you need to constantly be reassessing motivation factors because they change for some students during the course of the class.
Some factors that contribute to student motivation are what the course is and why they are taking the course. Is the course simply a requirement to graduate, or is it something drectly related to the career the student is choosing to go for? Another factor is the instructor, is he or she excited about the material? Does he or she make it seem relevant and interesting to even those who are taking the class as a graduation requirement? Some of my favorite classes when I went to college weren't even in my major. I wasn't even excited to take them from the beginning but once I realized how interesting and exciting it seemd to my professors, added to their instructional styles, I too grew to love those classes!
Kyle,
Having passion for your field and then being enthusiastic about teaching it goes a long way in getting students excited about the course content. I to had such professors in my background and they were able to get me excited about the courses they were teaching even when I thought there was not application to me or my career choice. In the end they were able to demonstrate that there was a connection and that I could benefit from their classes, even if they weren't in my field.
Gary
Gary Meers, Ed.D.
I think the idea of being able to see immediately how what you learn can be used in what you do in life is essential. I have experienced this as I went through this course. I was asked to take this course by my boss, which was one motivation so I that I could be the retention "expert" on the team. I have also seen in each module ways that i can apply what I am learning to what I do each day to encourage and motivate our students.
Gail,
Immediate use of newly acquired knowledge is a powerful motivator. I am excited for you as you take this information and make application of it with your faculty. I wish you much success as you impact the lives of your students.
Gary
Gary Meers, Ed.D.
I have discovered the prevalent motivating factor for most students is to pass the class more than it is to learn the material.
I teach English in a Tech college. What these students want is to get a passing grade so they can move on to what will help them succeed in their field.
My task is to keep reminding them that being able to communicate well is vital to advancement in any field of work.
