Monday Noon Seminar Series, Fall 09

Motivating Students

Jacki Thomas and Scott Gines

“Whatever level of motivation students bring to the classroom will be transformed, for better or worse, by what happens in that classroom.”*

Factors that affect a given student’s motivation

· Interest in the subject matter

· Perception of its usefulness

· General desire to achieve

· Self-confidence

· Self-esteem

· Patience

· Persistence

· Type of motivation: approval of others/overcoming challenges

Aspects of the teaching situation that enhance students’ self-motivation

To encourage students to become self-motivated independent learners, instructors can do the following:

· Give frequent, early, positive feedback that supports students’ beliefs that they can do well.

· Ensure opportunities for students’ success by assigning tasks that are neither too easy nor too difficult.

· Help students find personal meaning and value in the material.

· Create an atmosphere that is open and positive.

· Help students feel that they are valued members of a learning community.

Contributors to student motivation

· Instructor’s enthusiasm

· Relevance of the material

· Organization of the course

· Appropriate difficulty of the material

· Active involvement of students

· Variety

· Rapport between teacher and students

· Use of appropriate, concrete, and understandable examples

General Strategies

Activities that you undertake to promote learning will also enhance students’ motivation.

· Make students active participants in learning

· Tell students what they need to do to succeed

“Motivating Students” pages 193-202 of Tools for Teaching by Barbara Gross Davis, 1993.