The above video also applies in education and to our students. Sometimes students appear to be motivated simply on their own initiative, without the promise of a reward. Such learners are said to be intrinsically motivated. These students are driven by interest and curiosity in the subject. On the other hand, extrinsic motivation is when the source of motivation lies outside the individual and the task being performed. For example, students may be extrinsically motivated because at the completion of the task they will get good grades or praise. They might just want to avoid embarrassment for not completing the task. Motivation, intrinsic or extrinsic, affects both our self-perception and out attribution pattern. If we see ourselves as the cause of out own behaviour, that is, if we believe we are origins, in control or our own behaviour, then we believe we are intrinsically motivated. When we believe our behaviour is determined by external forces, that we are ‘pawns’, we think of ourselves as extrinsically motivated (Calder and Shaw, 1975). In one series of studies (Lepper, Greene, and Nisbett; 1973; Lepper and Greene; 1975), the researchers measured students’ initial interest in an activity. One group of students were promised a reward on the completion of the task, other groups either were given no reward or were rewarded unexpectedly. It was observed that the performance of that the group expecting a reward dropped significantly once the novelty of the task wore off. This exercise, in fact showed that some students’ performance decreases with the promise of an extrinsic reward. When extrinsic rewards are promised for tasks that students would have done anyway, this is likely to deflate students and decrease their motivation. Extrinsic rewards may be beneficial for those students whose level of motivation is quite low. For example, when explaining a new task to students with a low level of motivation, the lecturer has to continuously point out that it is relevant for the coming exam or assignment; this will maintain the students’ interest. Whereas, when doing the same task with students that are intrinsically motivated, their interest is peaked through curiosity and eagerness to learn something new and relevant for their future career.
The contributions above prove how technology indeed can support what can be learned theoretically from books. Watching the clip which Moira posted, and reading Claire's posting, give more or less the same information. Now I ask you which one is the more interesting? :)
After their secondary education, adolescents start thinking about their achievements and career. In fact, adolescence is a critical point for accomplishments (Eccles, 2000). Most of my students attending foundation courses see the course as an opportunity to reach their targets but one will always find handfuls which end up there due to social pressures or due to their lack of motivation to enter the world of work. The majority of my students would have already taken a deep breath for ending their study of Mathematics at secondary level. Students find the nuisance of having to study Mathematics at post-secondary level very difficult to accept. “Mathematics is the language of Science, what do we need it for?” “What does it have to do with hairdressing?” I hear these questions frequently during my lessons. These statements clearly show the lack of motivation for most of the students to study Mathematics. They usually perceive Mathematics as a block of abstract concepts which are impossible to ever use in everyday life. Whether or not they manage to adapt to the new academic pressures is determined, mainly, by their motivational factors.
As this video says we need to give our students a purpose for their studies / assignments. From experience, I have often found that when students are asked to work on a task which is applied to their prospective life at work they do this task willingly as they can see that it will eventually be of help. After being through secondary school our students often think that a lot of things which they are studying are given just because they need to be done and not because these will be of help to them in their life or at work - and therefore giving a purpose to the task at hand can usually help to motivate our students - and when one is motivated to work the work produced is of a much better standard. Therefore if one were to apply this to elearning we can say that since technology is taking over our world, whether educational or at work, having our students use technology at school is of great help to them since most probably they would be using the same things at work.
I had a look at the video and it is very interesting. The video states that the 3 factors that lead to better performance are autonomy, mastery and purpose. I believe that if students do not embed these factors they will find it difficult to succeed.
Human beings want to learn, to make choices, to achieve. If we want to be professional we have to have a purpose, be self-directed and a desire to get better and better at something.
‘We are purpose maximisers’. I find this comment from the video which has been posted very striking. Motivation may be enhanced when the students are aware of their ‘purpose’. By the age of 16, when students join MCAST, students should be gaining a clearer understanding of their purpose and where their studies should get them. If students are not aware of the ‘purpose’, it will be very difficult to be motivated to learn.
'Purpose' is what motivates us intrinsically. My experience with students show that a good number, particularly at ICT, have no notion of their purpose of completing a particular course. When asked, many students base their motivation on extrinsic factors like receiving a stipend, or even expressing their parents’ wish to see them gain a certificate in an ICT course (even though it is not the student’s wish).
I think that the course relevance and value in the world if work are factors which also boost purpose.
This video is very interesting. It can very well be applied in our classrooms. Sometimes, I feel that we concentrate too much on assignments that we end up failing to communicate the real purpose of education. This has also sometimes happened to myself as a student.
I feel that teachers are responsible in creating an environment in class where each student can feel connected to a personal purpose. Students shall also be assisted in feeling the need and possibility to work towards such purpose and be driven by it. I also believe that such purpose is a means to an end rather than the end in itself. This can be done by providing rewards which will help students to believe more in
To be honest, this whole "purpose" bit scares me a little. Do the students really need to have a clearly defined purpose in life to learn or do anything? Realistically speaking how many students know where they want to be by the end of the course? What happens when the desired workplace does not materialise or things change? How many of us lecturers knew what our "purpose" was as the age of sixteen? How many of us predicted that we would be lecturing at MCAST? If we just keep waiting for students to find a purpose to learn or study, I'm afraid we'll be going round in vicious circles. This is why we should be teaching thinking skills that can be adapted to any environment rather than depositing content. We should be teaching our students how to successfully find new cheese the very moment it is moved.
I enjoyed watching this video clip and relate it to the course in early years and motivating our students. One word which hit me is FUN, students learn when they are enjoying themselves. Piaget, Vygostky, Brunner all have a constructivists approach to learning, they conclude that children learn best when they are enjoying themselves. However many times I feel we are stressing these students out by too many assignments and not much time left to research into the early years to find means of how to stimulate learning and development in little children. When students are out on placements in nurseries or kindergarten, they enjoy working with children and this is what keeps them going in the course even though they have a lot of work to prepare. In my opinion, hands on experience helps to motivate our students to learn. They are intrinsically motivated to learn because they want to work with children in the educational sector not to make money (this job doesn’t pay well) but to do what they enjoy doing. I am always trying to find ways of keeping this motivation going strong but I admit that BTEC’s system of assessment makes this rather difficult in fact I insist that all lecturers in the early years should get together to find alternative ways of assessing which will meet the BTEC requirements without causing so much stress. These students should be learning but also enjoying their college days not meeting dead lines to submit so many assignments. This would also help them to prepare themselves better for placements hence be better child practitioners.
Referring to Analisa's comment - June 2, 2010 12.52pm:
One way of doing this is through the use of portfolios as a means of assessment. Students are given the chance to apply knowledge gained and showing their own progression and achievements. They are given the opportunity to move away from traditional theory assessment strategies to a more practical approach as it gives learners the chance to construct and apply knowledge.
Another benefit gained through the application of knowledge using portfolios is that in recording activities it provides students with the opportunity to create a showcase of educational accomplishments when promoting themselves during job interviews.
I think that motivation is very important in learning and in teaching, in fact I think that when the teacher is not motivated and does not like the subject s/he is teaching most probably the students will sense this and will also be de-motivated. The clip mentions money as a reward to motivate the students, and I agree with the clip that higher incentives could lead to a poor performance, because our students have a stipend (a kind of monetary reward) and in my opinion this does not really motivate them. When I was a student and I had a stipend, I thought of it as additional financial help, but not as a reward for my studies. On the other hand, I notice that a number of students at MCAST give a lot of importance to their stipend and it is as if it is the only reward for their studies. I also notice a number of students who are very motivated to further their studies and think about personal satisfaction and their future job as the factors that motivate them. I notice other students who are not very motivated and attend MCAST because their friends do so or because their parents insist that they should attend MCAST. Other students attend MCAST because they do not have a job. I think that motivation is very important in order to learn, and I also think that FUN is another important factor. This week my students (Foundation in Care and Hairdressing)are delivering presentations about a topic of vocational relevance. Most of my students are doing very well because the topic is interesting for my students and this motivates them. The fact that the had to prepare a powerpoint presentation or a chart and use their creativity also motivated my students a lot. So I think that if students are given the opportunity to be creative they are more motivated and so their learning experience is more interesting and fun.
It is important to motivate students but also more important that the lecturer is motivated. Effective learning in the classroom depends on the teacher's ability to maintain the interest and motivate students. Now that I am working as a lecturer I know how difficult it is to manage time properly and find time to prepare the lectures appropriately so that both myself and the students are motivated. Whatever level of motivation students bring to the classroom has to be transformed, for better or worse, by what happens in that classroom.
I have found this video very interesting and quite agree that autonomy, mastery and purpose are extremely important factors contributing to improved performance. That is, when the learner has already discovered his or her purpose in life.
I feel that very few of my students (aged between 16 and 19)have really thought about what they want to do with their life. For some, attending MCAST has been a natural progression after finishing their secondary education or to follow their best friend or simply to wile away the time till they find a job (and earn a stipend in the process). This is not to say that there aren't students with a clear aim or target as to where they want to go from here. I know students who are eager to learn and who are willing to go that extra mile to improve their grades and their knowledge. However I tend to agree with Rachel when she said that most of the students have little idea where they want to be at the end of their course.
As a result I believe that we must motivate our students by any possible means to embrace their learning not simply as a means to an end but as being a part of themselves - another piece of the puzzle which makes them (the student)up. Learning should not just be targeted at getting a piece of paper at the end of the course or finding a good job but at forming thinking, well rounded individuals who will be able to apply their skills at whatever life throws in their way. If e-learning will achieve this aim then so be it.
"Most of the problems of education are problems of motivation...When a child is self-motivated, the teacher cannot keep him from learning." C. John Sommerville, "The Rise and Fall of Childhood"
Underachieving students have a significant gap between their ability and what they produce and achieve in school.I believe that a good number of students at MCAST especially those at ICT feel underachievers cause they didn't manage to pass from their O'Levels or A levels and enter University.
Not every person learns in the same way. It is important that each student be given an opportunity to explore a variety of ways to successfully accomplish a homework task or do a term project.
For many, "book learning" is natural but others find this mode difficult. Whether it is because of a learning disorder or neurological difficulties, it is very difficult for such a student to complete an assignment based on reading chapters or taking out a library book on the subject.
The same youngster may do very well exploring a topic using the Internet, video tapes, CDs or even interviewing someone. Instead of writing homework neatly in a spiral notebook, such a student may do better using a camcorder or creating a computer "PowerPoint" presentation.
A third teen may do best with a combination of traditional print methodology and more interactive technology.
@ Rachel: I do agree with you when you say that our students do not seem to indicate they have a much higher purpose in life. It is also true that at 16 one isn't expected to have his/her life plans mapped out. But I have come to believe that most problems which adolescents face, seem to arise from the fact that they seem to have no purpose - when adolescents with problems are asked what they wish for, what they would like to do, they just shrug it off. I think that we need to offer motivation...I think that somehow we need to offer purpose. It could be that our students are as you say, not readily prepared for a long-term purpose, or life-vision, but if we manage to direct them to a short-term purpose and goal, I believe that they will become as has been described in this video and in these comments "purpose maximisers".
I fully agree that we should motivate students and above all inspire them, but I still tend to believe that none of us are in a position to determine the "purpose" of any student. Purpose is a very strong word and finding one's purpose (or rather mission) in life is an individual journey that will be influenced by the people that we meet, individual experiences and the way our life enfolds. Certainly teachers are in a position to inspire students to discover who they are and where their strengths lie. The teacher has a duty to pinpoint such strengths to the student when such strengths are identified and encourage students to develop such talents in a positive way.
It's the word "purpose" that is still causing me a lot of distress. I feel that it has a very narrow implication and it almost reminds me of the purpose of a machine, where the purpose of machine A is to bend metal, the purpose of machine B is to grind etc. So, if the word "purpose" is eliminated, that would give a new dimension to the entire video but the term "purpose maximisers" is far too strong for me to accept when it is used in conjunction with human beings. Maybe "mission" would be a better word.
One of the roles of technology is to bridge the gap between different learning communities throughout the world, thus allowing students to discover other possibilities that will help them towards fulfilling their mission in life, whatever this may be.
Lack of motivation may be due to a number of things: students studying the wrong course or not knowing what they want in life,sudents who are used to get want they want in life, in otherwise spoilt and hence find student life too tedious and sometimes teachers not delivering the subject properly.
Whilst some issues do not depend on us as educators, we are in a very good position to help and motivate our students. In the lower level classes, we can guide students make the right choices when choosing a course, taking into consideration their skills and strong points. Applying different teaching methods,involving students more in the lesson and where applicable using hand-on learning all help in keeping students motivated. A teacher's enthusiasm for the subject will also effect the way students look at a subject. It is like the enthusiasm is contagious.
There is so much to say but I have to stop and listen (if you note time and day of post you will know why :-))
Different people watching this video clip give slight different versions, because each one will focus more on the points which one finds more of interest to him than others. I relate this video clip to my situation as an educator in Mcast. I have joined MCAST 3 years ago and I feel that we, MCAST lecturing staff, are genuine vocational educators, we practice teaching with dedication and vocationally. We do this because we have targeted a purpose, contributing to share our knowledge with dedication. Otherwise, we would not go through the entire PGC VET course with such dedication. Personally I take it seriously; and my driving force is that I would like to get better in this profession. This is my sense of engagement to mastery. Our capability to manage a class and conduct lessons on our own, proofs that we are self directive, and autonomous. Our motivation is intrinsic: autonomy, mastery, and purpose This proves that we are thinkers, self - motivated with our personal satisfaction. The next challenge is to successfully engage students to be enthusiastic and motivated as well.
Unfortunately some students are made to attend to our MCAST courses. These students are too young and they have not yet decided what they want in life. Normally these students tend to be demotivated and sometimes even have an effect on the others.
From my personal experience I found that demotivated students are very difficult to motivate. But maybe with the use of elearning and thanks to a better visualization of the subjects the students could at least become a bit interested.
I found the video very interesting but its message is not entirely new. Maslow's hierarchy tells us that money is only important at the lower levels (where the person is concerned with survival and safety), and that at the highest levels self-fulfilment is the driving force (e.g., the case of people who created Linux and Wikipedia for free).
The topic of motivation intrigues me. Just today I had a lesson with a 1ND class. Some students aim for distinctions and work on their own initiative. Others are completely de-motivated and uninterested and they make you feel that they are making you a favour by being physically present in class (they actually tell you “ghamiltulek l-assignment sir”). Interestingly, motivation is not necessarily related to skill. In this class that I am mentioning, some of the motivated students were particularly poor and some of the de-motivated students have potential. I am interested in hearing your opinions on what factors lead to complete de-motivation for some of our students.
Ranier’s comment about students saying “ghamiltulek l-assignment” is not new to most of us. Some years back, I was reading The Sunday Times and Fr. Alfred Darmanin SJ made the same comment about University students. I think a good number of MCAST students have low self esteem. This may be associated with their family and social background. In giving students time, individual attention and showing them we value them especially as an individual, we can help to motivate them. A good number of our students make an impressive improvement up Bloom’s taxonomy levels (on which the BTEC criteria including merits and distinctions are based) because of their 3rd year project work. I think the main contributing factor is the fact that it is their individual work. It gives them the purpose and when they start mastering the subject they chose, their motivation increases and then their creativity emerges. In their apprenticeship our students (unfortunately, not all) have the opportunity to relate the theory with the practical applications of the real world. There are always students who will still not be motivated intrinsically. In seeing the video I have reservation about “pay people enough so the pay is not an issue”. I think even if money is an issue but you have job satisfaction and/or you are working in a healthy (good relations with peers) environment then autonomy and self direction are achieved. The phrase from a song “when the going gets tough, the tough gets going” has often come to mind. And it is has all to do with what the motivation is, and it is never extrinsic.
I agree with Claire Cornish ,Motivation is a key issue in teaching and learning. What is motivation? It is the difference between what one will do and what one can do. (Will do) –( Can do) = Motivation. This equation like any mathematical equation can have three answers , positive , negative and zero.If the answer is positive than a person will be motivated. If it is zero , he is cruising along doing the barest minimum. Negative , well he is negatively motivated, lack of cooperation and causing trouble and problems. It is very important that students are positively motivated at school . The teacher has to do everything in his capabilities to find ways to positively motivate the students.But for the teaching learning process , [1]even the teacher has to be positively motivated.Human beings are not only transmitters of words and thoughts but we also tend to transmit our feelings and moods to others. An apathetic teacher will transmit apathy to the students. This poses a very difficult task on the teacher . A task which I compare to the clown , who despite he is sad , has to go out and act as if he is happy , joyful and make people laugh. With all the difficulties of life , personal problems and worries , and set backs and beating we get at work , the teacher still has to go to class in a good mood and showing bright enthusiasm. The ancient Greeks used to say that ‘ Willing obedience , beats forced obedience’.[2] People will willingly obey if they are positively motivated. They will work willingly with out the need of constant supervision and disciplining. They do not have to be pushed. The same applies to motivation . If students become self-motivated( willing work) they will learn much more than if they were imposed-ly motivated ( forced to work). [1]Ron Renchler Student Motivation, School Culture, and Academic Achievement What School Leaders Can Do University Publications, University of Oregon. [2] Xenophon
For one reason or another some students lack motivation. I don’t think that e-learning is the sole solution to this problem. It is however through that rather than having the static classroom environment some students might be led to prefer the dynamic e-environment. Hence, e-learning is the ideal tool, which if adequately used will create more interest and curiosity in learning. Especially for e - learning it is important to look to how motivation leads to cognition to be able to analyse if developers really manage to increase motivation with the programs they develop. The onus does not only lie on the software developer but most importantly on the course designer. He must realise that learning styles are different: visual learners, kinaesthetic learners, auditory learners. E-learning courses must cater for all otherwise learners will lose interest. If the design does not tackle all these aspects learners might drop out due to feeling isolated, finding it difficult to navigate on site (with minimum support), start confusing instructions and tasks or may start navigating through irrelevant materials.
A person can be intrinsically motivated , he is willing to study and learn because of his needs , personal opinion interest , enjoyment or curiosity. Intrinsic motivation is self-motivation. To switch on the students to willingly learn , the teacher has to look at their personal needs , what interests them , what curiosity they have. Students of Engineering usually do have intrinsic motivation in that they have a thirst for knowledge of how the various machinery and engines work. These are the ones that have the vocation of mechanical engineering. I must cultivate this intrinsic motivation by satisfying their thirst of knowledge but at the same time increasing it. What do I mean? During the teaching learning process I do explain and answer their questions . Then I tactfully leave something unanswered or partly answered , by saying I forgot the details or giving them a hazy answer. This really works , because they go and look up the items which I have left shady and grey. How do I know they do this? Well , because next time they see me , or during another lesson I mention this same thing , someone comments or points out the answer which I left unanswered, telling me all about it . This is a sort of trick on the students I practice really works. I have amplified their intrinsic motivation got them to be self-motivated to learn . This kind of motivation is the best because the returns grow more and more. The learning process accelerates
A person can be intrinsically motivated , he is willing to study and learn because of his needs , personal opinion interest , enjoyment or curiosity. Intrinsic motivation is self-motivation. To switch on the students to willingly learn , the teacher has to look at their personal needs , what interests them , what curiosity they have. Students of Engineering usually do have intrinsic motivation in that they have a thirst for knowledge of how the various machinery and engines work. These are the ones that have the vocation of mechanical engineering. I must cultivate this intrinsic motivation by satisfying their thirst of knowledge but at the same time increasing it. What do I mean? During the teaching learning process I do explain and answer their questions . Then I tactfully leave something unanswered or partly answered , by saying I forgot the details or giving them a hazy answer. This really works , because they go and look up the items which I have left shady and grey. How do I know they do this? Well , because next time they see me , or during another lesson I mention this same thing , someone comments or points out the answer which I left unanswered, telling me all about it . This is a sort of trick on the students I practice really works. I have amplified their intrinsic motivation got them to be self-motivated to learn . This kind of motivation is the best because the returns grow more and more. The learning process accelerates
The other motivation which we may use is the extrinsic one. I have seen this kind of motivation and seen and am presently experiencing it in one particular student. In this case the student has come to class because he wants a certificate in order to get a job , money reward. The student has some kind of social pressure , coming from his peers , the fashion or trend ,or from his family members , mainly father and mother. I do have such a case, his father is an engineer . The student has failed matsecs and so unable to enter university. The student is being put under pressure by his father which I have met in Parent’s Day. I feel sorry for this kid, he is always sad looking , tries his very best , but still does not do well in his assignments. His father was talking him down in parent’s day and I ended up defending the boy . Usually in parents day the parent defends the student from the teacher. It is clear that extrinsic , forced , imposed motivation is diminishing in returns
In my opinion, Ian is quite right! I do question the creativity and innovation of our students too. Recently, I came across an article written by the same Christopher Dawson: “Can academic integrity exist in the Google Age?” A follower of this article commented and said that today is nothing different than 30 years ago when students used to go to a library, copy stuff out of books and maybe re-word an article. Well, from my experience, many students today do not even know how to read and summarize an article. It is like they feel the need to copy whole articles without even proper referencing. Yes, we are living in a Google Age; in a “Cut and Paste” era I must say. And this is the habit which is killing our students’ academic integrity and motivation!
The above video also applies in education and to our students.
ReplyDeleteSometimes students appear to be motivated simply on their own initiative, without the promise of a reward. Such learners are said to be intrinsically motivated. These students are driven by interest and curiosity in the subject. On the other hand, extrinsic motivation is when the source of motivation lies outside the individual and the task being performed. For example, students may be extrinsically motivated because at the completion of the task they will get good grades or praise. They might just want to avoid embarrassment for not completing the task.
Motivation, intrinsic or extrinsic, affects both our self-perception and out attribution pattern. If we see ourselves as the cause of out own behaviour, that is, if we believe we are origins, in control or our own behaviour, then we believe we are intrinsically motivated. When we believe our behaviour is determined by external forces, that we are ‘pawns’, we think of ourselves as extrinsically motivated (Calder and Shaw, 1975).
In one series of studies (Lepper, Greene, and Nisbett; 1973; Lepper and Greene; 1975), the researchers measured students’ initial interest in an activity. One group of students were promised a reward on the completion of the task, other groups either were given no reward or were rewarded unexpectedly. It was observed that the performance of that the group expecting a reward dropped significantly once the novelty of the task wore off. This exercise, in fact showed that some students’ performance decreases with the promise of an extrinsic reward.
When extrinsic rewards are promised for tasks that students would have done anyway, this is likely to deflate students and decrease their motivation. Extrinsic rewards may be beneficial for those students whose level of motivation is quite low. For example, when explaining a new task to students with a low level of motivation, the lecturer has to continuously point out that it is relevant for the coming exam or assignment; this will maintain the students’ interest. Whereas, when doing the same task with students that are intrinsically motivated, their interest is peaked through curiosity and eagerness to learn something new and relevant for their future career.
This comment has been removed by the author.
ReplyDeleteThe contributions above prove how technology indeed can support what can be learned theoretically from books. Watching the clip which Moira posted, and reading Claire's posting, give more or less the same information. Now I ask you which one is the more interesting? :)
ReplyDeleteAfter their secondary education, adolescents start thinking about their achievements and career. In fact, adolescence is a critical point for accomplishments (Eccles, 2000). Most of my students attending foundation courses see the course as an opportunity to reach their targets but one will always find handfuls which end up there due to social pressures or due to their lack of motivation to enter the world of work. The majority of my students would have already taken a deep breath for ending their study of Mathematics at secondary level. Students find the nuisance of having to study Mathematics at post-secondary level very difficult to accept. “Mathematics is the language of Science, what do we need it for?” “What does it have to do with hairdressing?” I hear these questions frequently during my lessons. These statements clearly show the lack of motivation for most of the students to study Mathematics. They usually perceive Mathematics as a block of abstract concepts which are impossible to ever use in everyday life. Whether or not they manage to adapt to the new academic pressures is determined, mainly, by their motivational factors.
ReplyDeleteCrisby
As this video says we need to give our students a purpose for their studies / assignments. From experience, I have often found that when students are asked to work on a task which is applied to their prospective life at work they do this task willingly as they can see that it will eventually be of help. After being through secondary school our students often think that a lot of things which they are studying are given just because they need to be done and not because these will be of help to them in their life or at work - and therefore giving a purpose to the task at hand can usually help to motivate our students - and when one is motivated to work the work produced is of a much better standard.
ReplyDeleteTherefore if one were to apply this to elearning we can say that since technology is taking over our world, whether educational or at work, having our students use technology at school is of great help to them since most probably they would be using the same things at work.
I had a look at the video and it is very interesting. The video states that the 3 factors that lead to better performance are autonomy, mastery and purpose. I believe that if students do not embed these factors they will find it difficult to succeed.
ReplyDeleteHuman beings want to learn, to make choices, to achieve. If we want to be professional we have to have a purpose, be self-directed and a desire to get better and better at something.
‘We are purpose maximisers’. I find this comment from the video which has been posted very striking. Motivation may be enhanced when the students are aware of their ‘purpose’. By the age of 16, when students join MCAST, students should be gaining a clearer understanding of their purpose and where their studies should get them. If students are not aware of the ‘purpose’, it will be very difficult to be motivated to learn.
ReplyDelete'Purpose' is what motivates us intrinsically. My experience with students show that a good number, particularly at ICT, have no notion of their purpose of completing a particular course. When asked, many students base their motivation on extrinsic factors like receiving a stipend, or even expressing their parents’ wish to see them gain a certificate in an ICT course (even though it is not the student’s wish).
I think that the course relevance and value in the world if work are factors which also boost purpose.
This video is very interesting. It can very well be applied in our classrooms. Sometimes, I feel that we concentrate too much on assignments that we end up failing to communicate the real purpose of education. This has also sometimes happened to myself as a student.
ReplyDeleteI feel that teachers are responsible in creating an environment in class where each student can feel connected to a personal purpose. Students shall also be assisted in feeling the need and possibility to work towards such purpose and be driven by it. I also believe that such purpose is a means to an end rather than the end in itself. This can be done by providing rewards which will help students to believe more in
To be honest, this whole "purpose" bit scares me a little. Do the students really need to have a clearly defined purpose in life to learn or do anything? Realistically speaking how many students know where they want to be by the end of the course? What happens when the desired workplace does not materialise or things change? How many of us lecturers knew what our "purpose" was as the age of sixteen? How many of us predicted that we would be lecturing at MCAST? If we just keep waiting for students to find a purpose to learn or study, I'm afraid we'll be going round in vicious circles. This is why we should be teaching thinking skills that can be adapted to any environment rather than depositing content. We should be teaching our students how to successfully find new cheese the very moment it is moved.
ReplyDeleteI enjoyed watching this video clip and relate it to the course in early years and motivating our students. One word which hit me is FUN, students learn when they are enjoying themselves. Piaget, Vygostky, Brunner all have a constructivists approach to learning, they conclude that children learn best when they are enjoying themselves. However many times I feel we are stressing these students out by too many assignments and not much time left to research into the early years to find means of how to stimulate learning and development in little children. When students are out on placements in nurseries or kindergarten, they enjoy working with children and this is what keeps them going in the course even though they have a lot of work to prepare. In my opinion, hands on experience helps to motivate our students to learn. They are intrinsically motivated to learn because they want to work with children in the educational sector not to make money (this job doesn’t pay well) but to do what they enjoy doing. I am always trying to find ways of keeping this motivation going strong but I admit that BTEC’s system of assessment makes this rather difficult in fact I insist that all lecturers in the early years should get together to find alternative ways of assessing which will meet the BTEC requirements without causing so much stress. These students should be learning but also enjoying their college days not meeting dead lines to submit so many assignments. This would also help them to prepare themselves better for placements hence be better child practitioners.
ReplyDeleteReferring to Analisa's comment - June 2, 2010 12.52pm:
ReplyDeleteOne way of doing this is through the use of portfolios as a means of assessment. Students are given the chance to apply knowledge gained and showing their own progression and achievements. They are given the opportunity to move away from traditional theory assessment strategies to a more practical approach as it gives learners the chance to construct and apply knowledge.
Another benefit gained through the application of knowledge using portfolios is that in recording activities it provides students with the opportunity to create a showcase of educational accomplishments when promoting themselves during job interviews.
I think that motivation is very important in learning and in teaching, in fact I think that when the teacher is not motivated and does not like the subject s/he is teaching most probably the students will sense this and will also be de-motivated. The clip mentions money as a reward to motivate the students, and I agree with the clip that higher incentives could lead to a poor performance, because our students have a stipend (a kind of monetary reward) and in my opinion this does not really motivate them. When I was a student and I had a stipend, I thought of it as additional financial help, but not as a reward for my studies. On the other hand, I notice that a number of students at MCAST give a lot of importance to their stipend and it is as if it is the only reward for their studies. I also notice a number of students who are very motivated to further their studies and think about personal satisfaction and their future job as the factors that motivate them. I notice other students who are not very motivated and attend MCAST because their friends do so or because their parents insist that they should attend MCAST. Other students attend MCAST because they do not have a job. I think that motivation is very important in order to learn, and I also think that FUN is another important factor. This week my students (Foundation in Care and Hairdressing)are delivering presentations about a topic of vocational relevance. Most of my students are doing very well because the topic is interesting for my students and this motivates them. The fact that the had to prepare a powerpoint presentation or a chart and use their creativity also motivated my students a lot. So I think that if students are given the opportunity to be creative they are more motivated and so their learning experience is more interesting and fun.
ReplyDeleteIt is important to motivate students but also more important that the lecturer is motivated. Effective learning in the classroom depends on the teacher's ability to maintain the interest and motivate students. Now that I am working as a lecturer I know how difficult it is to manage time properly and find time to prepare the lectures appropriately so that both myself and the students are motivated. Whatever level of motivation students bring to the classroom has to be transformed, for better or worse, by what happens in that classroom.
ReplyDeleteI have found this video very interesting and quite agree that autonomy, mastery and purpose are extremely important factors contributing to improved performance. That is, when the learner has already discovered his or her purpose in life.
ReplyDeleteI feel that very few of my students (aged between 16 and 19)have really thought about what they want to do with their life. For some, attending MCAST has been a natural progression after finishing their secondary education or to follow their best friend or simply to wile away the time till they find a job (and earn a stipend in the process). This is not to say that there aren't students with a clear aim or target as to where they want to go from here. I know students who are eager to learn and who are willing to go that extra mile to improve their grades and their knowledge. However I tend to agree with Rachel when she said that most of the students have little idea where they want to be at the end of their course.
As a result I believe that we must motivate our students by any possible means to embrace their learning not simply as a means to an end but as being a part of themselves - another piece of the puzzle which makes them (the student)up. Learning should not just be targeted at getting a piece of paper at the end of the course or finding a good job but at forming thinking, well rounded individuals who will be able to apply their skills at whatever life throws in their way. If e-learning will achieve this aim then so be it.
"Most of the problems of education are problems of motivation...When a child is self-motivated, the teacher cannot keep him from learning."
ReplyDeleteC. John Sommerville, "The Rise and Fall of Childhood"
Underachieving students have a significant gap between their ability and what they produce and achieve in school.I believe that a good number of students at MCAST especially those at ICT feel underachievers cause they didn't manage to pass from their O'Levels or A levels and enter University.
Not every person learns in the same way. It is important that each student be given an opportunity to explore a variety of ways to successfully accomplish a homework task or do a term project.
For many, "book learning" is natural but others find this mode difficult. Whether it is because of a learning disorder or neurological difficulties, it is very difficult for such a student to complete an assignment based on reading chapters or taking out a library book on the subject.
The same youngster may do very well exploring a topic using the Internet, video tapes, CDs or even interviewing someone. Instead of writing homework neatly in a spiral notebook, such a student may do better using a camcorder or creating a computer "PowerPoint" presentation.
A third teen may do best with a combination of traditional print methodology and more interactive technology.
@ Rachel:
ReplyDeleteI do agree with you when you say that our students do not seem to indicate they have a much higher purpose in life. It is also true that at 16 one isn't expected to have his/her life plans mapped out. But I have come to believe that most problems which adolescents face, seem to arise from the fact that they seem to have no purpose - when adolescents with problems are asked what they wish for, what they would like to do, they just shrug it off. I think that we need to offer motivation...I think that somehow we need to offer purpose. It could be that our students are as you say, not readily prepared for a long-term purpose, or life-vision, but if we manage to direct them to a short-term purpose and goal, I believe that they will become as has been described in this video and in these comments "purpose maximisers".
I fully agree that we should motivate students and above all inspire them, but I still tend to believe that none of us are in a position to determine the "purpose" of any student. Purpose is a very strong word and finding one's purpose (or rather mission) in life is an individual journey that will be influenced by the people that we meet, individual experiences and the way our life enfolds. Certainly teachers are in a position to inspire students to discover who they are and where their strengths lie. The teacher has a duty to pinpoint such strengths to the student when such strengths are identified and encourage students to develop such talents in a positive way.
ReplyDeleteIt's the word "purpose" that is still causing me a lot of distress. I feel that it has a very narrow implication and it almost reminds me of the purpose of a machine, where the purpose of machine A is to bend metal, the purpose of machine B is to grind etc. So, if the word "purpose" is eliminated, that would give a new dimension to the entire video but the term "purpose maximisers" is far too strong for me to accept when it is used in conjunction with human beings. Maybe "mission" would be a better word.
One of the roles of technology is to bridge the gap between different learning communities throughout the world, thus allowing students to discover other possibilities that will help them towards fulfilling their mission in life, whatever this may be.
Lack of motivation may be due to a number of things: students studying the wrong course or not knowing what they want in life,sudents who are used to get want they want in life, in otherwise spoilt and hence find student life too tedious and sometimes teachers not delivering the subject properly.
ReplyDeleteWhilst some issues do not depend on us as educators, we are in a very good position to help and motivate our students. In the lower level classes, we can guide students make the right choices when choosing a course, taking into consideration their skills and strong points. Applying different teaching methods,involving students more in the lesson and where applicable using hand-on learning all help in keeping students motivated. A teacher's enthusiasm for the subject will also effect the way students look at a subject. It is like the enthusiasm is contagious.
There is so much to say but I have to stop and listen (if you note time and day of post you will know why :-))
Different people watching this video clip give slight different versions, because each one will focus more on the points which one finds more of interest to him than others. I relate this video clip to my situation as an educator in Mcast.
ReplyDeleteI have joined MCAST 3 years ago and I feel that we, MCAST lecturing staff, are genuine vocational educators, we practice teaching with dedication and vocationally.
We do this because we have targeted a purpose, contributing to share our knowledge with dedication. Otherwise, we would not go through the entire PGC VET course with such dedication. Personally I take it seriously; and my driving force is that I would like to get better in this profession. This is my sense of engagement to mastery.
Our capability to manage a class and conduct lessons on our own, proofs that we are self directive, and autonomous.
Our motivation is intrinsic: autonomy, mastery, and purpose
This proves that we are thinkers, self - motivated with our personal satisfaction. The next challenge is to successfully engage students to be enthusiastic and motivated as well.
Unfortunately some students are made to attend to our MCAST courses. These students are too young and they have not yet decided what they want in life. Normally these students tend to be demotivated and sometimes even have an effect on the others.
ReplyDeleteFrom my personal experience I found that demotivated students are very difficult to motivate. But maybe with the use of elearning and thanks to a better visualization of the subjects the students could at least become a bit interested.
I found the video very interesting but its message is not entirely new. Maslow's hierarchy tells us that money is only important at the lower levels (where the person is concerned with survival and safety), and that at the highest levels self-fulfilment is the driving force (e.g., the case of people who created Linux and Wikipedia for free).
ReplyDeleteThe topic of motivation intrigues me. Just today I had a lesson with a 1ND class. Some students aim for distinctions and work on their own initiative. Others are completely de-motivated and uninterested and they make you feel that they are making you a favour by being physically present in class (they actually tell you “ghamiltulek l-assignment sir”). Interestingly, motivation is not necessarily related to skill. In this class that I am mentioning, some of the motivated students were particularly poor and some of the de-motivated students have potential. I am interested in hearing your opinions on what factors lead to complete de-motivation for some of our students.
Ranier’s comment about students saying “ghamiltulek l-assignment” is not new to most of us. Some years back, I was reading The Sunday Times and Fr. Alfred Darmanin SJ made the same comment about University students. I think a good number of MCAST students have low self esteem. This may be associated with their family and social background. In giving students time, individual attention and showing them we value them especially as an individual, we can help to motivate them. A good number of our students make an impressive improvement up Bloom’s taxonomy levels (on which the BTEC criteria including merits and distinctions are based) because of their 3rd year project work. I think the main contributing factor is the fact that it is their individual work. It gives them the purpose and when they start mastering the subject they chose, their motivation increases and then their creativity emerges. In their apprenticeship our students (unfortunately, not all) have the opportunity to relate the theory with the practical applications of the real world. There are always students who will still not be motivated intrinsically. In seeing the video I have reservation about “pay people enough so the pay is not an issue”. I think even if money is an issue but you have job satisfaction and/or you are working in a healthy (good relations with peers) environment then autonomy and self direction are achieved. The phrase from a song “when the going gets tough, the tough gets going” has often come to mind. And it is has all to do with what the motivation is, and it is never extrinsic.
ReplyDeleteI agree with Claire Cornish ,Motivation is a key issue in teaching and learning.
ReplyDeleteWhat is motivation? It is the difference between what one will do and what one can do.
(Will do) –( Can do) = Motivation.
This equation like any mathematical equation can have three answers , positive , negative and zero.If the answer is positive than a person will be motivated. If it is zero , he is cruising along doing the barest minimum. Negative , well he is negatively motivated, lack of cooperation and causing trouble and problems. It is very important that students are positively motivated at school . The teacher has to do everything in his capabilities to find ways to positively motivate the students.But for the teaching learning process , [1]even the teacher has to be positively motivated.Human beings are not only transmitters of words and thoughts but we also tend to transmit our feelings and moods to others. An apathetic teacher will transmit apathy to the students. This poses a very difficult task on the teacher . A task which I compare to the clown , who despite he is sad , has to go out and act as if he is happy , joyful and make people laugh. With all the difficulties of life , personal problems and worries , and set backs and beating we get at work , the teacher still has to go to class in a good mood and showing bright enthusiasm.
The ancient Greeks used to say that ‘ Willing obedience , beats forced obedience’.[2]
People will willingly obey if they are positively motivated. They will work willingly with out the need of constant supervision and disciplining. They do not have to be pushed.
The same applies to motivation . If students become self-motivated( willing work) they will learn much more than if they were imposed-ly motivated ( forced to work).
[1]Ron Renchler Student Motivation, School Culture, and Academic Achievement What School Leaders Can Do University Publications, University of Oregon.
[2] Xenophon
For one reason or another some students lack motivation. I don’t think that e-learning is the sole solution to this problem. It is however through that rather than having the static classroom environment some students might be led to prefer the dynamic e-environment. Hence, e-learning is the ideal tool, which if adequately used will create more interest and curiosity in learning.
ReplyDeleteEspecially for e - learning it is important to look to how motivation leads to cognition to be able to analyse if developers really manage to increase motivation with the programs they develop. The onus does not only lie on the software developer but most importantly on the course designer. He must realise that learning styles are different: visual learners, kinaesthetic learners, auditory learners. E-learning courses must cater for all otherwise learners will lose interest. If the design does not tackle all these aspects learners might drop out due to feeling isolated, finding it difficult to navigate on site (with minimum support), start confusing instructions and tasks or may start navigating through irrelevant materials.
A person can be intrinsically motivated , he is willing to study and learn because of his needs , personal opinion interest , enjoyment or curiosity. Intrinsic motivation is self-motivation.
ReplyDeleteTo switch on the students to willingly learn , the teacher has to look at their personal needs , what interests them , what curiosity they have. Students of Engineering usually do have intrinsic motivation in that they have a thirst for knowledge of how the various machinery and engines work. These are the ones that have the vocation of mechanical engineering. I must cultivate this intrinsic motivation by satisfying their thirst of knowledge but at the same time increasing it. What do I mean? During the teaching learning process I do explain and answer their questions . Then I tactfully leave something unanswered or partly answered , by saying I forgot the details or giving them a hazy answer. This really works , because they go and look up the items which I have left shady and grey. How do I know they do this? Well , because next time they see me , or during another lesson I mention this same thing , someone comments or points out the answer which I left unanswered, telling me all about it . This is a sort of trick on the students I practice really works. I have amplified their intrinsic motivation got them to be self-motivated to learn . This kind of motivation is the best because the returns grow more and more. The learning process accelerates
A person can be intrinsically motivated , he is willing to study and learn because of his needs , personal opinion interest , enjoyment or curiosity. Intrinsic motivation is self-motivation.
ReplyDeleteTo switch on the students to willingly learn , the teacher has to look at their personal needs , what interests them , what curiosity they have. Students of Engineering usually do have intrinsic motivation in that they have a thirst for knowledge of how the various machinery and engines work. These are the ones that have the vocation of mechanical engineering. I must cultivate this intrinsic motivation by satisfying their thirst of knowledge but at the same time increasing it. What do I mean? During the teaching learning process I do explain and answer their questions . Then I tactfully leave something unanswered or partly answered , by saying I forgot the details or giving them a hazy answer. This really works , because they go and look up the items which I have left shady and grey. How do I know they do this? Well , because next time they see me , or during another lesson I mention this same thing , someone comments or points out the answer which I left unanswered, telling me all about it . This is a sort of trick on the students I practice really works. I have amplified their intrinsic motivation got them to be self-motivated to learn . This kind of motivation is the best because the returns grow more and more. The learning process accelerates
The other motivation which we may use is the extrinsic one. I have seen this kind of motivation and seen and am presently experiencing it in one particular student. In this case the student has come to class because he wants a certificate in order to get a job , money reward. The student has some kind of social pressure , coming from his peers , the fashion or trend ,or from his family members , mainly father and mother. I do have such a case, his father is an engineer . The student has failed matsecs and so unable to enter university. The student is being put under pressure by his father which I have met in Parent’s Day. I feel sorry for this kid, he is always sad looking , tries his very best , but still does not do well in his assignments. His father was talking him down in parent’s day and I ended up defending the boy . Usually in parents day the parent defends the student from the teacher. It is clear that extrinsic , forced , imposed motivation is diminishing in returns
ReplyDeleteCan academic integrity exist in the Google Age?
ReplyDeleteIn my opinion, Ian is quite right! I do question the creativity and innovation of our students too. Recently, I came across an article written by the same Christopher Dawson: “Can academic integrity exist in the Google Age?” A follower of this article commented and said that today is nothing different than 30 years ago when students used to go to a library, copy stuff out of books and maybe re-word an article. Well, from my experience, many students today do not even know how to read and summarize an article. It is like they feel the need to copy whole articles without even proper referencing. Yes, we are living in a Google Age; in a “Cut and Paste” era I must say. And this is the habit which is killing our students’ academic integrity and motivation!
Crisby