Motivation and persistence is key to students’ successful degree completion.
I enjoyed the numerous conversations that ensued from the presentations on this topic.
When it comes to understanding motivation and what motivates each individual, I often think of the principles of operant conditioning, and, related, the implementation of applied behavioral therapy. For reinforcement to work, we need to know the participant well and what will be reinforcing/motivating to them. Matching the participant with the “wrong” type of reinforcement will not produce the most desired results. The simplest way to understand what motivates someone, is to ask.
In my Psych 100 class, when we reach the topic of motivation, I provide an assignment prompt, “If motivation is not enough to help you get things accomplished, what else can you do to ensure that you do what needs to be done?” At the time this is presented, our textbook also explores “time- and task-management systems” and notes, “Finding an approach or strategy that works best for you will likely pay off, not only now while you are in school but also in areas of your personal and future professional lives as well (Psychology, Ciccarelli and White).”
I always look forward to reading my students replies to this prompt, both to inform my instruction/ approaches as well as for all that I personally learn from them. Responses are often inspiring and clever. They describe schedules of reinforcement they apply (ex. setting a timer for a certain amount of school work before allowing a social media break), check list making, planners, the technology they incorporate to help (apps etc.), quotes and adages that keep them going, experiences, family, future goals they are set on reaching…
From our time together these past days, I am considering ways to incorporate asking what students find motivating, early on in the semester, as a way to tailor my course and add in aspects that are especially motivating, whether in my announcements, direct feedback to the student, or in the the content and structure.
I have noticed in general, my students have expressed pursuing helping careers to help others and their community, their family and friends. They also have displayed heartwarming interactions with their classmates with supportive comments in discussion. There appears to be a strong intrinsic motivation and reward from being a helper.
During the institute, we also explored the concepts of Autonomy, Purpose, and Mastery in these past 2 days. In our breakout groups, we appreciated that emphasis on mastery can often be the default. We shared various ways that we incorporate fostering a sense of autonomy and purpose.
Many in my breakout group provide freedom in choosing a topic for a final paper. We acknowledged there can be some trepidation in taking on this type of autonomy. In my personality class, I let students choose a topic that interests them, with the parameter that it just needs to be based on an article that they find in the Journal of Personality. What I have found helpful, is to do a live demonstration of the database search and invite students to call out topics for me to search and populate results. They see how to formulate and refine keywords to best arrive at their topic and expansive results. They also hear various ideas that students generate, as well as my own examples. Often they leave this session with more clarity and enthusiasm for what they will discover in their search.
A small way that I tap into autonomy and purpose is encouraging my students to embrace their point of view and retain a critical lens when theories are presented, as none are the “be all and end all,” but rather an attempt by a person(s) to explain an often hard to understand concept. And, that it may be someone in this classroom that one day comes up with a better theory to replace or build upon what we are learning today.
Thank you for a great part two of the institute.
