Motivation

Motivation is a challenging issue – but there are some things that you CAN do.  Consider:

1. WIIFM (What’s in it for me?) – show students the importance and relationship of the reading to their successful learning
2. Choices – give multiple ways to acquire the same content if possible
3. Connection – point out relevance to their lives
4. Expectations – be explicit about what they should do with the reading, how it will  be used, and what they’ll need to take from it
5. Accountability and consequences – if it’s important to their learning then make it matter. Design accordingly. Use ANGEL tools such as quizzes and discussion forums to allow students to process the reading

Design your reading assignments and activities so that students can see a relationship between their behaviors and their desired outcomes. If no amount of hard work is going to get them the grade they want, then what's the point? Conversely, if little effort is needed to get the grade, then they won’t bother to explore more deeply.

Feeling competent helps students be more intrinsically motivated. To be competent, they need both the strategies and the capabilities for reaching desired outcomes. Build activities that embed and scaffold reading skill development. Read more on this in the Embedding Skill Building section of this module.

Want to read more on student motivation in higher education? Go HERE

Motivation - > Gap

Maybe your students are motivated to learn, but there seems to be a skill deficiency. Find out more about the high school to college gap.

 

Resources
Deci, E. L. (1995). Why we do what we do: The dynamics of personal autonomy. New York: Putnam & Sons

Raffini, J. P. (1996) 150 ways to increase intrinsic motivation in the classroom. Needham Heights, MA: Allyn & Bacon.

Svinicki, M. D. (2004) Learning and motivation in the postsecondary classroom. Bolton, MA: Anker

Cartoon from www.artlex.com/ArtLex/m/motivation.html