Cultivating Student Motivation

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ANotefromtheDirector

Inasurveyoffaculty,oneofthemostfrequentlyrequestedtopicswashowtomotivatestudents.Inthis
booklet,we'vebroughttogetherideasfromavarietyofsources.Ihopethatyoufindthemworthwhile
or,ataminimum,thattheystimulateyourthoughts.Ihopeyou'llsharethosethoughtandideaswithus
sothatwecanthensharethemwithyourcolleaguesinafollowupbooklet.
JSallyKuhlenschmidt,Director,FaCET


TableofContents

CreatingaMotivatingEnvironment..............................................................................................................1
EncouragingStudentMotivation..................................................................................................................2
PositiveMethodsforDealingwithLackofMotivation.................................................................................3
WKUFacultyComments...............................................................................................................................3
CollegeStudents=AdultLearners=4Levels...............................................................................................6
ManagingPersonalAttitudes........................................................................................................................7
5WaystoDealwithResistorsandDifficultKnowItAlls.......................................................................8
SuggestionstoKeepYourMotivationHigh..................................................................................................8
WhatDOWeKnowAboutLearning?........................................................................................................9
BooksAvailableForCheckoutfromFaCET.................................................................................................10

LATESTREVISIONDECEMBER2010,WRENMILLS
ORIGINALPUBLICATION1996

CreatingaMotivatingEnvironment

ThefollowingareadaptedfromarticlesinTheall,M.(ed.).(1999,Summer).NewDirectionsforTeachingand
Learning,MotivationfromWithin:ApproachesforEncouragingFacultyandStudentstoExcel,78.SanFrancisco:
JosseyBass.The*denotestheendofinformationfromanarticleanditscitation.

Acommonlyacceptedprincipleofmotivationisthatonecannotmotivateotherpeople.Itispossibleto
createenvironmentsinwhichpeoplecanmotivatethemselves.Commonfactorsofintrinsically
motivatingenvironmentsthatarefrequentlydiscussedintheliteratureareasfollows:

Givingpositivereinforcement
Conveyingenthusiasm
Creatingawarenessofvalue
Cultivatingpersonalresponsibilityforlearning
Fosteringsupportiveinterpersonalrelationshipsinclass
Linkingindividualsintrinsicselfinterestwiththeclass
Structuringexperiencesthatshowrealworldrelevance

*fromNuhfer,E.B.Motivationininterdisciplinaryprograms,(pp.7986).

Anothermodelformotivatingconditionsthatteachersandstudentscancreateorenhanceisthe
MotivationalFrameworkforCulturallyResponsiveTeaching.Thisconceptualmodelsystematically
presentsfourmotivationalconditions,allofwhichintersectinthelearnersexperienceatthemoment.
Theseconditionsare:
1. Establishinginclusion:Creatingalearningatmosphereinwhichstudentsandteachersfeel
respectedandconnectedtooneanother(e.g.,community,climate,ownership)
2. Developingattitude:Creatingafavorabledispositiontowardthelearningexperiencethrough
personalrelevanceandchoice(e.g.,affect,interest,awareness,attention,enthusiasm)
3. Enhancingmeaning:Creatingchallenging,thoughtfullearningexperiencesthatincludestudents
perspectivesandvalues(e.g.,relevance)
4. Engenderingcompetence:Creatinganunderstandingthatstudentsareeffectiveinlearning
somethingtheyvalue(e.g.,empowerment,confidence,expectancy)
Thesefourconditionsworkinconcertandtheyexerttheirinfluenceonstudentmotivationforlearning
inthemomentandovertime.Followingthismodel,teacherscanplanhowtoestablishandcoordinate
theseconditionsintheirclassesandcanalsointegratemotivationalplanningwithinstructional
planning.
*fromWlodkowski,R.J,Motivationanddiversity:Aframeworkforteaching(pp.716).


Basedonanevaluationandsynthesisofliteratureonstudentmotivation,TheallandFranklincitetwo
additionalfactorswhicharefoundtoincreasemotivationintheclassroom:
5. Leadership,e.g.,highexpectations,structure,feedbackandsupport,and
6. Satisfaction,e.g.,rewards.
*fromTheall,M.,&Franklin,J.Whathavewelearned?Asynthesisandsomeguidelinesforeffectivemotivationin
highereducation(pp.99109).

EncouragingStudentMotivation

IdeasgeneratedbyattendeesattheFaCET(formerlyCTL)seminarStudentMotivationRoundtablein1995,
facilitatedbyPatCarr,English,andCarolGraham,Management.

1. Givemoreresponsibilitytostudentstoshapethecontentandprogressofthecourse(through
groupwork,peerevaluations,givingthemchoicesforprojects,etc.)
2. Tostimulatereadingofmaterial,givedailyshortquizzesonassignments.Itshouldbepossible
forallstudentstoearna90or100withreasonableeffort.
3. Givesecondchancestosucceedletthemredoquizzesandtests.
4. Otherwise,theyllgiveupwhentheyhavenochancetoimprovetheirgrade.Butletthemredo
onlysomany.Givetoomanychancesandstudentsthinktheycanwalkalloveryou.
5. Haveaquestionfromgroupprojectsonthefinalexam,togivestudentsanopportunityto
demonstratewhattheycontributedtoandlearnedfromtheproject.
6. Toencouragecollaborativelearning,havestudentstakesomequizzesasagroup.[Somefaculty
givethegroupquizafteranindividualquiz,andbotharegraded.]
7. Haveassignmentsthatbuildinsequence.Forexample,havestudentswriteaportionofa
productandthenrewriteitforthefinalpaper.Withoutrewriting,theymaynotreadandprofit
fromyourcomments.
8. Havestudentsapplymaterialsfromtheclasstoreallifeissuesofconcerntothem.Includeboth
factualandapplicationquestionsontests.Motivategraduatestudentsbyhavingthemwrite
publishablepapers.
9. Allowstudentstolearn;givestudentscreditfortheircapabilities.

PositiveMethodsforDealingwithLackofMotivation

1. Learningishardworkthatrequiressuitablerewards.
2. Involvethestudentsindevelopingclasspoliciesandproceduresasmuchaspossible.
3. Engagestudentsintheteachingprocess:theymayshareexperiences,teachsegments,and
becomeresponsiblefortheirownlearning.
4. Trytogetstudentstorelatelearninginyourclasstoreallifepeopleand
situations.
5. Besuretotakeadvantageofanymotivationthestudentsmayhaveand
builduponit.Acceptthestudentswheretheyareandhelpthemmoveforward.
6. Consideryourpersonallevelofmotivationasyoulearnnewmaterial.Doyouhavepeaksand
lowperiodsofmotivationasdoyourstudents?
7. Lowmotivationmaybeinfluencedbycircumstancesoutsideoftheclassroom,suchasdifficult
familycircumstances;oritmaycomefromthestudentsownlearningneeds.
8. Selfanalysisofyourinstructionalstylemaybehelpful.Doyoudoanythingthatmightreduce
studentmotivation?Perhapsanactionorproceduremaybeviewedinamannerotherthanas
youintended.
9. Rememberthattryingtoforcemotivationforyourcourseuponstudentsmaybackfire.
Motivationhastobenurturedorgrown.

AdaptedfromEgan,G.(1994.)Theskilledhelper:Aproblemmanagementapproachtohelping.Pacific
Grove,CA:Brooks/Cole.

WKUFacultyComments

Ihavelearnedthatmoreandmorestudentsgetmotivatedbythefactthattheyaretakinganactive
partintheconstructionoftheirknowledgeandinadvancingorincreasinggroupknowledge.Ibelievein
thebackgroundideathatnobodycomestomyclassroomblank.Iletstudentsrealizethatmygoalin
highereducationistohelpadvancetheirknowledge.Therefore,rightfromthefirstdayofclassItell
themthattheknowledgebasethattheybringwiththemtoclasscounts.Fromthenon,afterIintroduce
atopic,Iaskthemtowritedownwhattheyalreadyknowsowecanbrainstorm,explain,demonstrate
andcometoconclusions.
JohnstonNjoku

Relateinformationtostudentsconcernsandinterests.Considerhumor.
Anonymous


Theproblemforinstructorsisnotalackofmotivationinstudents.Humanbeingsareeithermotivated
ordead.Theproblemforteachersisthedirectionofthemotivation.Somestudentsaremotivated
towardactivitiesotherthantheinstructorsgoals.Toredirectstudentenergyandattentionto
educationalendsitisnecessarytoconnect,insomeway,educationtaskstothoseinterestsandgoalsof
thestudent.
SallyKuhlenschmidt

Popculturereferencescanbeapowerfulwaytoengagestudents.Hardlyalecturegoesbyinmy
introductoryastronomyclasswhereIdonotmakeareferencetosomecinematicdepictionofscience.
Studentcommentsonevaluationsandduringorafterclassconfirmthattheyappreciatethelinkstopop
cultureandtherelevancetotheworldoutsideofscience.
RichardGelderman

Inmostofmycourseitisimportanttolinkmaterialfromthetexttotherealworld.Ifclasslingerstoo
longonrelativelyabstractinformationIcanseetheeyesofstudentsglazeover.Iassignstudentsthe
responsibilityoffindingnewsitemsthatillustratetheconceptsandissuesdiscussedinthetext.These
newsarticlesneedtoberelativelyshortandthestudentisresponsiblefortellingusaboutthearticle
(notreadingittous)andthenidentifyingtheclassterm,issue,model,orconcepttowhichthisnews
relates.
BobHatfield

Allowstudentstochooseonepoem,story,partofachapterorwhateversegmentthatisessentialto
thelessonoftheday.Theypresentthesegmentinacreativemanner(reciteit,drawadiagram,etc.;
otherclassescouldadapttothespecialneedsofadifferentcurriculum.)Studentsarethenengagedin
thesuccessoftheclass;youcanthenincorporatetheirideasintoyourclassstructure.Theyremember
andacceptlessonsfromtheirpeersandthecredibilityfactorismuchhigherthanthatofalectureonly
indoctrination.WhenlearnersbecomesuccessfulteachersREALeducationisoccurring.
JamesD.Skaggs

Studentsareinvitedtosharetheirexperiencesinnursing.Experimentallearningincludesreflection.I
sharemyownexperienceinnursingwithnursingstudentsandnursepractitionerstudents.Reflection
onrealexperiencesengagesstudentsinthinkingaboutexperiencethroughabstractconceptualization
andconcreteoperationsthatKolbdescribedinhistheoryofexperimentallearning.
LindaCoakley

Ifsomethingisntworkingtoincreasemotivation,trysomethingdifferent.For
example,iftheenergyislowandtalkinglouderisnotworking,havethemstandand
stretch.Theearscanonlyhearwhattherearcanendure.

Anonymous

Iteachexclusivelywritingclasses,mostofwhicharerequiredforstudentsgeneraleducation
requirementsorfortheirmajorrequirements.Becausestudentsarerarelyenrolledinmyclassesby
choice,motivatingthembecomesasubstantialchallenge!Onetechniquethathasprovensuccessful
withalllevelsofstudents,fromfirstsemesterfreshmentograduatingseniors,istoconductwholeclass
peerresponseworkshopsoverdraftsoftheirdocuments.Theseworkshopsrequireconsiderable
preparationandclasstime,buttheresultshavebeenworththatadditionaleffort.


Althoughtherearemanywaystoorganizeandconducttheseworkshops,I
distributeaninformationalhandoutaboutaweekbeforeourfirstone,and
thenIallowstudentstochoosewhichdocumenttheywillsharewiththe
restoftheclass.(Because,onaMWFschedule,wecanonlydiscuss45
draftsperclassperiod,Ionlyhaveeachstudentshareonedraftper
semester.)Attheconclusionoftheclassperiodimmediatelypriortoaworkshop,thestudents
participatinginthatworkshopsharehardcopiesoftheirdraftsforourreview.Ashomework,weallread
andcommentonthesedrafts,andthenwespendtheworkshopperioddiscussingstrengthsofand
areasforimprovementineachdraft.Aftertheworkshop,eachauthorcompletesaratingsheetonthe
feedbackheorshereceivedandalsowritesareflectivecommenttome.

Throughlisteningtostudentscommentsandparticipatinginthediscussiononeachauthorsdraft,I
learnwherestudentsarestrugglingwithanassignmentandcanhelpguidetheclassintheright
directionforrevision.Thestudentswhosharetheirdocumentsaremotivatedtocreatesoliddraftsin
advanceoftheworkshop,andstudentswhoarestrugglingwiththeassignmentoftenfindnew
approachestoitbyreadingclassmatesresponses.Ifourscheduleallows,Ikickthewholeprojectoff
withadraftofmyown,andstudentsparticularlyenjoyanopportunitytocritiquetheteacherswriting.
IncorporatingtheseworkshopshasbeenoneofthebestthingsI'vedonetoimprovemyteachinginthe
lastfewyears.

Note:Angelaishappytoprovidesamplehandoutsthatcouldbeadaptedandsharedwithstudentsto
WKUfaculty.

AngelaJones

Iuseavarietyofstrategiesinoneperiodlecture,handsontasks,smallgroupwork,andstorytelling.
JudyPierce,CurriculumandInstruction

Beingspontaneousisveryeffective.Neverpresentmaterialinmemorizedformandalwaystakecareto
lookatthem[students]andactinterestedinyourmaterialandinthem.Allofthisassumesmasteryof
thematerialbytheteacher.
LauraHarperLee

Everytimestudentsraisetheirhandstheytakearisk.Whenyouriskandteachersfailtoacknowledge
it,youdestroytrust.Whenyoudonthavetrust,youarenotmotivatedtoriskagain.
KathyEddleman

CollegeStudents=AdultLearners=4Levels

Collegestudentsareadultlearners.Assuchtheyhavespecificneedsintheclassroom.Adultstudents
canbedescribedasfallinginto4levels.
Atthefirstlevelthestudentisunawareoftheirlackofknowledge,isunabletoperformthedesignated
tasks,andfindseverythingdifficult.Asignificantinstructionalgoalistobuildawareness.Thisstudent
needsmorestructure,moredemonstrations,andmorerepetition.Theinstructorisatrainerandin
chargeoftheprocessoflearning.Visualscanbeveryimportantincommunicatinginformationcharts,
transparencies,orvideosforexample.Theselearnersbenefitfromlotsofstories,examples,analogies,
metaphors,statistics,quotes,andquestions(SEAMSQQ)andalsopersonalfeedback.

Thesecondlevelofadultlearningiswhentheindividualknowstheydonotknowbutisstillnotableto
usetheknowledge.Theinstructionalgoalistobuildability.Theinstructorbecomesacoachwho
providesdirectionandmayallowsmallerrorsasinstructionalaids.Theinstructorusesallofthe
SEAMSQQtechniques,particularlyusingSocraticstylequestioningtohelpthelearnerexplorethetasks.
Demonstrationsarealsohelpful.Feedbackontheirownperformanceisimportantatthisstageof
learning.
Thethirdlevelofadultlearningisthestudentwhoisawarethattheyhavelearnedbutneedspractice.
Theinstructor'sgoalistobuildindependence.Level3instructorsarefacilitatorsintheprocess.Ifthey
arerarelyneededthentheyhavelaidagoodfoundation.Theinstructorasksratherthantellsandrelies
onexperientialexercises.Naturalconsequencestoactionsareallowedtooccur(assumingthereisno
danger).
Finally,atthefourthlevelofadultlearning,thelearneriscompetentandmanagingtheirown
performance.Theymay,however,beunawareoftheirskillsandtakeforgrantedtheabilitytodo
multipletaskssimultaneously.Thislearnerneedsaconsultantwhowillgenerateoptionsandprovidea
lowlevelofdirection.Theyexpecttheconsultanttogivedirectanswerstotheirquestions.Withthis
"student"the"instructor"isbuildinggrowthandmayserveprimarilyamotivationalpurpose.
Notethataparticularstudentmaybefunctioningatdifferentlevelsfordifferentaspects
ofthecontent.Astudentmaybeanexpertatnotetakingwhilegeneratingquestionsand
graspingbasicdefinitionsbutsimultaneouslyanoviceatusingthemachinetowhichthe
definitionsapply.


Differentteachingtoolslendthemselvestodifferentlevelsoflearners.Learnersatthefirstleveloften
especiallyappreciateandneedlectures.Otherlearnersmayalsobenefitfromlectures.Casestudiesand
roleplaysarehelpfulforthosepastthenovicelevel.Thehighestleveloflearnermaybenefitmostfrom
apaneldiscussionoroutsideexpert.

ManagingPersonalAttitudes
RegardingUnmotivatedStudents
Teachersmaydevelopselfdefeatingassumptionsandattitudesaboutstudentmotivation,whichimpair
theirabilitytoimpactstudentmotivationpositively.
Bewareoffallingforthesemyths:
1. Allstudentsshouldbeselfmotivatedandcommittedtolearningthe
material.
2. Everystudentmustlikeandtrustme.
3. Iamaconsultantandnotateacher;itshouldnotbenecessaryto
placedemandsonmystudentsorevenhelpthemplacedemands
onthemselves.
4. Everyunwillingstudentcanbetaught.
5. Nounwillingstudentcanbetaught.
6. Ialoneamresponsibleforwhathappenstoastudent.
7. Ihavetosucceedcompletelywitheverystudent.
Theseassumptionsandattitudesareunrealisticwaysofviewingtheworld.Theycanbecounteredby
morerealisticstatementsuchas,Ineveryclass,somestudentswillbeunmotivated.Iwillfocusonthe
motivatedones.Somestudentsmaynotbedevelopmentally,intellectuallyoremotionallyreadyto
appreciatethematerial.Anunmotivatedstudentmaybefacingapersonalcrisisorstrugglingto
balancemanydemands.
AdaptedfromEgan,G.(1994.)Theskilledhelper:Aproblemmanagementapproachtohelping.Pacific
Grove,CA:Brooks/Cole.

5WaystoDealwithResistorsandDifficultKnowItAlls
1.

2.

3.
4.
5.

Directlyinvolvestudentsinaneedsanalysisforthecourse.Askthemwhatthey
feelismostimportanttocoverintheclass,andtheirideasonhowbestto
accomplishthelearninggoals.Askadvancedstudentsforinputoncourse
design.
Talkoneononewithresistantornegativestudentsbeforetheclass.Askthem
ifthereisanythingyoucandotohelpthemgetmoreoutoftheclass.Thesimpleactofaskingmay
helpthestudenttoopenupmore;butbeawaretheymaythinkyouaresinglingthemout.
Incorporatemultiple,variedandspecificopportunitiesforthestudentstoapplythematerialinways
thatrelatetotheirlives.Ask,Howdoesthismaterialspecificallyrelatetowhatyoudoeachday?
Atkeypoints,askunmotivatedstudentstosharetheirexperiences.Showinganinterestinwhat
theysaymaystimulatethemtotakemoreofaninterestinclass.
Reevaluatehowyouarecommunicatingyourcourseobjectivestoyourstudents.Yourobjectives
needtobeclearandcomplete.Studentsneedtoknowwhatyouexpectofthem.

*AdaptedfromFredPryorseminarmaterials.

SuggestionstoKeepYourMotivationHigh

Rememberwhyyouchoseyourdiscipline.Askyourstudentswhytheyaretakingyourclass.If
possible,tryandgetthemtoexplainwhytheytookyourcourse.Shareyourreasonsforbeingwhere
youare.Dontexpecttheirreasonsandyourstobethesame!
Takeaclassinanotherdiscipline.Theothersideofthecoinmayberefreshing,informative,and
provideinsightsintoyourownteaching.Remembertheexperiencesthatworkedanddidnotwork
foryouthelearner.Thiscanhelpyou,asteacher.

Adaptedfrom:Mangan,B.(ed.)(1990).147practicaltipsforteachingprofessors.Madison,WI:Magna,
p.3940.

WhatDOWeKnowAboutLearning?
PartII:StrategiesthatEnhanceStudentLearning,MotivationandRetention

ByCathyHunt,HendersonCommunityCollege,submittedtotlwritingconsortium,10/2/06

InmycurrentdevelopmentasaclassroominstructorIamlessfocusedonspecificclassroomtechniques
butveryconcernedaboutchoosingthebeststrategiestopromotestudentlearning.Aretherestrategies
thatI,astheinstructor,canbringintotheclassroomthatwillfacilitatestudentlearning?
VincentTintoisamongthosewhohavelookedatthisquestioninresearchandpractice.Hisfindings
supportseveralinstructionalstrategiestoengagestudentswithlearning:

Communicatetothestudentsthatyouexpectthemtosucceed
Providestudentsfrequentandearlyfeedbackabouttheirperformance(earlywarningsystems,
classroomassessmenttechniques,nofaultand/orminiexams,etc.)
Createclassroomstructureswhichencouragefrequentandqualitycontactwithfacultyandother
students.Thesepromoteacademic,socialandpersonalsupport.
UseActivelearningstrategiesthatprovidestudenttimeontask.

Tintohasfoundthatclassroompracticessuchascooperativeand/orcollaborativelearning,problem
basedlearning,learningcommunities,supplementalinstruction,andservicelearningrequirestudentsto
learntogetherandreflectontheirlearning.Inturn,studentsinvolvedintheselearningstructuresreport
morecourseeffortandperceivedgainandshowhigherretentionrates.Ofcourse,noneofthisiseasy
orquickanswerstowhatIshouldplanfornextsemestersclass,butitreallyisgivingmesomethingto
thinkaboutandachallengetoimplement.

References
Tinto,V.EstablishingConditionsforStudentSuccess.SyracuseUniversity.Retrievedfrom
http://faculty.soe.syr.edu/vtinto/Files/European%20Access%20Network%202002%20Keynote.p
df

Tinto,V.Promotingstudentretentionthroughclassroompractice.SyracuseUniversity.Retrievedfrom
http://www.staffs.ac.uk/accessstudies/docs/AmsterpaperVT(2)L.doc

Tinto,V.Takingstudentlearningseriously.SyracuseUniversity
http://www.mcli.dist.maricopa.edu/events/lcc02/keynote_tinto.html

BooksAvailableForCheckoutfromFaCET

Fallows,S.,&Ahmet,K.(1999).Inspiringstudents:Casestudiesinmotivatingthelearner.Staffand
EducationalDevelopmentSeries.London,StaffandEducationalDevelopmentAssociation(SEDA).
FoundationforCriticalThinking.(1999).MotivateStudents:CurrentEducationalIssues.DVD.
McCombs,B.,&Whisler,J.S.(1997).Thelearnercenteredclassroomandschool:Strategiesfor
increasingstudentmotivationandachievement.JosseyBass.
MotivatingStudentsinGeneralEducationClasses(2000).DVD.
Svinicki,M.D.(2006).Learningandmotivationinthepostsecondaryclassroom.Anker.
Theall,M.(1999,Summer).Motivationfromwithin:Approachesforencouragingfacultyandstudentsto
excel.NewDirectionsforTeachingandLearning,78.SanFrancisco,JosseyBass.
Wlodkowski,R.J.(2008).Enhancingadultmotivationtolearn:Comprehensiveguideforteachingall
adults.Wiley&Sons.

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