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Motivation

I took the class on student retention and I really learned so much form it. I am already using some of the methods that was taught. I am glad I took this class and think this will not only beneift my students but myself

As an instructor, keeping the students motivated is a big factor. Motivation enhances their learning, gives support, and keep everyone happy.

motivation is the key to success in the classroom!  The students take the motivation they learned into the field!

@krislpniv :  Motivation

I believe that motivation is the greatest driving force for a student to succeed in his desire to accomplish.A good motivation is hardship in any area in his/her life like financial or work condtion.

I agree motivation is the driving force to success. I would like to know how to motivae the students to be motivated to be better critical thinkers. Maybe just giving them more opportunities to be successful as they analyze the problems.  

Bringing even small motivating factors into the classroom on a daily basis I have found big difference with my students.  I do something as small as draw a huge smiley face on a paper well done, email a student to keep in touch, reach out to a student one on one, create circle groups of motivating eachother. I know these things make a difference due to the fact my students have let me know how these small things have impacted their motivation.

Keeping students engaged is also a great tool to keep ME focused too.  Any day can get cluttered with distractions and keeping the students on track with motivation is a gentle reminder to myself that I have a goal to achieve too.

@msbsmith : I have students from some of the poorest backgrounds in the US.  I bounce, sing, chant, sing opera, even one time this white boy rapped to keep my student's attention... But the hardest challenge I have is to keep them motivated as they only see me a couple hours a week, and the rest of the time their families, employers and friends do a great deal to make them question themselves...

But I suppose the best thing I can do is to simply tell them that I grew up in the same situation.   That I followed my grandmother's words of wisdom and "set my goals and just figured out how to get there" and I've lived all of my goals, finished my bucket list, worked on three continents and have degrees from three countries... and I am still the person who grew up in backwoods MS... just a bit more educated...

And sometimes it works... BUT it is hard for them to truly understand.

 

BC Karrh

@LeeAnn : Sometimes  it  is  difficult to keep students  motivated , especially  when the course is gen.ed. and  the instructor has to find a way to make the course exciting and meaningful.

@vcasto : I agree I found the games within the review sections helpful too. I would strongly reccomend this course as well.

I think that motivation is the hardest thing in some students. Some of them are there to learn and some are there to be there. 

Jennifer, I agree with you 100 percent.  There are some students who are attend class because of mandatory mandates by some authority figure.  In addition, the other students do not value education because they do not see the fast money making jobs through education.  We are competing with a world in making money overnight.

Retention is when you want the students to succeed more than the students want to succeed. What a delema

Motivation is what drives retention Every day I see some of my students start to loose steam and then if that continues to happen they are that missing student in the class that never finishes. I have found that giving them recognition when it is due and a few simple well meant words of encouragement can be a catalyst to get them motivated again.

@msbsmith : I agree that it is a challenge to keep the students motivated to continue to learn for a 4 hour period. I have to put myself in their shoes to come up with fun activities to keep them alert but also as a learning tool.

@rwhittaker : I would like some tips on motivating my students to be critical thinkers. I try to do this by asking them questions throughout the lecture or activity applying things we have talked about.

@ebozek :If it is interesting- people are motivated to be in class.

Motivation plays a big role in the success of my online students. Interestingly, I have noticed that around holidays and the end of the year, students have harder time staying on track. This is when I try to do more outreach: send emails, post motivational announcements, etc. to help my student finish strong.

@msbsmith :Why does a student come to class? This is the bottom line to several answers. New job, new skill, or a willingness to help others or even for the money.  But what keeps them is the way inwhich they learn. One cannot teach passively, it is an aggressive sport of sorts, with a set of plays, various strategies and a goal for the team.  We coach and direct and get in there and demonstrate to set an example. We can only judge the results by how much content we delivered, were we passionate, clear and fun to be around during the agony and ecstasty of the entire class. You only get out the results of what you put in, so motivation of oneself is how to succeed as a teacher.

Just completed ED112 Security and Autonomy of which motivation was a major piece of the  subject.  The importance of motivating the students in the course is unspoken.  The course reviewed what motivates and to what degree and how the adult student perceives different events within their learning process.  I feel personal motivators do get the students to our classroom and if we hit on the structured points reviewed in this course in our classrooms of security, effective / enriching class content and engaging classroom activities and autonomy in our learning environments,  we will not only, as instructors, satisfy our objectives to educate but also fulfill the adults students quest to better themselves with newly learned  /achieved knowledge and skills.  

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